any experience with car auctions?

Has anyone ever bought a car from a government or city car auction? I'm a college student living on my own and my parents can't help me out, therefore I only have about 2 Grand to spend. I already have enough monthly bills so I don't want to pay a car payment on top of that. I figured this was the only way I'll be able to get a good reliable car at a cost I can afford. Unfortuanately, I have no experience with gov. car auctions or city auto auctions and I was just wondering if anyone has any advice or experiences and what I should be looking for. Thanks!

government and city auctions primarily sell cars that they pick up off the side of the road or cars that they impound and are worth less than the impound fee so they are never gotten out. There are no real "deals" at these auctions unless you're looking for a parts car or a project car, which it doesn't sound like you are.

To get a reliable car on a budget, look in the newspaper classifieds and on www.autotrader.com

I have purchased two cars from the State of Michigan and one from the County government. All were sold at auction and I was bidding against local dealers as well as other individuals looking for a bargain. All three cars were reliable and never let me down. Cars are always sold AS IS - WHERE IS. Your cost is low but expect to have to clean the car and possibly make some minor repairs. All of the auctions I have attended were "no reserve" and all cars were sold regardless of price but none were "give away" prices like some of the ads you see claim. Check your state and local government's web site for their auction calandar. They may also have a municipal title but not always.