Car Auctions in Sydney – The How and Where

In this article, we are going to have a look at the how and where of buying a car at auction in Sydney NSW. Buying a car at auction offers an attractive alternative to buying from a dealer although, it does have a lot of pros and cons. Buyers new to auctions should start with some solid research. To start, let’s look at the different types of sales

Types of car auctions

Ex-Government & Ex-Lease Fleet Car Auctions

This is usually the cream of the crop as fears cars go at an auction featuring vehicles that have usually been well maintained and average around 60-80,000 km although quite often you will see vehicles with less than 20,000 km and occasionally see some 200k+. In nearly all cases, they have had factory-scheduled servicing and many may even have factory warranty remaining.

Auctioneers such as Pickles and Manheim will often advertise the selection of these vehicles at a fixed price with a warranty. In this case, because you are not buying at auction you are entitled to all the protections under consumer law. Whereas buying at auction, there are very limited protections, with the upside being the chance of greater savings.

Ex-government commercial vehicles are another story. They will have had factory servicing although it is rare, but not impossible, to find anything with low km. Generally, they range from 60k to 160k km or more and warrant greater scrutiny.

In Sydney, you can find ex-government and fleet cars at Pickles (Newcastle & Belmore, Sydney) and Manheim (Moorebank, Sydney). Grays also offers vehicles from Fleepartners and Fleetplus with regular sales.

Ex-Rental Cars

Avis, Budget, Thrifty, etc all clear their cars out before the manufacturer warranty ends and they all end up at auction. They usually always have a full factory service history and they usually have low km ranging between 30-60,000 km. Like fleet and lease cars, they are often sold at a fixed price. Most will have some factory warranty remaining.

Dealer Auctions

Exactly as the name implies. Usually, it is car manufacturers clearing stock and the auctions are open only to that brand’s licensed dealers.

General Auctions

For vehicles outside of the premium fleet and ex-gov categories, all kinds of labels are used such as “Clearance Auction” at Pickles, Manheim uses the classing “Bronze Grade”, or just “Passenger And Commercial Vehicles” regardless, it’s always a mixed bag when it comes to vehicle quality with sales featuring junkers through to gems.

A good philosophy to have is that there is always something wrong with vehicles in this category. They are either high mileage (over 200k), have been trashed, have some minor damage, have a mechanical issue, are older, or, are not popular with the market in general.

That said, if you know cars and understand why the vehicle is there, as the saying goes you can ‘find a diamond in the rough’ at a good price, you can also cop a lemon when you bid without solid research and bid outside the realistic value of the car.

Before even considering vehicle condition and cost to get registered, vehicle model research is key.

Many vehicles are notorious for having expensive-to-solve issues such as a simple water leak on an E65 BMW that can cost over $3000 to repair or VW’s and their DSG transmissions that can drain thousands from your wallet. Know your car models and do your research in advance. In many cases, there is a reason why some cars are in this category.

Prestige, Luxury, Exotic, Collector and Rare Car Auctions

Pickles and Manheim hold regular public auctions for prestige, luxury, and rare cars with occasional sales at Slattery and Lloyds. This category requires a lot of research on the vehicle in question before bidding. Unique luxury, prestige, and supercars always have a history, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

In the case of some exotic vehicles, they may have been damaged and repaired, may be imported and you may need to clarify the true km’s and the ability to re-register the vehicle, mismatching engine and VINs are a thing, and more. All of which can seriously affect the true market value of vehicles in this category. Auctioneers like Pickles and Manheim will always note irregularities like this but regardless, it’s a reminder to do careful research.

Repossessed Car Auctions

These vehicles are repossessed by finance companies when the owner has failed to meet obligations. These vehicles can go cheaply as they are often poorly maintained and/or damaged. Of course, you’ll have to factor in the costs of repair and whether any previous neglect will shorten the life of the vehicle.

Salvage Auctions – Written-Off Vehicles

This category includes vehicles usually purchased by wreckers, metal recyclers, and vehicle repairers. In NSW vehicles that are written off by insurers are added to the NSW Written-Off Light Vehicle Register. Statutory Write-Offs cannot be re-registered, and for others, you may need to apply for authorisation before repairing a vehicle for re-registering. Hail-damaged vehicles are excluded. For the finer details about registering written-off vehicles in NSW see this article.

Warranty, Cooling-Off Periods, and Registration

• When buying at auction, there is no statutory warranty or cooling off period that would normally apply when buying from a dealer (unless you buy it off the floor, aka “fixed-price” or “buy it now” or the auctioneer owns the vehicle.) More on that at Fair Trading NSW.
• Auctioneers have conditions of sale and you should read them before bidding to clearly understand fees, obligations, and any conditions.
• If the vehicle has NSW registration and you hold an NSW license, and the previous owner has submitted a Disposal Notice, you have 14 days to transfer the rego (before incurring late fees). If it’s unregistered, you need a Bill of Sale or Disposal Notice from the previous owner, a green slip (insurance), and a blue slip (vehicle inspection). More details here.

Tips for Buying at Car Auction in Sydney

1. Do a lot of research on the type of vehicle you want to buy. Many particular vehicle models have well-known faults which may be costly to repair and it’s best to avoid those.
2. Understand the costs involved eg. buyers fees, towing costs, roadworthy costs, repairs etc. registration costs etc.
3. Register at the auction, get your bidding number, and read the conditions of sale carefully.
4. The time to ask questions is before you bid!
5. Inspect the vehicle (everything looks better in photos than it really is)
6. Confirm all the vehicle specifics eg. is it a GT or just a car with GT stickers?
7. Watch people bidding on cars you are not interested in to understand the process
8. When you are satisfied, bid on the vehicle of choice
9. If you are successful, you’ll need to pay a deposit and usually the balance within 24 hours.
10. You’ll need to arrange towing. Pickles and Manheim both have services to assist with that or you can arrange your own, expect to pay between $99-300 depending on the distance.
11. If you are driving the vehicle from the premises (some auctions may or may not allow), make sure you have an unregistered vehicle permit. And please, have insurance!

Where to find car auctions in Sydney?

First, see our list of upcoming vehicle auctions in Sydney.

The two main auctioneers holding regular weekly sales are Pickles and Manheim. As a general guide, here are the regular sale times

• Pickles – Monday (Prestige), Tuesday (Gov & Fleet), Thursday (general)
• Manheim – Online auctions starting every Monday
• Grays now holds regular online vehicle auctions including ex-fleet and vehicles that appear as part of other sales e.g. business closures.
• Auto Auctions Sydney (Guildford) also holds weekly auctions on Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Carlins Auctions every Monday
• Alliance Auction (Moorebank) every Wednesday and Thursday
• Slattery Auctions (Hexham & Villawood) – regular online sales

Apart from those already mentioned, several smaller auctioneers often have vehicles that are part of larger business closures or liquidations.

Check our list of auctioneers in Sydney and visit their respective websites for upcoming sales and our latest sale notices for Sydney.

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