WE TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF SELLING YOUR CLASSIC OR PERFORMANCE BMW

Lots of happy customers – 5* Rated.
GET A VALUATION

NO HASSLE
CLASSIC &
PERFORMANCE
BMW AUCTION
SERVICE



Weekly Online Auctions

 

Our no hassle service takes the stress out of selling your classic or performance BMW car whilst getting you more money back.

Fully Managed Service

More Money Back

No Tyre Kickers

Quickest Time to Sell

Widest Marketing Reach

No Seller Fees

We’re enthusiasts ourselves and passionate about connecting buyers and sellers on a foundation of trust & transparency.

 



“Traditional auction houses have charged too much, for too little, for too long.”

Adam Purrier – Trade Classics Founder


BMW VALUATION

Fill out the form to receive your free valuation.


 

The Best Service

 

Managed Sales Service

The car stays with you – we professionally photograph the BMW at your home with 200+ images.

We even speak to buyers on your behalf, so you don’t have to.

More Money Back

We achieve market price by publishing the most thorough listings – confident buyers bid higher.

Importantly you get *22% more money back when compared to other auctions.

No Tyre Kickers

We produce the most detailed & transparent listings in the industry.

This gives buyers confidence in the sale meaning 80% of cars we sell don’t have viewings.

 

 

 
The most trusted and transparent auction service in the UK.

We’re very proud to be the highest rated classic car auction service in the UK see reviews.
 


 

Quickest Time to Sell

We run weekly auctions & most sales are completed within two weeks.

You don’t have to wait for quarterly sales from traditional auction houses.

Widest Marketing Reach

We market to buyers in the UK & mainland EU to get the very best price.

We advertise your car around the web e.g. eBay & Pistonheads.

No Seller Fees

As enthusiasts ourselves, we don’t think sellers should be charged.

Instead, we only charge the buyer an industry low 5% + VAT buyer’s premium.


5 Star Reviews

 


Adrian Davies – Beetle Seller

“This is the ultimate way to buy or sell a vehicle.”

Trade Classics has got the whole process down to perfection. Simple and hassle free from beginning to end, that is from initial contact, video and photography, listing online, selling, prompt payment and collection of vehicle.

Click here to see this & all our 5 STAR reviews on Google.

 

 

All eras of BMW from true classics to modern day.

That’s right, we’ll sell any BMW e.g. 2002 | 3 Series | 5 Series | 6 Series | 8 Series | M Sport | Sharknose and more.

 

FAQs

 

Do you really take care of everything at no cost to me?

We don't charge our sellers any sales commissions or listing fees. 

We don't want any barriers to getting good quality cars from genuine sellers and the 5% + VAT we earn in buyer's commission is how we make our money.

You really have noting to lose as we manage everything for you including:
- All professional photography of your vehicle with over 200+ images and ~45mins of video*
- The car stays with you so there's no transportation to organise, or risk of your car getting damaged.
- We produce the most detailed & transparent listings in the industry.
- We market to buyers in the UK & mainland EU to get the very best price.
- We even speak to buyers on your behalf so you don’t have to.

-------------

* we charge this at cost price and will work it out based on your location.  Typically if you live within an hour of one of our photographers then this will be about £185 + VAT.  Professional photography is very important to showcase your car to the best of its potential resulting in higher returns to you.

Does the car stay with me or do you collect it?

The car always stays with you - we come out and take all the professional photos of your vehicle with over 200+ images and 1hr of video.

We produce the most detailed & transparent listings in the industry - no one goes to the lengths we do.  This gives buyers confidence in the sale meaning 80% of cars we sell don’t have viewings.  So the cars don't need to be in one central location.

Can you really get me more money back than advertising privately or another auction?

Yes that's right - our service is all about trust and transparency backed up with the most thorough listings in the industry. This means buyer's trust our service and value the accurate / transparent way we photograph and describe the vehicles we sell. Ultimately, confident buyers bid higher.

Also, remember we just charge a 5% + VAT buyer's premium which is the lowest in the industry too.  So we take just 5% + VAT total share of the cost of the vehicle to the buyer. Other auctions services take up to 30% of the value of the vehicle - this means a lot less money back to you.

We've reviewed the top 10 classic car auctions in the UK and our service will return you up to 22% more money when compared to using those traditional auction houses. And it's a good deal for the buyer too as they don't pay any more money than they would by using a traditional auction - isn't that amazing.

Will you accept my car into your weekly auction?

Not necessarily - the first step is for you to submit your car for valuation via the form on this page. 

We will then review the car and provide you with an accurate market valuation - we may need to speak to you to discuss the condition and history of the vehicle. 

During the valuation process we may then offer to handle the sale of the vehicle on your behalf - we will talk you though this process to make sure it's the right decision for both of us.

Ultimately we are interested in consigning good quality and fresh-to-market vehicles from genuine sellers, that will appeal to our buyers and bidders at auction.

