Budgeting: fees, transport and the real cost of a bid

The saving at auction is real, but it can quietly disappear if you bid on the headline number and sort out the rest afterwards.

The parts of the total

• Winning amount — what the bidding reaches.
• Auction fee — 0.5% of the winning amount on most lots.
• Agent fee — $299 on most lots.
• Delivery — if the vehicle is not being collected.
• Taxes, title and registration — set by the state and depend on your situation; ask the office.
• Reconditioning — tyres, brakes, glass, whatever the photos and notes suggest.

Use the estimator

Every lot page has a price estimator. Enter a bid and, if the vehicle will be delivered, a ZIP code, and it adds the fees and the delivery estimate.

Work backwards

Decide what the vehicle is worth to you all-in, subtract the extras above, and what is left is your maximum bid. Set that as a proxy maximum and leave it alone.

Distance matters

A vehicle a long way off with a four-figure delivery bill has to be that much cheaper than one close to home. Get the estimate before you bid, not after you win.