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FAQsQuestions about buying from DealerAuction.
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Auction Basics
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While savings vary by vehicle, DealerAuction gives you access to pricing that is often more competitive than traditional dealership listings. With real-time bidding, prices are driven by actual demand — giving you the opportunity to secure a better deal without the back-and-forth negotiation.
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You can view all current and upcoming vehicles by visiting the Auction tab at the top of the website. New listings are added regularly from participating dealerships, so there's always something new to explore.
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If you are the highest bidder the seller can accept your high bid or they can send you a counter offer that you can accept or decline.
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Every auction will have a reserve unless noted on the auction page.
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There is no Buy It Now price.
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The clock resets back to 1 minute left if a new bid comes in within the last minute of the auction. This gives all bidders a chance to win the auction.
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If you are the highest bidder and the reserve is not met, we will work with you and the seller to find a mutually acceptable sale price for both parties. Only the highest bidder will be eligible to make a post-auction deal.
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If you win an auction, we'll connect you directly with the selling dealership by sharing contact information for both parties. You'll be expected to contact the dealership within 48 hours and complete the purchase within 7 days of the auction's close. If the transaction is not completed within that timeframe, the hold fee may be forfeited and the opportunity to purchase the vehicle may be lost.
Registration and Account
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You must create an account on dealerauction.com and provide a valid credit card.
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You simply create an account by clicking on the sign up link at the top of the website. Fill out the requested information and you’re all set.
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Click on your account info and adjust your settings to personalize how and when you are contacted.
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Go to your account page and click on notifications. You can set your preferences there.
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Go to your account page and click on notifications. You can set your preferences there.
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Go to your account page and click on notifications. You can set your preferences there.
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Go to your account page and click on Bid History.
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Click on Recently Sold at the bottom of the home page.
Fees, Holds, and Payments
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If you are the winning bidder, the credit card that you provided will be charged the non-refundable hold fee. You will finalize the transaction with the selling dealer.
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No. Creating an account and registering as a buyer on DealerAuction is free. You can sign up, browse vehicles, and participate in auctions at no cost. A buyer fee only applies if you win an auction and move forward with the purchase. This helps ensure a fair and reliable marketplace with serious buyers.
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The hold fee will vary depending on the final bid amount.

  • $1 - $49,999 is $495.
  • $50,000 - $99,999 is $795.
  • $100,000 or more is $995.
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When bidding, we place a hold on your card for the amount of the hold fee. Should you win the auction, that hold will be converted to a charge. If not, the hold will be released immediately at auction end. It can sometimes take a few days for your bank to release the funds.
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Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover
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No. The winning bid is the price of the vehicle. Additional costs such as taxes, title, license, and other required fees will be applied by the dealership in accordance with state and local regulations.
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Yes. The winning bid is the price you will pay for the vehicle, however the winning bid does not include taxes, title, license, and other required fees.

Dealerships cannot add charges for additional equipment or options after the auction. Any dealer-installed features must either be included in the winning bid price or offered as optional for you to choose.

You may still be offered financing, warranties, or protection products — but these are completely optional and not required to complete your purchase.

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Because the cars on DealerAuction aren’t available to the public at these prices anywhere else.

Most cars on DealerAuction were likely scheduled to be sold through a dealer-only wholesale channel — a closed system the public cannot access. DealerAuction gives you access to this inventory before it leaves the dealership.

Dealers set their reserve at or BELOW wholesale value. Dealers prefer selling retail over wholesale — even at a lower margin — because:

  • They avoid auction fees
  • They avoid transportation costs
  • They get the car off the books faster

Because of this, we require our dealer partners to set their reserve price at or below what they would accept at a wholesale auction. You’re paying wholesale-level pricing for a retail-quality vehicle — something you simply can’t get by walking onto a lot.

DealerAuction’s hold fee isn’t just a charge — it protects the integrity of the auction. By requiring a hold fee, we reduce non-serious bidding and create a level playing field. That means when you place a bid, you’re competing against real buyers — not inflated or artificial activity. The result is a more transparent, more trustworthy marketplace where pricing reflects genuine demand.

