When you submit a maximum bid, we place automatic bids on your behalf in incremental amounts if the reserve is met or if there is no reserve set. Automatic bids are legally binding so please make sure you’re 100% committed to buying when entering your max bid!
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you place a max bid and are outbid immediately, that means another bidder has placed a max bid higher than yours.
If the next bidding increment would take you above your agreed maximum bid, we will bid just below your maximum. For example, let's say your max bid is £10,000 and someone places a bid of £9,850. We would enter a max bid for you of £9,950 as it's an increment of 100.
Do please note that as the value of a vehicle increases during an auction, the bidding increment may also increase
The benefit of using increments is that if you submit a max bid far higher than the current bid and no one outbids you, you’ll win the auction for less than you were prepared to pay. Hurrah!
The bidding increments are:
But what if my bid is lower than the reserve?
If your max bid is lower than or equal to the reserve, we’ll automatically use your max bid amount as your first and only bid and won’t place any more bids on your behalf. For instance, if the auction reserve is £5,000 and your maximum bid is £4,500, we will automatically enter £4,500 as your maximum and only bid.
What happens if my bid is higher than the reserve, or if there’s no reserve at all?
We’ll keep you as the highest bidder using our set bidding increments until either you win the auction, or until we reach your max bid amount.
What happens if two people place the same bid?
It's a case of first come, first served in this instance. If someone else enters the same max bid as you, whoever placed their bid first remains the lead bidder so it pays to get in early.
Can reserves be lowered during an auction?
Yes, absolutely. Reserves can be lowered or removed entirely by the seller at any time, including in the final moments of an auction. Even if the reserve is not met after you’ve placed your max bid, all bids are binding and you may still win the auction if the reserve is lowered or removed.
How do I know if I've been outbid?
We like to get a bit shouty when it comes to auctions so if you're outbid we'll let you know about it. Outbid notices are sent via email to the address on your C&C account in addition to updates being displayed on the listing itself.