california auction cars for sale View Cars For Sale in California at Auto Auctions Online

Auction Cars for Sale in California

Now, if you’re like me and prefer to do your car shopping in your pajamas, you’ll be happy to know that a lot of California car auctions let you browse their inventory online. Just grab your laptop or phone, and you can check out what they’ve got from the comfort of your couch.

But here’s the thing: not every auction puts all their vehicles online. So, if you really want to see the full picture, you’ll need to visit the auction location itself.

I’ve put together a list of California car auctions with directions to each one, plus a separate list of tow and police impound auctions across the state.

These auctions get cars from all sorts of places: dealerships, banks, title pawn companies, trade-ins, even regular folks selling their own rides.

The good news is, most of these cars have clean titles and are ready to go. It’s a different way to buy a used car, and you might actually find it kind of fun. Some of these places even let you bid online if you’re not into the whole in-person auction thing.

Most of the auction cars for sale to the public are via clean title auctions — meaning they are not salvaged or wrecked cars. However, these auctions will sometimes offer “inops”, but their history will be disclosed.

Use the links below to view auto auction cars in California with pictures

Each link will open in a new tab/window

a view of Express Auto Auction's auction vehicle inventory search tool with a list of cars with photos
Express Auto Auction’s website makes it easy for you to view their auction cars for sale with photos. No membership or registration is required just to view the inventory.

Express Auto Auction – San Diego, California (Auctions on Wednesdays) 8920 Paseo De La Fuente Norte, San Diego, CA 92154

a front facade of a public car auction in California
Contra Costa Auto Auction in San Diego has been around for a while and we have had positive experiences with them.

Contra Costa County Public Auto Auction

905 Auto Auction in California's website with a collage of auction vehicles
This shows the wide range of auction vehicles for sale that we usually see at 905 car auction. We always see a wide range of auction vehicles for sale at 905 car auction, and they are open to the public. We have always been satisfied with the service.

905 Auto Auction – San Diego, California 8205 St Andrews Ave, San Diego, CA 92154

Johnny's Auto Auction's website inventory search screen

Johnny’s Auto Auction (Formerly “Johnny Cash Auto Auction”. Yes, I’m serious.) 1703 Cactus Rd, San Diego, CA 92154 – (619) 883-4600

Socal Auto Auctions in Ontario, California

Socal Auto Auction – Ontario, California 17050 Foothill Blvd Suite B -Fontana, CA 92335

Otay Auto Auction in San Diego - this shows their website inventory viewer with photos of their auction vehicles for sale

Otay Auto Auction – San Diego, California (Online Auctions on Saturdays) 8968 Siempre Viva Road, San Diego, CA 92154

Here’s my favorite part: the California car auctions on my list are open to the public. No fees, no memberships, just show up and see what they’ve got.

They mostly deal in clean title cars (what we call wholesale car auctions in the business). If you’re looking for salvage cars, I can point you in the right direction: Just click here.

Why Buy an Auction Car in Cali?

  • Lower Prices: Look, everyone wants a deal, right? At a California car auction, you’re buying direct, cutting out the middleman (and their markup). That means you can often snag a car below market value. Cha-ching!
  • Wide Selection: Dealerships can be a drag. Limited selection, pushy salespeople… Auctions are the opposite. You’ll find all kinds of cars and trucks, even stuff you wouldn’t normally see on a dealer’s lot. More options, more chances to find that perfect ride.
  • Competitive Bidding: Alright, this is where it gets fun. The energy at an auction is contagious, but don’t get caught up in the hype. Keep your cool, know your limits, and you might just outbid the other guy and score a sweet deal.
  • Efficiency: Ain’t nobody got time to waste haggling at a dealership all day. At an auction, things move fast. You find a car you like, you bid, you win (hopefully!), and you’re outta there. Boom. Done.

Ever wonder where those used cars at dealerships come from? Well, some of ’em end up at California car auctions!

You can find trade-ins (you know, when someone ditches their old car for a shiny new one), off-lease vehicles (folks who are done with their lease and ready for something else), and even cars the cops have seized.

Yep, sometimes you can score a car that used to belong to someone who was on the wrong side of the law. Don’t forget about bank repos – those are cars the bank takes back when someone misses their payments.

The best part? You can usually snag these cars at a pretty sweet price.

Click here to view California Auto Auction sale dates, addresses, and phone numbers.

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Juan Carlos
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