does anyone know of any public car auctions around SE London, UK?

dont know of any but going to an auction remember that there is a vast difference between the cars offered to the dealers and those to the public. be very wary. dont buy anything till youhave it checked by a reliable mechanic.

Bear in mind that most of the time, at auction, you CAN'T have the car checked over by a mechanic unless you bring a mechanic with you. You get to see the car for about 45 seconds as it gets driven--or pushed--to the auction block.Stateside, most auto auctions are dealers-only anyway. Though there are some vehicles auctioned to the public in government surplus sales, police auctions and estate auctions.You can get a good deal at auction if you know what to look for--but be prepared to flat-bed it home until you can fix the reasons it went to auction in the first place.