Public auctions provide no warranties or guarantees. Banks, on average, have the best inventory at the best prices. According to Edmunds, these are the vehicles to look for at public auction. They are usually repossessed cars and trucks that the lender simply needs to sell for a profit in order to make up for losses.
GREEN LIGHT: Indicates that the vehicle is subject to the auction's arbitration provisions. Any vehicle selling for $3,000 or less is sold AS-IS and cannot be arbitrated for any reason other than an odometer or title discrepancy, regardless of the light.
Most of the vehicles auctioned are government surplus vehicles. This happens when different government agencies purchase new vehicles, and they need to dispose of the old ones. Other vehicles in these auctions are also government-seized vehicles that have been confiscated for various reasons.