Cars and Bids Review
Cars and Bids is a vehicle auction site where you can buy or sell interesting, fun or sporty contemporary cars. You can list your vehicle for sale and the platform will promote it to potential buyers. Unlike eBay where buyers can snipe at the last moment, this platform aims to keep everything fair. However, you cannot list any old vehicle. The Cars and Bids team needs to approve all listings and if they determine your vehicle is not a good fit for the platform, your listing will be rejected.
Pros
- Sell for free
- Huge audience of engaged cars enthusiasts
- Sell you car in under a week
- Live support from listing to post-sale
Cons
- Need to interact with potential buyers, Cars and Bids does not manage the sale
- Limited reviews available
Cars & Bids Reviews: is Cars & Bids Legit?
Cars and Bids is a relatively new platform, it’s a legit company that allows you to auction your car. Cars & Bids has over 20,000 followers on Facebook and over 72,300 subscribers on YouTube. This clearly shows people’s trust in the auction website.
The website also has a 3.7 average rating in TrustPilot with only one review. According to the reviewer, the platform is a reliable site listing all vehicle types. There are also plenty of comments on Facebook praising the selection of vehicles.
However, some reviewers feel it’s not the best, arguing that selling the cars takes long. That aside, the website is legit and reliable.
| Website | Rating |
|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 3.7 |
Can You Get Good Offers on Cars & Bids?
The amount you can get for your car with Cars & Bids depends on its make, condition, model, and type.
Is It Worth Selling Car With Cars & Bids?
Cars and Bids is certainly a worthy platform that allows you to list your vehicle for free. Once you list the car for sale, the platform will promote it to potential buyers.
Unlike eBay where buyers can snipe at the last moment, this platform aims to keep everything fair. However, you cannot list any old vehicles. The Cars and Bids team needs to approve all listings and if they determine your vehicle is not a good fit for the platform, your listing will be rejected.
Best Cars and Bids Alternatives
Best for Older & Damaged Cars
Buys used, damaged or junk cars
Free tow and no hidden fees
Pays by ACH trasfer or check
Top Pick for Junk Cars
Free, no-obligation cash offers
Offers free paperwork service
Pays on the spot upon pick up
Highly Rated by Customers
Excellent customer service ratings
Honors guaranteed offer for 7 days
Can pick up a car within 48 hours
Great for Low-Mileage Cars
Gives a real offer in 2 minutes
100% hassle-free online process
Free car’s Value Tracker available
How to Sell a Car With Cars & Bids?
Cars and Bids aims to make the car selling process as simple as possible. There are several stages to the process.
Car Submission:
It is free to submit a car and you just need to provide a few details including a brief description, VIN, and some photos. At this stage, you can also decide if you want to set a reserve for the vehicle or just allow the Cars and Bids auction to run with no minimum sale price.
If you decide you want a reserve, the Cars and Bids team will assess your suggestion but may ask for a lower one according to market conditions.
Once they have all the details, the team will review your submission and may need answers to a few follow up questions. If your car is a good fit for the auction site, they will confirm it within one business day.
Create Your Listing:
After Cars and Bids accepts your submission, you will need to provide some additional information including:
- Service history
- Ownership history
- Detailed photos
There are also some stipulations to create a listing including that your vehicle must not be listed for sale elsewhere. The team can also advise you on taking the best photographs, filming a short walk around video, and how to review the state process for transferring vehicle titles.
Finalizing Your Auction:
After you have paid the fee and provided Cars and Bids with all the necessary details, the team will draft a listing for your approval. After you review and approve it, the team will schedule your auction.
Participate:
During the auction, Cars and Bid encourages its sellers to participate; responding to comments, answering questions, providing additional pictures as needed. The company claims that good seller participation will encourage buyer interest and could result in a higher sales price.
The Cars and Bids platform has a “Contact Seller” feature, where potential buyers can ask questions or schedule a test drive.
Finalize Your Sale:
After the end of the auction, Cars and Bids will supply you with the buyer’s contact information, so you can finalize the sale and the logistics of your transaction. If you set a reserve and it was not met, the Cars and Bids team will contact you to discuss the highest bidders to help you to make a deal.
Cars and Bids advise that there are several important aspects of finalizing your sale, which include:
- Quickly making contact: The team recommends reaching out to the buyer as quickly as possible after the end of the auction to start the hand over process.
- Organize payment: The buyer is expected to pay in full for the vehicle within one week. However, if there is outstanding finance on the vehicle, you and the buyer will need to discuss how it will be cleared. You will also need to create a Bill of Sale.
- Arrange for pick up: Once the payment is made, the title and vehicle can be released. If you are completing the transaction remotely, you should send the signed title via a courier service, so the buyer can track the document.
Cars & Bids FAQs
What is Cars & Bids?
Cars and Bids is essentially an online auction marketplace. You can buy and sell any car that is cool from the 1980s to today. The company deems “cool” as anything from the obvious sporty cars to traditional fun cars.
