Guide to Buying & Selling

We appreciate that your first visit to an auction can be a daunting experience and, to some, it may seem a very complicated operation. In an effort to quell your fears and show you how easy and convenient buying and selling at auction can be, we have put together this guide. Contained in the following guide you will find straightforward answers to the questions we are usually asked by first time visitors.

Firstly, the key items to bear in mind when visiting an auction are choice, convenience and price:

CHOICE

As auctions are not tied to a particular make the choice of vehicles available at auction is tremendous and the 100+ vehicles offered each week at Exeter will include all popular makes and models. However, if the vehicles on display do not meet your requirements, it could be that it would be more appropriate for you to visit on another day - there are special times for newer vehicles and for commercials and our staff will be pleased to advise you.

CONVENIENCE

Buyers - It would take weeks to view the number of cars available at one auction if you were to travel around and view privately or on the forecourt.

Sellers - It is quick and easy and avoids repeated advertising costs, time wasters and the other hassles associated with selling privately. Your vehicle will be viewed by hundreds of prospective purchasers all at one time.

PRICE

The price realised at auction will be the market value of the vehicle which is, generally speaking, "trade price" and will, of course, differ from the price which would be displayed on the same vehicle at a retail outlet.

The notes contained within this guide are for guidance purposes only and do not form part of any contract.

IMPORTANT:

A Sale By Auction Is Not A Consumer Sale. All Auction Sales are conducted in accordance with our Conditions of Entry and Sale which are displayed at the Auction Centre - copies are available on request. Please ensure that you have read and fully understood these conditions before buying or selling at auction.

When Are Your Auctions?

Exeter Car Auction is held twice a month, on selected Wednesdays and the auction finishes from 12 Noon. We accept entries any weekday that we are open and the vehicle will be entered into the next available auction. Please endeavour to get your vehicle to us in good time to ensure that there is time to catalogue and advertise the vehicle.

GUIDANCE FOR SELLERS

1. What Does It Cost To Sell My Vehicle?
Entry Fee: £20.00 per vehicle per auction (Inc VAT)
Selling Commission: 8.4% of the Hammer Price (subject to a minimum charge of £50.00) Inclusive of VAT
(Trade commission rates are available on request. Proof of Motor Trade Insurance Required).

Please also see our fees page

2. When Can I Bring My Vehicle To The Auction?
We accept vehicles for sale from 9 a.m. on any weekday. The vehicle will be listed online and bidding on it will start immediately.  Bidding closes on the Noon of the next Car Auction date.

3. Can You Arrange Collection?
We should be pleased to provide you with details of agents who will quote you to collect your car . For further details please see here

4. What Do I Need To Bring With Me?
The vehicle registration document (V5), Mot certificate if applicable (don't worry if you do not have a certificate as all MOT records are available online on the DVSA website so we can print one off for you if required) and the service record if you have one. All vehicles are sold as untaxed as vehicle tax is no longer allowed to be transferred,

5. What Else Do I Need To Do Before I Deliver My Vehicle?
It is advisable to ensure that all your vehicle documentation is complete and up to date. You will need to present the original forms of the V5 and service history when you are booking your vehicle in. We are unable to accept copies of these documents and do not sell documents to follow.

6. What Happens When I Arrive At The Auction?
On arrival at the auction centre please park up your vehicle and then proceed to the booking in office where you will be given an entry form to complete. All vehicles are sold "As Seen".
The following may assist you in completing your form:
Please complete ALL sections - most of the information required will be found on your vehicle documents.
You must answer "Yes" or "No" to the questions printed in red regarding accident damage etc. - "Not Known" is not acceptable. If you are unsure whether your car has been subject to a total loss insurance claim at some point in its life we will be happy to check the vehicle through H.P.I. prior to sale for no charge.
If the vehicle is the subject of a Hire Purchase or other third party claim, you must show the details in the box provided. If you do not instruct us to settle any outstanding hire purchase out of the proceeds of sale, the sale proceeds will be withheld until you have paid the amount outstanding and the finance company concerned have notified us, in writing, that their interest is settled in full.
If you wish to place a reserve price on the vehicle, please indicate this clearly in the box provided. This figure must be the lowest price acceptable and must take into account our commission - "net" reserves will not be accepted. Our Auctioneers will be pleased to advise you with regard to a suitable reserve.
You must write the odometer reading in the space provided on the entry form and indicate by marking the form whether the reading is warranted or incorrect.
Your net proceeds of sale will be transferred to the account details you provide on the entry form so please print clearly.
Please provide a telephone number where you can be contacted during the sale.
If you are VAT registered, please indicate accordingly and state your VAT number.
You must sign the entry form - this is the auctioneer's authority to sell your vehicle.
Download an entry form here

7. What Happens If Bidding Doesn't Reach My Reserve Price?
If the bidding stops at a figure well below your reserve price then the vehicle is, of course, unsold.
We may contact you prior to the auction closing to see if the current bid price is acceptable.  If you are able to watch the bidding online prior to the closing time it would be helpful if you could contact us to say that the bidding has reached a level you are happy with. We can then reduce the reserve and put it 'on sale'. Bidding may still continue until its scheduled finish time and more bids may still be taken.
If your car is unsold you may collect your keys and documents from the office and take your vehicle away. Alternatively, you may wish to instruct us to re-enter it in the next sale. There will be a further Entry Fee each time the vehicle is reentered. Please remember, though, that vehicles remain on the auction site entirely at the owner's risk at all times.

8. When Can I Expect To Receive The Sale Proceeds?
A payment for the net sale proceeds from Car and Commercial Auctions will normally be made within 7 working days of the auction to your nominated bank account.

9. Who Notifies DVLA Of Change Of Ownership?
The seller, not Husseys, is responsible for notifying DVLA when the vehicle is sold. The relevant section of the registration document must be returned stating where and when you sold the vehicle. This is very important as you may receive a fine if DVLA are not informed of the sale. You should receive confirmation of receipt from DVLA in due course.

We hope that we have been able to answer many of your questions above. If you wish to speak to any of the auction staff then please ring our auction centre on 01392 425481 during normal office hours.