Selling Your Car for the First Time at Auction

For those who haven’t sold an item at auction, it may feel like an overwhelming and intimidating experience. However, it shouldn’t.

Selling your car at auction is a wise, timesaving, and profitable way to get rid of an unwanted vehicle. Whether you’ve got a car sitting around that hasn’t been driven in a while or you want to purchase a new or new-to-you car, our team at Dakil Auctioneers, Inc. is ready and willing to help you get top dollar for your vehicle.

We’ll teach you the steps necessary to prep your car for auction and the terms used when your item is on the auction block.

Prepping your car

Before your car is auctioned, there are a few steps that should be taken to ensure the process goes smoothly.

Do you own the car?

OK, OK — we know this may seem like a silly question to ask, but it’s an important first step in the car auction process. Do you have the vehicle’s title in your name or a dealer license to legally sell the car? Bingo! You’re one step closer to selling your car at auction.

When getting the title for the car in order, double check that the vehicle identification number, commonly known as VIN, on the vehicle matches the one listed in the title. This will save time and effort the day of the auction.

What’s the sale price?

Although our team at Dakil Auctioneers, Inc. will do a thorough examination of your car when you bring it in to be sold at auction, it’s good to do your homework as well. Kelley Blue Book is a good reference to determine the relative value of your car. Although it’s not a guarantee, it’s a great starting point to gain a monetary idea. Make sure to take into consideration any accidents or work that’s been done to the vehicle.

Clean the car

This seems like a no-brainer, but cleaning your car thoroughly before auctioning it will help bring a higher return. Make sure to wash, polish, wax, and vacuum every nook and cranny so your vehicle shines like it just came off the dealership lot. Tip: don’t forget the wheels!

The sale

Once your car has been prepped for auction and is ready to sell, the auto auction will begin.  When the car is up for auction there are a few price terms that might come up.

• Floor price. The floor price is the asking price of the car, determined by the seller and auction house. If the floor price isn’t reached during the auction, the last bid can be accepted.
• No sale. A ‘no sale’ occurs when the floor price is not reached during the auction.
• If sale. An ‘if sale’ is when the floor price isn’t reached but a potential buyer would like to make an offer.

After the sale of your car is complete, the title will need to be transferred to the new owner, which our staff at Dakil can help complete.

By learning the steps to prep your car and what to expect when your car is up for auction, you’ll be prepared and selling your vehicle at auction in no time.

If you’re ready to sell your car, we’re ready to help! Give our staff at Dakil Auctioneers, Inc. a call to begin the auction process. Finally, don’t forget to check out all our information about attending an auto auction at Dakil.