Selling a car privately can be hugely rewarding, but it can also be a real time sink. Taking the right photos, writing an honest and engaging advert, while at the same time trying to organise viewings all take time. And that's before you enter into a negotiating battle with Joe Public. That’s why we set up PistonHeads Auctions back in 2023, and over the last three years we’ve been taking the hassle out of the selling process by putting your car in the crosshairs of genuine enthusiasts who are always on the hunt for their dream car.
The big benefit of going down the auction route is that we do all the heavy lifting. From the moment you submit your car through our Sell by Auction page, you’ll have a dedicated, knowledgeable consignment expert to guide you through the process, discussing everything from your ownership history to recent maintenance and modifications. Don’t worry if you can’t remember every last detail; we’ll send you a straightforward questionnaire that you can complete at your own pace.
Once we’ve gathered everything we need, our team of professional writers will produce a detailed advert that tells your car’s story properly. After all, we’ve been at the heart of the UK’s enthusiast car scene for more than 25 years, so we know what makes a car desirable and how best to present it to fellow enthusiasts. You’ll also have the option of having it photographed by one of our experienced photographers to present your car in the best possible light. In short, we take care of much of the legwork, leaving you free to enjoy the exciting bit: watching buyers frantically outbidding each other for the keys to your car.
Of course, even the most meticulously crafted advert is only as good as the audience that sees it. That’s where PistonHeads comes into its own. We’re the UK’s largest motoring community and the #1 most visited premium, performance and collectible car site, giving your auction access to a huge audience of genuine enthusiasts. Your auction will be showcased across our homepage and promoted throughout the PistonHeads community, putting it in front of people who are actively looking for their next car.
Before bidding gets underway, every auction benefits from a seven-day ‘Coming Soon’ period, giving prospective buyers the chance to discover your car and register their interest. Not wishing to blow our on trumpet, but PistonHeads receives 1.6 times more traffic than the next closest auction site, so there’s a good chance your car will be seen by plenty of potential buyers before the first bid is even placed. They can even make an offer during this period, and if it’s too good to refuse, you could land yourself a sale before bidding has even begun.
Whether you accept an early offer or let the auction run its course is entirely up to you, but either way your car benefits from exposure to thousands of genuine enthusiasts from day one. And it’s not just the size of that audience that matters. Some 85% of PH visitors don’t visit other premium, performance and collectible car sites, meaning your auction can reach enthusiasts you might not find elsewhere. That combination of scale and a highly relevant audience gives your car a strong chance of finding the right buyer.
Moreover, selling by auction gives buyers and sellers a far clearer indication of a car’s true market value. Instead of setting a fixed asking price and hoping you’ve judged your car’s value correctly, multiple buyers compete openly over seven days, with demand determining the final result. We’ll work with you beforehand to agree a realistic reserve price based on extensive market data and decades of experience running the PistonHeads marketplace, but once bidding begins, the market gets to work.
You can also choose to go with a no-reserve auction, which is always a fantastic way to drum up even more excitement around your car. Whichever route you choose, auctions offer a transparent process that removes much of the guesswork and endless haggling often associated with selling privately, which is a win-win for all involved. And with more than 25 years of experience in the enthusiast car market behind us, we’re well placed to help you make the right call when it comes to presenting and pricing your car.
Just as importantly, our support doesn’t stop when the auction ends. If the reserve is met, we’ll carry out background checks on the winning bidder before introducing the two of you to arrange payment and collection, giving both parties added peace of mind. And if bidding falls just short, all is far from lost. Your consignor will liaise with the highest bidders and other interested buyers to see whether a deal can still be agreed, ensuring every opportunity is explored before the sale is considered over.
Those are just some of the many reasons to choose PistonHeads Auctions when the time comes to sell your car. We do the hard work, present your car to proper enthusiasts and support you from the moment you decide to sell, right through to handing over the keys. What's more, buying or selling on PistonHeads Auctions also gives you access to the 98 Collective, our exclusive club offering VIP access to members-only events, once-in-a-lifetime tours and much more.
Combine that with a transparent bidding process that helps establish your car's true market value, and it all adds up to a simpler, less stressful way to sell. Whether you're parting with a cherished classic, a weekend toy or your everyday performance car, PistonHeads Auctions is designed to help you achieve the very best result with the minimum amount of hassle.
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