A car auction is a great way to find a bargain. Whether you’re looking for a rare classic or a specific make and model for everyday use, an auction house could be the answer. Even if you’re selling your wheels, an auction place can take away a lot of the hassle.

Many different types of cars can be bought at auction – salvaged vehicles, dealerships’ used cars that won’t shift and ex-police vehicles can all be found at car auctions. As for selling a car at auction, most auction houses will take the heavy lifting off your hands for a small fee or percentage of the sale price.

What are the best car auction sites in the UK?

What makes a great auction house depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re in the market for a well-looked-after vehicle for your family, a police car auction is a great choice. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a classic set of wheels, an antique or classic car auction is going to be better.

Most auctions these days don’t even require you to go along in person. Online car auctions are fairly common and when you make a successful bid that car can be delivered or collected. The choice is yours.

When it comes to selling a car at auction, an auction house that offers a complete service is a good way to go. This means that once your car’s value has been agreed upon, the rest is taken care of for you. You’ll be notified when your car sells and the price, minus commission, will be sent to your bank account. Easy.

The best new car auction site

AutoeBid has a wide range of new vehicles across various manufacturers. They research the best deals and make new cars available at lower than average prices. Because they’re independent of any dealership, they’re able to source great deals at any time.

This award-winning dealership has been finding great deals since 2003. You simply log into their site to choose the exact make and model you want. Once selected, you can view the guide prices, choose your preferred options, finance preferences, and note any other specific requirements.

The AutoeBid dealer network will then bid to fulfil your vehicle needs. If your target price isn’t met, the auction fee is refunded to you.

Three top used car auction sites

Copart has over 400,000 used vans, cars, motorcycles and HGVs for auction. To get started with either selling or buying through them, you’ll need to upload some ID and create an account. Bidders need to enter auctions by paying a fee, which is non-refundable.

Copart auction used British cars, repossessed cars, salvaged cars and some classic cars too. Their lots are categorised into grades as well as types, making it simple to filter results. This delivers a selection of vehicles to make finding cars you want to bid on simple.

Along with their auction inventory, Copart has a ‘buy it now’ inventory. Purchases can be delivered or collected after payments have cleared.

Raw2K offers salvaged and seized vehicles to trade dealers and public buyers. Auctions are held weekly and often include a wide range of cars, vans, motorcycles and scooters. To begin bidding, you’ll need to create an account.

Many of the damaged cars they sell are still able to be driven and only require a little work – great if you’re handy with a wrench or fancy a small project. Other more severely damaged cars tend to be sold to mechanics for parts.

Police Auctions make ex-police and government vehicles available to the public at knock-down prices. Although these cars have been used daily, they also tend to be taken good care of. It’s difficult to catch a speeding criminal in a clapped-out saloon, after all. These auctions only happen in person and tend to be sold in one of two ways.

The first way is sight as seen. This means you need to go over vehicles you’re interested in with a fine-toothed comb. Any faults will be yours to manage. The second kind of sale is sold with a trial. After winning the lot, bidders have a period of time to check the vehicle out and return it if any major faults are found.

Classic car auctions

Collecting cars launched in 2018 in the UK and has since become a global classic car auction phenomenon. It’s a great place to find rare European models. It’s not just antique cars you’ll find in their inventory, newer classics such as Porsche’s 2001 911 can be found on the site too.

The Classic Car Network is run by a bunch of classic car enthusiasts and a great place to buy or sell a beautiful or antique set of wheels. This car auction site aims to make buying or selling a classic car painless.

Buyers begin by providing details of the ideal classic they want to own. The network then gets busy sourcing those wheels. They may call for clarifying details but will do most of the leg work on your behalf. Sellers receive a similar service, getting matched to keen buyers after providing details of the motor for sale.

Historics Auctioneers specialise in, you guessed it, historic vehicles. That’s not to say you’ll only find Ford Model Ts and other turn-of-the-century motors. Beautiful sports cars like Ferrari’s 2015 458 Speciale or Jaguar’s 1951 XK120 Roadster are also up for grabs.

Bidders can watch auctions in-person after registering, place bids by phone, bid online or opt for commission bidding. Commission bidding enables auction staff to bid on your behalf up to a pre-determined amount.

Buying cars at auction can be exciting and a great way to find a bargain set of wheels. We’d advise you still get a full HPI check after making your purchase if unable to do so beforehand. Doing so will ensure you have the full and correct history. If details don’t match you’ll be in a strong position for a refund on return.