If a car is fun, quirky, exciting, or interesting, it is likely to be featured on this platform. As the brainchild of Doug Demuro, the aim of the company was to create a platform for the modern enthusiast cars. .
With Cars & Bids you can buy and sell any car that is cool!
While there are many platforms where you can buy or sell cars, Cars and Bids offers some interesting benefits. These include:
- Low fees
- Free vehicle reports
- Highlighted vehicles
- Quick listings
- Easy submission
- User friendly platform
How does cars & Bids work?
Cars & Bids allows you to;
- Submit your Car and provide a few details like VIN, some photos, and a brief description of the car.
- Prepare your listing by providing additional information such as detailed photos, service and ownership history,
- Finalize your auction and schedule your auction, and it will go live shortly thereafter!
- Participate in the auction.
- Finalize the details and logistics of the transaction. Cars & Bids will then connect you to the buyer so you can complete the vehicle sale directly.
Who is Cars & Bids best for?
Cars & Bids is suited for sellers who want to sell their vehicles through cash and connect directly to the buyer. The website is also designed for those looking to sell their cars on the platform.
What types of vehicles does Cars & Bids purchase?
Cars & Bids purchases different types of vehicles including repossessed vehicles from banks, flood junkers and sometimes high-end sports cars and SUVs.
How fast can you sell your car with Cars & Bids?
Since all auctions last one week you can expect to sell your car with Cars & Bids within one week.
Cars & Bids fees
Listing a car on Cars & Bids is completely free.
Cars & Bids payment options
Once the auctioning process is complete, Cars & Bids will connect you to the buyer so you can finalize the deal and get paid. Depending on your agreement, payment can either be by check or cash.
How good is Cars & Bids support?
Cars & Bids offers a reliable support base, including a frequently asked questions page, blogs, and articles about the site. The website also explains the whole process of selling or buying a car. To get in touch with the company, you can email them at support@carsandbids.com.
How to buy a car with Cars & Bids?
Cars and Bids not only allows you to sell vehicles, but you can also browse the site as a buyer. Again, the company aims to make this as simple as possible.
Register:
Before you can place bids or contact sellers, you need to register on the Cars and Bids site. For this, you will need a valid phone number and credit card.
Do Your Research:
While Cars and Bids aims to make buying a car as easy and safe as possible, you will still need to do some research before you place a bid. You should not only review the listings thoroughly but if you have any queries, contact the seller for additional information. You can even arrange a vehicle inspection.
Arrange the Sale Details:
Before bidding, it is a good idea to arrange the details associated with a sale. This includes considering the transportation timelines, and whether you will be shipping the vehicle or collecting it yourself.
If you need finance for the purchase, you will need to work with a lender to get approval for a vehicle before you complete a sale.
Bid:
As its name suggests, Cars and Bids makes bidding easy. There are tutorial videos on the site, but essentially if you bid, the company will put a hold on your credit card for the buyer fee. If you win the auction, the fee will be charged to your card, but if not, the hold will be released at the end of the auction.
Remember, bids are binding, so you need to fully intend to purchase the vehicle, as if you’re the highest bidder, there are no refunds.
Unlike eBay, Cars and Bids resets the remaining time to one minute when bids are placed. This means there is an opportunity for others to bid and you cannot snipe at the last moment.
Winning the Auction:
If you’re the highest bidder and the final sales price exceeds the seller’s reserve, you’ve won the auction. Cars and Bids will provide you with the seller’s contact information and supply your details to them. This will allow you to discuss the transaction details and logistics. Just remember you will need to pay in full within one week.
Cars and Bids auction tips
If you want to maximize the chances of getting a sale, there are some Cars and Bids review comments and tips to help you.
- Don’t double list: Cars and Bids insists on exclusivity, so you cannot list your vehicle with them and other platforms.
- Take good photos: There are Cars and Bids review comments that highlight good photos can make a sale. So, take your time selecting the best images or even hire a professional photographer. Cars and Bids also has a photo guide that can provide further help.
- Create a walk-around video: A short video showing a walk around of your vehicle and a cold start can help buyers to feel confident. All you need to do is shoot a video and upload it to Vimeo or YouTube.
- Research vehicle title transfers: Each state has different regulations for transferring vehicle titles. So, before you list your vehicle, check what rules apply in your home state.
Can I sell a vehicle if I live outside of the United States or Canada?
No. Cars & Bids only offers vehicles for sale located in the US and Canada.
How do I submit my car for sale?
To submit your car for sale, you need to provide important information like the make, model, year, VIN, a few photos, and other relevant details.
How do I take the best pictures of my car?
To take the best pictures, you can go to the photography page to get tips and tricks or download the company’s guide. You can also hire a professional photographer.
Should I take a video?
Yes. Taking a video raises not only interest but also increases buyer confidence
How long does an auction last?
While all auctions last for seven days, the exact duration is likely to fluctuate.