How to sell a car at auction the Motorway way
If you’re thinking about selling your car at auction, there are a few ways to go about it. Traditional car auctions have been around for decades, but they come with trade-offs: travel, fees, and uncertainty over what you’ll actually get. Selling your car online through Motorway removes all of that, giving you a faster, fairer way to sell from home. Here’s how the Motorway way compares.
Key Takeaways
- Free Valuation: Get an instant, data-driven car valuation online using just your registration and mileage.
- Dealer Network: Your car is marketed to thousands of dealers who compete to give you their best price.
- Home Collection: The winning dealer collects the vehicle directly from your home, usually within 24 hours.
- No Seller Fees: Unlike traditional auctions, selling via Motorway is free for the seller, with no entry or commission fees.
- Secure Payment: Payment is made via secure bank transfer at the point of collection after a final inspection.
What is the Motorway way?
1. Get a free valuation
We don’t need you to drive your car to us to get it valued. Just provide your reg and mileage and, using very clever data, we’ll give you an accurate
valuation of how much your car is worth.
2. Make a car profile
Creating your car profile takes minutes. You answer a few straightforward questions about your car, and we guide you through the exact photos needed to capture all the key angles. No essays, no professional photography skills required. By the time you’re done, dealers have everything they need to make a confident offer.
3. Sit back and relax
That’s it from your end. Now it’s over to the dealers.
Our dealer network is made up of thousands of dealers, and they’ll be alerted to your car when it enters the sale. Because multiple dealers compete for the same car, each one puts forward their strongest price. You don’t need to negotiate or even speak to a dealer.
We’ll be in touch after the sale to let you know the highest offer your car received. If you’re happy with it, it’s time to arrange collection.
4. Have your car collected
Yes, you don’t have to go anywhere even when you’ve agreed a sale (which can take as little as 24 hours, by the way). The winning dealer will come to your home to collect your car. They’ll inspect your car, make sure everything is in order, and you’ll be paid by secure bank transfer.
Getting your car to an auction house can involve a lot of travelling.
Is Motorway an online car auction?
In a traditional car auction, sellers and buyers are in the same room, haggling in real time. On Motorway, the process is fully online and built around you, not around a physical auction house. Once you create a free car profile, your car is listed on our sales platform where over thousands of dealers can see it. Dealers then place their best offers against each other, not against you. You never negotiate directly with a dealer. When the sale window closes, we share the highest offer with you. If you’re happy with it, the dealer comes to collect your car from home and you get paid by secure bank transfer. There are no entry fees, no storage charges, and no need to drive your car anywhere.
How traditional car auctions work
In a traditional car auction, you would need to enter your car by travelling to an auction house. The process may vary slightly from place to place, but generally follows the same structure:
Take your car to an auction house
You’ll need to contact an auction house and let them know you want to sell your car. If they accept your vehicle, you’ll be invited to bring it in for a valuation and photography session, often on a specific day.
Your car may then sit on the auction site until sale day, with potential buyers inspecting it during scheduled preview windows. If the auction house decides they can’t sell your car, you’ll need to collect it yourself, having spent time and fuel with nothing to show for it.
Your car enters the auction
On auction day, bidders compete for your car by raising their hands as prices are called out. A bid is legally binding, and the bidder cannot easily back out of the agreement.
You can set a reserve price, which is the minimum you’re willing to accept. If no bid reaches your reserve, you can turn down lower offers. In practice, though, there can be pressure to negotiate on the spot. The auction house may not want to store your car, and the highest bidder may push for a deal, so you could end up accepting less than you hoped.
It’s also worth knowing that traditional auction days can be long. You may need to be there for hours, with no guarantee of when your car will come up for sale.
Wait to be paid
Payment and handling of documents (you will need to hand over your V5C and any other key documents like service history ) is dealt with by the auction house. As you’re waiting on both the buyer and the middle man, this can sometimes take longer than you may like.
Quality isn’t always assured for dealers who buy cars in traditional auctions.
How much does it cost to sell a car at auction online or in person?
With a traditional car auction, the costs add up fast. Most auction houses charge an entry fee to list your car, which can range from £15 to significantly more depending on the venue. On top of that, you may face commission charges, a re-entry fee if your car doesn’t sell first time, storage fees while your car sits on site, and the cost of getting your car there and back. When you sell on Motorway, there are no listing fees and no charges to you as a seller. You simply create a free profile, let dealers compete for your car, and get paid when the deal is done.
Can I sell any car with Motorway?
Motorway supports all major brands and models, but there are some restrictions on the cars we can list. Before you start, make sure your car:
- Has a valid MOT and V5C
- Has not be written off or stolen (may be referred to as CAT A/B/C/D/S/N )
- Is not under 6 months old with no proof of purchase from a dealership
- Was not previously used as an uber, taxi, rental car, or track day car
- Is not on a lease agreement
- Runs properly and is without substantial mechanical faults
- Does not have negative financial equity the seller cannot afford to clear
- Is not being sold by motor traders or bodywork shops
Most well cared for cars should easily make this criteria, and you should find that most car buying sites and auction houses will abide by similar rules. You’ll also need to have the following documents ready to hand over to the buying dealer, which would also be required by traditional auction houses:
- V5C
- Service history
- Finance settlement letter (where relevant)
- Book pack and general documentation for the car
Among other fees, auction houses may charge you for the storage of your vehicle.
Can I sell on behalf of someone else?
Yes, you can, but we do require permission to be given from the registered keeper. This can either be provided by:
- A signed letter of permission along with a copy of their driving licence and key documents
- The registered keeper being present when the car is collected
- A probate/copy of death certificate being presented
How quickly will I get paid when I sell my car online?
On Motorway, a sale can complete in as little as 24 hours. Once you accept the highest offer, the winning dealer arranges a convenient time to collect your car from home. At collection, they inspect the car, make sure everything matches your profile, and payment is sent directly to your account by secure bank transfer. There’s no cheque to wait on and no middleman holding your money while you wait for the deal to clear.
What happens if my car doesn’t receive any offers?
If your car doesn’t receive offers during a sale window, we’ll let you know. You’re never under any obligation to accept an offer you’re not happy with, and you won’t be charged anything if your car doesn’t sell. With a traditional car auction, an unsold car can mean storage fees, a wasted trip, and pressure to accept a lower deal on the day. On Motorway, there’s no cost and no pressure. You can relist when you’re ready or explore other options at your own pace.
Is it time to sell your car?
Want to learn more about owning, maintaining, and selling your car? Check out more of our guides here, covering everything from finding buyers, to negotiating a good price, and completing payment safely.
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.