Our dealer network: why more competition gets you a better price

When you sell your car through an instant buyer, you get one offer. Take it or leave it. There’s no competition, no bidding, and no reason for that price to go higher.

Motorway works differently. Motorway was founded in 2017 as the UK’s first car-selling-only platform, built around a daily auction where thousands of dealers compete to buy your car, so you can be confident you’re getting your best price.

You don’t need to be a car expert to sell your car – we are.

8,000+ dealers. One best price for your car.

When your car goes into the Motorway auction, over 8,000 verified dealers across the UK can see it and bid on it.

That network is valuable not just because of its size, but because of the variety of dealers competing for your car. Your car isn’t being shown to just one type of buyer; it’s exposed to franchise main dealers, established independents, car supermarkets and specialists, all looking for different types of stock.

A franchise dealer may be searching for newer manufacturer-aligned cars. Independent dealers may be looking for reliable everyday retail stock. Car supermarkets often buy high volumes of popular models, while specialists may pay more for niche, prestige or performance vehicles.

Different cars are worth more to different buyers depending on what sells best for their forecourt and customer base. That variety matters because it increases the chances of finding the right buyer for your specific car, helping create stronger competition and more accurate market pricing.

Instant buyers, like We Buy Any Car or part exchanging your car at a dealership, work differently. You get one fixed offer from one buyer, with no competition involved to help get you a better price. On Motorway, thousands of dealers compete against each other to win your car and that competition is what drives your price up.

With over a third more dealers than Carwow, it’s this competition that means 84% of Motorway sellers beat market price.

After all, it’s your car – you should feel confident you’re getting the best for it.

Every dealer is vetted

More dealers only means more value if they’re the right dealers.

Every dealer on Motorway is vetted before they can bid. We only work with established UK vehicle retailers with a physical trading premises, helping ensure sellers deal with genuine dealerships operating as professional businesses.

We verify company records, trading history and VAT registration, and check that dealers have an established online presence, such as a fully functioning website or online marketplace profile, so we can confirm they are actively buying and selling vehicles.

We also review verified customer feedback on platforms like Trustpilot, Auto Trader and Google to help make sure dealers meet the standards sellers expect when buying and collecting cars.

We also require new dealers to complete Know Your Customer (KYC) checks to help keep the platform secure. KYC, short for Know Your Customer, is a standard identity and business verification process used to help confirm dealers are legitimate and are operating in a registered business. Doing so helps keep the marketplace safe and trusted for everyone using it.

And it doesn’t stop there. Our dealer governance team keeps a close eye on performance and behaviour across the platform to make sure sellers continue to get a professional experience.

If dealers don’t meet our standards, they will be suspended or removed. You can find out about our dealer verification process here. 

Nationwide coverage, wherever you are

Our dealers aren’t concentrated in one part of the country. They’re spread across the whole of the UK – from Penzance to the Shetland Islands – so wherever you are, your car gets genuine national competition.

You wait. They bid.

You don’t need to manage offers, respond to messages or negotiate with buyers.

Our auction does the work for you. Dealers compete in the background, and you receive your best offer. 

And when it’s time to complete the sale, we’ve got your back. Our support teams help both sellers and dealers through collection, paperwork and payment to ensure everything goes smoothly.

FAQs

Why do more dealers mean a better price?

Because competition drives value. When 8,000+ dealers are bidding against each other, they have every reason to offer their best price to win your car. With an instant buyer like We Buy Any Car or part-exchange, there’s only one offer – and no incentive to improve it.

How many dealers are on the Motorway platform?

Motorway has more than 8,000 verified dealers across the UK. 

Are all dealers vetted?

Yes. Every dealer on our platform is vetted before they can bid. You won’t receive offers from anyone we haven’t checked out first.

What’s the difference between Motorway and We Buy Any Car?

We Buy Any Car is an instant buyer – they give you a single fixed offer with no competition involved. Motorway runs a daily auction where thousands of dealers compete to give you their best price. That competition is what drives your price up.

Do I have to negotiate with dealers?

No, as long as your car is accurately described, the price you’re offered is the price you get.

Is Motorway better than Carwow?

Yes, Motorway has over 8,000 verified dealers – around a third more than Carwow – competing in a daily auction. More competition helps drive stronger prices, which is why 84% of Motorway sellers beat market price.

What does “84% beat market price” mean?

It means 84% of sellers on Motorway receive more for their car than its independently assessed market value. It’s a clear measure of how well our competition model works. (This is based on two independent market pricing guides. Visit motorway.co.uk/claims for more.)