You get dealer-quality vehicles — not typical “wholesale” risks. Unlike most public auctions, every DealerAuction vehicle:

  • Is fully reconditioned
  • Is inspected by certified dealership technicians
  • Is free of mechanical defects
  • Is eligible for financing and extended warranties
  • Comes from reputable retail dealers — not unknown sources

This is a dramatically safer and higher-quality buying path than traditional auctions.

Bidding Rules
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Bids cannot be canceled, so we encourage you to bid carefully and only when you’re ready to complete the purchase. This helps keep the marketplace fair and reliable for all participants.
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No. Winning an auction is an agreement between you and the dealer to buy that specific car. If a purchase isn’t completed, the hold fee will be forfeited and your account may be restricted from future bidding.
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You simply type in the amount you want to bid. The bidding increment is $100 up to $25k. $250 from $25k - $50k. $500 from $50k to $100k. $1000 for any amount over $100k.
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The Max Bid feature allows you to set the highest amount you’re willing to pay for a vehicle. If another bidder places a higher bid, DealerAuction will automatically increase your bid by the next required increment on your behalf — up to your maximum amount. Your maximum bid is completely private and is not visible to other bidders or the dealership.
Post-Auction Negotiation
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You will have 24 hours to respond.
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You will receive an email/notification letting you know the outcome.
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The listing will become inactive and no charges or fees will be assessed.
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Yes. The accepted offer will be displayed as the winning bid amount.
Quality and Inspections
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All vehicles are listed by licensed dealerships and are expected to be retail-ready. Dealers disclose known issues, and you’ll be purchasing directly from a dealership that stands behind the vehicle.
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Because you are purchasing directly from a licensed dealership, any issues with the vehicle are handled by that dealership — just like a traditional car purchase.

If your vehicle is covered by a warranty, the dealership will work with you to address the issue. You may also have additional protections depending on the vehicle’s warranty, manufacturer coverage, or applicable state laws.

DealerAuction connects you with trusted dealerships, so you have a clear point of contact and accountability after the sale.

Financing, Warranties, and Delivery
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We strongly recommend getting pre-approved for a car loan from a bank or financial institution of your choosing. Unfortunately, DealerAuction will be unable to refund the fee if you cannot be approved for financing.
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The selling dealership will go over all available coverages and warranties that are available when you finalize the sale with them.
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The selling dealership will discuss all available financing options with you when you finalize the sale.
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Most dealerships would be happy to work with you to arrange transportation. DealerAuction.com does not provide transportation.
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No. You're free to service your vehicle wherever you choose. While we recommend servicing at the dealership where you purchased the vehicle, some warranty-covered repairs may need to be completed at a dealership that services your vehicle's brand.
Buyer Eligibility
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DealerAuction.com is designed and built for retail customers to bid on and purchase cars. If a wholesale dealer bids on a car and wins the auction it will be up to the selling dealer to decide if they want to sell that car to a wholesaler.
Using the Website
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Use the search bar on the homepage to enter the vehicle you're looking for. If an exact match isn't available, we'll show you similar vehicles that closely match your search. You can also use the filters on the Auctions page to narrow down options by make, model, price, and more.
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You can find all the details on the vehicle display page.
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You may ask the seller questions on the vehicle auction page and they can respond to you there.
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You can email us at support@dealerauction.com.
Community Guidelines
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Other than obvious common sense rules like language and personal attacks, we strive to keep the conversation and questions centered around the vehicle. We truly want to keep DealerAuction a positive and honest community. Below is a partial list of things we would like to avoid including but not limited to:

  • Personal attacks
  • Attempting to share your personal contact information
  • Spamming
  • Asking the seller about their reserve
  • Calling out the price you think the vehicle will sell for
  • Inappropriate images or descriptions in your profile
  • Plugging your personal business, website, social media handles, etc.
  • Sidetracking the conversation about other vehicles or topics unrelated to the vehicle being offered
  • Linking to inappropriate videos/webpages/content
  • Linking to other vehicle listings
  • Foul Language