[creative420]

Yesterday I went to Unity Building in Bangalore near Corporation circle. Went to withdraw come to cash from the Canara bank ATM opposite. Noticed lots of GOI cars with their specs mentioned and glued tot he bonnet. Asked the watchmen and he told me "There was some auction yesterday and everything is sold." There were about 14 cars (City, Ikons, 800 and Indigos) and 5-6 bikes.

The OHC was sold off at only 2.2L with 48K on odo and it looked in superb condition.

One 2002 800 with just 36k on odo went for 52K.

Splendour was sold off at 12K with only 22K on odo.

Everything was sold at a dirt cheap price. Does anyone know if this keeps happening regularly in Bangalore. If yes, where does it happen? And how do we get to know about it?

(Admin! Please merge this thread to any "Auction" related thread if it exists. I tried searching for it, but in vain.)

[adg_andy]

IMHO, there could be a section called " upcoming auctions" under Classifieds section.

[Spitfire]

They are rigged. No individual will get a single bid passed.

You are free to try though.

[Swanand Inamdar]

^^Spitfire, what do you mean by "rigged"? Do you mean to say, the agents have their own people who bid on their behalf?

[creative420]

The watchman did tell me that one dealer bought all the ikons, indigos and that one OHC. Now the dealer will make a killing out of these cars.

[anujmishra]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

They are rigged. No individual will get a single bid passed.

You are free to try though.

Agreed! All such things from government goes to only "Favourable" person only. It is rigged to the maximum for getting maximum personal profits out of it.

[anjan_c2007]

The Right to information Act 2005 can be invoked to seek answer to queries about the auction process to:-
- Get copies of all the tenders submitted for consideration by bidders to the concerned department.
-We can also ask whether there was an advertisement in the Indian Trade Journal and also whether the department's website displayed the auction details as is mandatory now as per the new Central Vigilance Commission guidelines ? This is to invite bids from all interested bidders and not restricting the submission of valid tenders to the favoured few.
-We can ask for file records to see notings of the concerned officials and understand how the auction prices were arrived.
-Whether the departmental cost accountant calculated the depreciated book value properly and what method of accountancy was used to arrive at the minimum bidding prices for each motor vehicle?
-Whether the price differential between the market rpice and the price recovered by the department in the auction process caused any pecuniary loss to the exchequer?
Similarly many more questions can be framed and answers sought but that requires time and patience. And a sustained effort can unnerve the corrupt if any found in the process.
A report with the applicants complaint, with his analyses and conclusions and copies of the RTI answers received* from the concerned department can be sent to the Central Vigilance Commission, New Delhi for an appropriate inquiry.
*RTI answers if not processed and sent properly by the department to the applicant to his or her satisfaction, can be appealed with the designated Departmental Appellate Authority (1st Appeal) and then f nothing more is forthcoming the CIC, New Delhi can be approached with the 2nd Appeal. Thats an antibiotic dose for the department officials who will get rattled for their acts of omission/commission. The hearing takes place at New Delhi and the officials are at the receiving end.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

^^Spitfire, what do you mean by "rigged"? Do you mean to say, the agents have their own people who bid on their behalf?

Oh its much deeper then that that. The prices are settled before the bid is made. A certain percentage is agreed upon between the car buyer and the guys who manage the auction. Lower the price higher the percentage. But the auctions guys have a threshold they settle at. Bids are accepted all other bids are rejected for some reason or the other.

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

The Right to information Act 2005

Ahh!! yes.

I know someone who did it.

There is a health dept in place called Campal in Panaji. Here you would see Gypsies, MM540's, CJ340's, Jeep Vans and there was even a lone Land Rover.

All these came up for auction, they were almost junk. The whole process was well done and the final bid went to one salvage guy in Panaji, he operates from the busstand area.

Now some guys filed a RTI, wonder of wonders every other bid was found to have some discrepancy or the other except 2 (There were not many bids, about a dozen). Both filed under different names by Mr Salvager.

The others could have dug in deeper but it didnt happen. The dept did take action against a few. What has happened today though is that the dept does not create any bids and the vehicles are just left to rot.

So yes one can if one wants to problem is why would one? Unless I am competing dealer/salvager. Which none of us are.

If I was one of them then we could have rigged the auction together

And that's how the cookie crumbles.

[Mr.Boss]

Prices are dirt cheap man.

But getting these cars requires lot of underground "influences" or "influenced person".

Believe me, i know a person who got army auctioned Gypsy for 42k+5k+10k. Let me explain the condition of the vehicle, all 5 tyres are with more than 75% life, 1 year old battery, completely working 4X4, good condition seats, blah blah blah. He spent around 22k for repair & painting (may be for registration also, not sure) the vehicle is in excellent condition now.

Confused on the price tag? 42k - Actual auction value, 5k - broker commission (the one who took that person to auction & introduced some "influence" inside), 10k - To that "influence".
Result - Before auction, the vehicle was with flat tyres, fully damaged seats, dead battery, 4X4 transfer case was not working so no drive shaft to front differentials. After the auction, everything was changed from another vehicle which is awaiting auction for the next lot.

PS: I'm not revealing the location or any further details on this deal.

[synchromesh]

Originally Posted by creative420

"There was some auction yesterday and everything is sold." There were about 14 cars (City, Ikons, 800 and Indigos) and 5-6 bikes.
The OHC was sold off at only 2.2L with 48K on odo and it looked in superb condition.
Everything was sold at a dirt cheap price.

I have come across something similar.
About 10 months ago, a Government entity was selling off 6 of its Maruti Esteem- 2005 model, reasonably good condition. The final sale value was 1.2L per car. All cars were bought by the same person.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

They are rigged. No individual will get a single bid passed.

Exactly why I am not driving one of those Esteems

[raj_srini]

The only way to check is RTI Act. They can't possibly take a chance now!

[creative420]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

PS: I'm not revealing the location or any further details on this deal.

They usually circulate a notice about the auction in advance. So we can land up at one of these auctions, just like the guy Mr.Boss mentioned, and make bids right? Has anyone here done that? Or anyone knows anyone who's gone to such auctions and bought a car?

[condor]

How do we get details of government auction notifications ?