Manheim Auctions has announced that following the damage and destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, it is relaxing some of its policies to help affected dealers get back on their feet.
Among the policy amendments are increasing the storage time limits on vehicles bought at auction sites, from 7-14 days up to 30 days, with no extra cost. Furthermore, Manheim will also offer free flood damage inspections on those dealer owned vehicles for which auction condition reports have been purchased.
Dealers who purchase post-sale inspections valid for 7-14 days will also receive a three-day extension at no cost, giving them time to notify an auction site and engage in arbitration if there are any potential issues with the vehicle.
The changes will be instigated at a total of 11 Manheim auction sites across the Northeast, these include Manheim Pa., as well as Grantville and Hatfield, Pa., North Dighton, Mass., Elkridge, Md., Bordentown and Fairfield, N.J., as well as Clifton Park and Newburgh, N.Y. and locations in Fredericksburg and Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Tim Van Dam, general manager of Manheim’s auction in Manheim, Pa., said the auction firm is “trying to address dealer concerns about flood damage in severely affected areas and help the retailers prepare for the expected increase in demand for replacing damaged vehicles. We recognize that dealers are going to have a harder time getting cars out of here because they don’t have anyplace to put them in some cases.” He also added that the free flood damage inspection provides “an extra level of security.”