What does 'reserve' mean?

A reserve is the minimum price that you will let the car go for.  This is a secret price agreed between us, i.e. we never disclose it publicly and we ask you to do the same.  Sometimes bidders may ask you for the reserve price in the comments section on the listing, and we ask you to politely reply saying no, as disclosing the reserve price undermines the auction process.

 

We'll work with you to set a realistic reserve in line with market pricing – we don’t take on vehicles with unrealistic pricing.

 

If the reserve price hasn’t been met at the end of the auction, i.e. the highest bid received is below your reserve price, then the car is not sold.

 

It is important for you to say the minimum you will sell the car for, as if the reserve is set too high and bidding doesn't reach the reserve, then the car is not sold and no buyers are contracted to the sale.  One of the biggest benefits of our auction service is that if the reserve price has been met, i.e. a bidder has bid over the reserve price, then at the end of the auction they are legally contracted to complete the sale of the car.

How do you value my vehicle and set the reserve price?

We take this process very seriously, to start off with we begin by understanding your vehicle, for example factory options, condition and mileage. Once we have this information we analyse the market to gauge your vehicle against recent sales and talk to our team of professionals to estimate any remedial work required.

We will put together a valuation and may personally talk you through it. At this point we will mutually agree a reserve price for your vehicle.

Can your auction service really achieve the best price for my classic vehicle?

Absolutely, we are an established service since 2011 within the classic vehicle industry with 1,000's of visitors a month looking to buy their next classic.

Our service is all about trust and transparency backed up with the most thorough listings in the industry. This means buyer's trust our service and value the accurate / transparent way we photograph and describe the vehicles we sell. Ultimately, confident buyers bid higher.

However, the genius comes with how we market your car for sale.  We list details of your vehicle on all the top classified sites in the UK and mainland EU, linking back to the auction listing.  Serious buyers / collectors have alerts on these sites, so they will visit the auction listing and view your vehicle.

Importantly, we've developed auto-extending bidding that mimics traditional auction house bidding; it’s a key feature to make sure vehicles achieve their true worth.  Bids placed in the last one minute automatically extend the auction by a one further minute.

Why don't you charge a listing fee or seller commission?

It's traditional for auction houses to charge seller and buyer fees.  Our overheads are much lower and this means we can offer our premium service with just the 5%+ VAT Trade Classics Fee (Buyer Premium).

Can I get a refund on the photography fee if I change my mind?

Yes - but only if you notify us the day before the scheduled visit.

Before the day of the visit: yes, we will refund the photography fee in full, as no costs have been incurred to us yet.  

On the day of the visit: no, the fee is not refundable -  this is because our photographers are freelancers and they would have planned their working week and would lose out on earnings.  We still pay them for the service and as such this means the fee is non-refundable to you.

After the visit: no; if you decide to not go ahead with the process at any point after our photographer has visited then the fee is also non-refundable - this is because we had to pay the photographer for their services and the price you pay us is the actual charge for photography, i.e. we make no money from this service.

I've already advertised my car on a classified site - will you still accept it into your auctions?

Probably not - we only consign fresh to market cars that have not been widely advertised anywhere else.  This is because the price has already been set and makes achieving a higher price more difficult.

Also buyers may be put off seeing the car not sell by one process and then appear for sale within another.

It's likely we'll say no if you've advertised the car on eBay or a top classified site, however, if you've just listed locally or on a site like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace then we may accept the car.

How to you make sure buyers are genuine?

The security and safety of our community is our top priority.

Before a person is allowed to bid they must submit a credit or debit card for us to validate.

During the bidding process the buyer's stored credit or debit card is used to authorise the 5%+ VAT Trade Classics Fee (Buyer Commission).  If this authorisation fails then the bid will not be made.  At the end of the auction this fee is charged to the stored card automatically.

We use a trusted payment provider called Stripe (to read more on their security click here) to manage the authorisations and charges we request on our bidder's stored cards.

Do you have anything buried in your T&Cs that I should know?

Our terms and conditions are very straightforward and what you'd expect for a typical auction company.

For example, the sale is between the buyer (winner at auction) and you (the seller).  It's on a 'Sold as Seen' basis with no warranties.  Essentially like a private sale - we are in the middle making sure it all goes through smoothly and take a 5% + VAT fee from the buyer.

Honesty and transparency are important to us so we don't have anything unusual in our terms and conditions - we do ask you to give us exclusivity during the sale period, i.e. you don't advertise it anywhere else.  This is to protect us as it takes a lot of time and money in advertising to complete a sale.  It also makes sure we get the most money back for you - duplicate sales can confuse buyers.

Can I accept a direct offer for my vehicle either during or after the auction closes?

Absolutely not - we have invested a lot of time and resources into the sale to bring the car to market and consider this a serious breach of our Terms and Conditions in Section 8.0.

