GSA auction question

I am considering on bidding on a couple of items from a GSA auction, and I was wondering if anyone here has any words of wisdom on dealing with them. I have bought a dozen or so items through GL and bid on many more, but this will be my first time dealing with GSA.

Ike

If you are bidding on former MVs, most of them have been used by Volunteer Fire Depts. They have been used and abused.

Knowing that, you should consider them as parts trucks. You will find some that are in good to great shape. I myself have bought 10 trucks from them and 6 have been resurrected and 4 where for parts only.

Other items are usually in the same two catagories. Used up and still fuctional.

With vehilces you do not need EUCs and the SF-97s are provided for free and I usually have them in hand before I pickup the vehicle.

YMMV

Warthog

Unlike another common auction service that is dishonest, scamming and without question crooks, you'l like GSA. I've bought stuff from them for years. No added on fees, no fine print that allows them to intentionally misrepresent items like another auction service and then tell you to go screw yourself when you find out you've been intentionally ripped off. I even had GSA acknowledge at one site they misdescribed an item, a dump truck, and refunded my money within a week. Best of luck.

Regards,
M376X6

GSA just wants to get rid of it..........Please buy it and come get it, we might give you something else to go with what you bought. They hate paper work. Just want to get rid of it.
That has been my experience.

Divemaster920 said:

GSA just wants to get rid of it..........Please buy it and come get it, we might give you something else to go with what you bought. They hate paper work. Just want to get rid of it.
That has been my experience.

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Amen to that brother......................

I have received many additional items when I have piicked up stuff...

I like dealing with them..

Divemaster920 said:

GSA just wants to get rid of it..........Please buy it and come get it, we might give you something else to go with what you bought. They hate paper work. Just want to get rid of it.
That has been my experience.

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Agreed. This is how DRMO was before they contracted the sales out. Pleeeze just come get this thing . . .

The best truck I have came from GSA. I love them, no hassles and fast paperwork, no sales commisions and no sales tax. A GSA employee even helped us get it started, but them he drove it through the warehouse wall and still no hassles

I got all of my stuff through GSA and I'm very pleased. My M51a2 came from a live auction in Springfield, IL and contrary to most trucks had just been released from the IL NG two months previously. Even the batteries were well charged. Go look at what you're bidding on and there will be no surprises.

They have a lot of trash, but a lot of serviceable equipment too at great prices. Unlike GL you will get what you bid on and more, no striping of parts before you pick it up.

I have nothing to compare it to as My only MV is from them. I was told when I went to preview it that they had to sit on the lot for a year before they could auction them off. They sent a guy with me to show me where it was and he told me it got to its parking spot under its own power.
I previewed it and knew I had a long road ahead as it was very rough.
I put my max bid in at $1500 and got it for the salvage value of about $1200. When I went to pick it up they let me use some starting fluid to get it cranked and made it home, 10 miles away.
My experience was good, just remember these have changed hands into some Local agency that got it and either couldn't use it for what they intended or turned it in after they were done wearing it out.

From inspecting GSA deuces at least, it appears maintenance was non-existent to say the least. What I've seen thus far, the risk of a GSA deuce far exceeds the ones on GL. Pretty much the GSA were just driven and thats it. The oil in the trucks I have seen were black and thick as maple syrup on a winter day. Like what was said earlier, consider them parts trucks

There are some exceptions. My M813 had never been picked up because it would not start. Gsa employee told many had tried and she would not run. Put in Batts and manually reset emergency shut down on IP and she fired right up. The only thing I had to replace was one tail light bulb and the fuel tank was full.

Since I do the this with fire equipment for a living here's my advice, INSPECT if you can the trucks before bidding, at the very least call the POC (listed as the property custodian) and ask lots of questions, a lot of the stuff I turn in for disposal is just obsolete, getting parts to keep it in service is too time consuming or costly, for the fire departments or the forestry departments, a lot of it runs when we park it, that by no means assures that it runs when you come to get it (assume it wont). A lot of the stuff was run hard and put away wet, most was maintained well by the fire departments while in service (hey if it don't run ya can't put out fires) Stick to the timelines in the contract between you and GSA, don't even consider a default! it will cost you IIRC $200.00 OR 10% whichever is greater, if there are problems with pickup contact the POC and let them know most will work with you to get the stuff gone within reason. You will receive an SF 97 automatically FREE! for a vehicle and don't have to do the EUC thing. I will say every state forestry does things differently so your mileage may differ!