Savvy consumers can find some of the best places to buy used cars and trucks. They know what they want, how they plan to use the vehicle and get crafty in their quest to find the best deals.

If you’re on the hunt for a new-to-you pickup, you might be in the same position. You have an idea for the make and model you like and are now scouring the countless online inventory lists to find the prices within your budget.

There is one often overlooked place to look to find amazing trucks for sale. Before you buy a used truck, we’ll tell you how to find this forgotten resource and give you a few tips to consider to make sure you drive off with the best value.

A million and one online resources

Most online car shopping sites boast easy searching tools to find the precise vehicle you have in mind. But, sometimes, searching and scrolling the available inventory can get tedious. You might even find the pickup you want, only to discover it’s seven states away and will cost a small fortune to pick up or haul.

You’ve browsed cars.com, autotrader.com, and maybe even checked into carvana.com (they bring the vehicles to you). The best way to maximize your used truck search efforts with these sites is to save your search preferences, set your alerts, and check back often.

Forums, referrals, and local connections

Another excellent resource for finding that new-to-you pickup is the classifieds. Jump on the brand-specific or truck enthusiast forums to announce what you’re in the market to buy. Check craigslist.com or post your own ‘wanted to buy’ post. Hit up your local area, including friends and family. Sometimes, the best deals on available used trucks come from a more grassroots approach.

Dealerships can help too

If you’re specific about the truck model and features you need, don’t be afraid to check with your dealerships. Even if they don’t have your pickup right now, they do have resources exclusive to dealerships to find almost any vehicle. They frequent the auctions too. So, having someone keep an eye out for you can be helpful.

The one place you didn’t think to look

You might feel as though you’ve exhausted your tools and resources to find a used truck to buy. There is one more place you might not have thought to look. Government auctions present lucrative opportunities to bid on and purchase quality vehicles, including a large number of used trucks, at reasonable prices.

Buying from a municipality is a smart move. Most of those vehicles will have been appropriately maintained. Any necessary repairs will be easily documented. Half the risk associated with buying a used truck is knowing exactly where it’s been and how it’s been worked. Buying from a government auction can mean lifting the veil on a used truck’s past.

Getting the best deals

Auctions, in general, are a great channel for buying vehicles. And, there are plenty of government-sponsored bidding sites out there. Disclosure regulations mean you know a truck’s history of ownership and usage before you buy it. 

Hop on the GSA government auction site and start browsing. You never know. Your dream truck might just be next in line for sale. Once you register online as a user, you can begin bidding. Once you win your prized used truck, you’ll have two days to pay and 10 days to pick it up.

When it comes to government auctions, you can shop and bid online with confidence and ease. Bidding often allows for the price to start low — meaning you have a really good chance of scoring a pickup for less than retail. It’s hard to believe it’s one of the last places people think to look.