Government surplus auction brings people ready to deal
Jun 9, 2018, 5:03 PM | Updated: Jun 11, 2018, 10:36 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Of all the ways to spend a nice Saturday afternoon, Chris Eyring decided to look for a deal.
Chris Eyring
“We’ve been coming to auctions for over 20 years now,” said Eyring, while walking through a large lot looking at item. “Sometimes there’s a frenzy and sometimes there isn’t.”
He was one of hundreds, if not thousands, of people at the TNT Auction in Salt Lake City where you could find all sorts of things: engines, cars, vacuums, and forklifts… just to name a few.
Eyring admits he doesn’t really need anything here, but he enjoys the hunt, bidding against someone else, and getting a good deal.
He says it’s a feeling you don’t quite get anywhere else.
“You kind of feel like you stole something,” he said with a laugh. “But you have a receipt for it.”
It’s kind of like shopping for men, but instead of an air-conditioned mall, it’s a dirt lots with row after row of stuff.
“My wife thinks it’s entertaining,” said Eyring while looking at his wife for approval.
There was that one time he almost won an 8-wheel drive airport rescue firefighting truck with a turret on top.
“We were going to turn that into the greatest off-road land assault rescue vehicle anyone has ever seen,” he said.
Instead, he settled on a big yellow school bus for only $1,600.
“It went low because they said it had a transmission problem, and my diesel mechanic fixed and serviced the transmission in my driveway for $250,” he said with grin. “It’s been to Vegas a couple of times. It’s been to St. George.”
At this particular auction, though, most of the items up for bid were government surplus property.
There was a fire truck, a snow plow, city buses, and plenty of police cars.
“Some of this stuff is in great shape,” said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray. “This is a great opportunity for Unified Police to sell this equipment, which brings money back into our fleet so we’re able to purchase new vehicles.”
Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray
Getting rid of the older stuff also means more space for new cars and equipment.
Gray says she just didn’t know how many people are interested in old police gear.
“I would have had no idea, right? But yeah, people get excited about this stuff,” she said.
Stuff like light bars off of police cars.
“See the white clear, that light right there? That is a Weyland ion and those things are about $220 a piece,” said Eyring while looking into a chest-high cardboard box full of light bars.
Eyring decided to bid on them, but another guy, who he often sees at auctions, won this time around.
“I knew you were going to war today,” Eyring said to the man while giving him a slap on the back.
He says he wasn’t too upset, though, especially since he had already won an auction on a Salt Lake City Police Department BMW motorcycle.
“It’s a really nimble smooth machine,” he said while patting the leather seat. “You wanna buy it? I’ll make you a good deal.”
It’s the dealing he loves more than the actual item, which is why he doesn’t mind losing a bid.
Besides, he already has about 15 police light bars in his home.
“There will be more auctions,” he said as he started walking away to leave. “When’s the next auction, September?”
