Looking for a deal? Shop Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Need a car? A camera? A video game system or maybe an X-ray machine?

Shop with the state of Michigan.

Old government vehicles, confiscated stolen property and even unclaimed items turned in by airport security screeners find their way to the state's auction block.

More than 120 vehicles will be auctioned off Saturday, but buyers can shop with the state anytime on the Internet or Tuesdays and Fridays at a surplus store near downtown Lansing.

The sales have grossed nearly $4.9 million combined in the first nine months of this fiscal year, up from about $3.9 million for the entire previous 12 months. The state says the shopping options appear to have become more popular as consumers look for bargains during a continuing recession.

Sedans, SUVs and specialty vehicles will be up for bid Saturday at a state auction in Delta Township west of Lansing. The choices range from a 2006 Pontiac G6 sedan with 100,410 miles to a 1988 Ford dump truck with unknown mileage.

A handful of 1999-2006 Ford Crown Victorias -- former police cars -- are on the auction block. So are a few vehicles with state-acknowledged flaws, including a 2000 Jeep Cherokee with a
cracked windshield, a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado pickup with a bad alternator and a 2005 Dodge Caravan with a right rear-wheel problem. But most of the vehicles are relatively well-maintained, turned in by state agencies, universities or local units of government in Michigan typically because they have topped the 85,000- or 100,000-mile marks.

The state has held vehicle auctions since the late 1970s but they appear to be most popular during tough economic times. An auction in late May drew more than 1,000 people, many looking for bargains during a lengthy recession that has gutted new car sales but made used vehicles a more popular option.

"Times are hard," said Scott Lee, 46, who on Wednesday picked up a list of vehicles to be auctioned off this weekend. "We don't want to spend a bunch." Lee -- who lives in Grand Ledge, about 10 miles west of Lansing -- is in the market to replace a van damaged in an accident last spring.

Michigan's Department of Management and Budget also runs eBay-style auctions on a Web page and sells items from the state and some local governments at a store just outside downtown Lansing. The store is an offshoot of a surplus equipment operation where state departments can replace chairs, filing cabinets and other items without having to buy new ones.

The Web site auctions began in 2000 while the store has been around for less than five years.

Ten vehicles, including a white 1994 BMW 740i seized by Ingham County officials in a child support case, were on the Internet auction block this week.

The state also wrapped up bids this week on a coin collection that included Lincoln wheat pennies from 1940 to 1958. The set, which was confiscated stolen property, also includes some vintage U.S. coins dating back to the 1940s and Canadian coins from the 1980s. Bids started at $6 but had climbed to $41 before bidding closed.

A Nintendo Wii video game system, with a sports game package, was going for $200 as of midday Wednesday. A PlayStation 3 system was fetching $281. Both systems, still in their original packaging, were listed as confiscated stolen property that went unclaimed. Both were selling for far less than they would typically cost at a retail outlet.

Bidding for a Canon digital video camcorder was up to $205 while a Ricoh camera with lenses and flashes was going for $102.50 as their auctions came close to an end this week.

A Burton Power Snake, used to clear commercial-sized clogged drains, was going for $157.50. A Ridgid cutoff saw was listed at $46 while a nicely stocked Craftsman tool box was at $103.50. A Rapiscan X-ray machine was bid up to $100. A purple Polaris snowmobile, phased out of the state's Department of Natural Resources fleet, sold for $400. A Croton automatic gold watch had not generated any bids, but the state was holding out for at least $30. A Sony Vaio laptop computer also was without bids, with a minimum set at $1,200.

Pocket knives, wine corkscrews, fingernail files and other gadgets confiscated at airports -- selling for $1 each -- fill bins at the no-frills Lansing store. Other items rest on cement floors
or plain metal shelves.

A Sirius satellite radio system is on sale at $75. The first season of the television series "Heroes" on DVD goes for $35.

"Sometimes you can find some real gems in here," said Lisa Webb Sharpe, director of the state Department of Management and Budget.

On the Net:

Michigan Department of Management and Budget

Michigan's online auction site