In 2020 almost 30% of car sales in the US were completed online.
Online car auctions websites have grown significantly in recent years, giving people the opportunity to find some great deals when buying a car online. But with so many auction platforms out there, how do you know which one you should use?
For a rundown of eight of the best online car auction sites, keep reading.
1. Copart
Copart is open to users in 11 countries and is one of the largest car auction websites in the world. Most cars available are repossessed, vandalized, rebuilt, or salvaged title vehicles.
Most of these are coursed from insurance companies, banks, or other financial institutions. Some others are bought directly from the public.
Copart also has a “Drive Auto Auctions” initiative that includes clean-titled cars. These have seller announcements, condition reports, industry-run lights, and arbitration.
You need to have a full dealers’ license to participate in Copart auctions.
2. ACV Auctions
ACV focuses on transparency and trust, providing some of the best public car auctions around. They are speedy, lasting just 20 minutes.
They provide a lot of detail about the cars they sell, including a “virtual lift” allowing you to see the vehicle’s undercarriage. They even use audio clips of running engines, giving a high degree of insight into the quality of the car.
ACV provides a 10-day arbitration guarantee with every purchase, and this can be upgraded to 20 or 30 days for a slightly higher charge.
It is free to sign up, and purchase fees are low, making this one of the most cost-effective platforms available. Transactions are secure, and they include True360 Report, a third-party inspection that provides reports on cars, including a history of any accidents.
3. IAAI
IAAI has been hosting auctions since 1982, currently operating out of more than 190 auction centers in the US. These combine both live and internet auctions.
Their vehicles generally consist of the following:
- Parts vehicles
- Lightly damaged vehicles
- Stolen recovered vehicles
- Donated vehicles
They hold auctions for licensed dealers and non-licensed buyers. Public buyers must pay an annual fee of $200 to use their services. The cars available in a public vehicle auction are often not as high-end as those available to dealers.
IAAI also offers several flexible payment options and can assist with car shipping if needed.
4. Auto Auction Mall
This site has the largest database of pre-owned, salvaged, and used cars of any auction site. They have different types of vehicles, as well as vans and motorcycles. These are often listed at wholesale prices, allowing people to save thousands potentially.
Registration and membership are free, but you do have to pay a fee of $299 if you win an auction. You also need to pay a 10% security deposit of however much you wish to spend.
Their customer support will help you with the entire bidding process, and they have financing options—some with super-low interest rates and no down payment.
5. Autobidmaster
Autobidmaster is a registered broker with Copart. This means that when you join Autobidmaster, you will have access to their inventory, as well as Copart’s.
Registration is quick, easy, and free. They have an inventory of over 170,000 vehicles that can be viewed with no dealer’s license, which are available through daily and weekly car auctions online. Most of their vehicles are cars, but they sometimes have motorbikes and even quad bikes.
They offer customer assistance for their auction process, which is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian.
6. eBay Motors
eBay is perhaps the most well-known auction site globally and allows bidding on new and used vehicles, as well as vehicle parts. Private sellers and dealerships can hold auctions, and the eBay motos platform is automatically open to all eBay users.
There is no auction fee, but the deals found here are generally not as good as those found on other auction sites. Due to the popularity of eBay, auctions can become very competitive, so it is not uncommon for someone to outbid you at the last second.
7. ADESA
Rather than holding all their own auctions, ADESA connects bidders with many different auctions around the US and the rest of the world. Most vehicles available are fleet vehicles, off-lease vehicles, and rentals.
ADESA gives users access to other facilities such as marshaling, financing, and transportation services. Only licensed dealers can take part in their auctions.
Common bidders include banks, manufacturers, fleet companies, rental companies, and insurance companies. Beyond cars, ADESA also provides auctions for motorcycles, RVs, boats, and other vehicles.
8. Cars and Bids
Cars and Bids has a range of cars from the last fifty years. It is very to use and is widely considered the most user-friendly car auction website around. Auctions are simplified but still provide any information you would need to know about vehicles.
There are no listing fees, and buying fees are lower than most other auction sites at 4.5% (minimum $225, maximum $4,500). They also provide free vehicle history reports for all of their vehicles.
Some auctions sites can take weeks or months to list cars for auction. Cars and Bids take pride in getting this done much faster, and you can even discuss the timing of the auction with them.
Buying or Selling on Online Car Auctions Websites
Selling on online car auctions websites is a great way to sell a car you don’t want or need, and as a buyer, it is the perfect way to find a good deal.
Choosing which auction site to go with and figuring out how much your car is worth can be a bit tricky. Check out our auction guide for detailed information on the ins and outs of online car auctions.
