Car auctions in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands: how they work and who they suit

What kinds of auction exist

At an auction the price is set by bids, not by the amount the seller asks. In Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands car auctions fall into three broad groups:

Who can take part

Dealer platforms. Autobid says its auctions are “exclusively for verified car dealers”; CarOnSale describes its audience as professional car dealers; Autorola registers approved dealers; OPENLANE is meant for professionals and asks for company and VAT details (platform pages, 17.10.2026).

Open auctions. Troostwijk’s terms also foresee a consumer — a natural person not acting in a profession; the bidder must be of age, and terms can differ by country and by auction. Read the terms of the specific auction before bidding.

If you are not a dealer, you can reach a closed auction only through a licensed dealer. The deal is then with that dealer, and the price, liability and extra charges must be agreed with them in writing.

Bids, fees and collection

Formats differ: buy now, closed-bid tender, open auction. Troostwijk’s fee is a percentage over the bid, with VAT added; the percentage is stated in each auction’s terms, so we print no figure here.

Deadlines are strict. Under Troostwijk’s terms payment is due within 48 hours of the notice and the car must be collected on the date in the specific auction terms; other platforms differ. After collection comes delivery to Latvia — see the guide to delivery from Germany.

The risks

• •No test drive: the car is judged from photos and a description
• •Under Troostwijk’s terms a lot is sold in its condition at acceptance, and neither the auction house nor the seller gives a warranty
• •The right of withdrawal depends on the auction type and the seller. Troostwijk’s terms exclude it for public auctions, but in an online auction run by a trader a consumer usually keeps the 14-day right of withdrawal (Consumer Rights Directive, Art. 2(13)). Ask in writing before bidding.
• •Damage may be visible only on the spot or after the car is started
• •Extra charges (fee, VAT, transport) come on top of the bid, so the total is higher than the winning bid
• •The VAT regime depends on who sells and who buys; clarify it in writing before bidding
• •The collection date is set by the auction, not by you

When an auction makes sense and when it does not

An auction makes sense when several conditions hold at once:

• •You know the model and its market price, so you can set your own ceiling
• •You can judge the condition from photos, or a dealer judges it for you
• •The collection date does not restrict you

A classified ad, for example on mobile.de, is better if you want to see the car, put questions to the seller, ask for documents and take your time — see the mobile.de guide. If you only want Latvian auctions (VID, enforcement), they are covered in a separate guide.

What AutoPase does

AutoPase does not take part in auctions and does not sell cars. On request we help select suitable cars, check the history and organise delivery. AutoPase does not take part in closed dealer auctions: we search open listings and open auctions, and we say openly when a suitable car is available to dealers only. The seller is always the seller of the listing or the lot, not AutoPase. We promise no price and no result — the final amount is agreed before purchase.