During Auction Period (by this we refer to the time from when a listing becomes live until the auction subsequently closes - generally a 7 day period) - under no circumstances should private sales be requested or offered by any party during the auction period.  We take reasonable steps to monitor this process including but not limited to the communications sent between buyers and sellers via our auction service.

Post Auction Close (by this we refer to the period after the item sale is finalised) - under no circumstances should private sales be requested by registered Users of our service (Accounts active at anytime during the auction period) or their immediate families, networks and affiliates to any Seller against a vehicle that was not sold due to not making the reserve price set.   This clause is effective for 8 weeks after the auction end date.  We take reasonable steps to monitor this process including but not limited to the communications sent between Buyers and Sellers via our service.

Breach of Agreement; if we ascertain reasonable evidence that a breach to these terms above then the SELLER  will be charged 6% of the agreed reserve price or of the final bid, whichever is the greater sum. This is to cover our costs of consigning the vehicle during the auction preparation process, which includes but is not limited to our time invested to appraise the vehicle, consider its market position, cover any travel and subsistence costs to view the vehicle and incurred marketing costs.  If we believe there has been a breach of this agreement, and liability from the Seller has not been disclosed, then we will investigate and produce evidence for legal proceedings, for example to supply directly to the small claims court; more details on this process can be found on the UK Government website.

Can I advertise / sell my car elsewhere during the auction? 

No - we do ask you to refrain from doing so.

We have chosen your car as we believe an online auction route is the best process to achieve the highest possible price.

If in the unlikely event you wish to remove the car from sale then you will be charged 6% of either the starting bid or current bid at that time, whichever is greater.

This is to cover our costs of working with you during the auction preparation process.

Can I change the reserve price up?

No - after we agree consignment of the car with an associated reserve price then this is set for the duration of the process / auction. 

However, you could cancel the contract with us, but then you would be liable for 5% + VAT of the initially agreed reserve price - please see Section 6.1.21 of our terms for more info. 

This rule is in place to protect our service, as if you decide to move the reserve up then naturally it will decrease the chances of sale - which is a key factor for us when deciding to take your car into our service.

You are free to lower the reserve - please see 'Can I change the reserve price down?' for more information.

Can I change the reserve price down?

Yes - you are free to lower the reserve at any time  - we just need at least 2 hours notice before the end of the auction, e.g. if your auction ends at 7.30pm then you have up until 5.30pm on the day of the auction to write to us saying you want to reduce the reserve.

Naturally there is no restriction on lowering the reserve as it will increase our chances of a successful sale.  However, we do need the direction in writing on email or instant message to one of the team you are working with.

If I lower the reserve then will you make up the difference?

No - if you decide to authorise a lower reserve to us for any reason, at any point in the process, then we will not make up the difference to any previously agreed reserve price.  This is because you have decided to reduce the lowest price for the car that you are willing to accept.  This decision may have been by your own accord or recommended to you by us - either way it is your decision.

What if the buyer doesn't complete the transaction?

The buyer is contractually bound to purchase the car from you within 7 days of the auction end.

We automatically deduct our non-refundable 5%+ VAT Trade Classics Fee (Buyer Commission) from the buyer's credit card at the end of the auction, so they are financially tied to the transaction.

If the buyer still doesn't complete then you can either choose to take no action, or issue legal proceedings to recover the money.  This is the same process as any other auction sale - traditional or online.

Do you offer a turnkey selling service?

Coming Soon - we are in the process of sourcing a trusted storage partner so we can manage the whole sale if required, e.g. collect the vehicle, valet service, take photos / videos, list and manage the auction including final payment. Some features may be available earlier and we shall advertise these at the time - we are in the process of sourcing a trusted storage partner so we can manage the whole sale if required, e.g. collect the vehicle, valet service, take photos / videos, list and manage the auction including final payment.

What happens if the car doesn't sell - will you re-auction?

If your car doesn't sell at auction then we'll try our best to sell it post-auction at a price you're happy with.

However, of course we can't guarantee a sale, like any other service, but we do try our very best to get you that sale.

If the car doesn't sell at auction or post-auction, then we'll let you know and give you feedback on the process.  Rest assured, due to our own extensive buyer network and the unique way we advertise your car across other platforms, e.g. eBay and Pistonheads it does mean all potential interested parties will have seen the car.

If we think your car could sell in the future then we may offer a re-run of the auction, however, that has to be at least three months from the date of the last auction - it's just there is no point re-auctioning a car sooner as we will have marketed it to all interested parties at that time.  We'd need to wait for a new group of people that may be interested in the car to stand a chance of sale at the price you're looking for.

 

GET A FREE VALUATION

 
 

Sold BMWs

 
 


SOLD for £34,980

A race derived 3.5L straight-six with the luxury of the 6 Series, the best of both worlds.

SOLD for £12,720

A lovely example of the E30 in convertible form with manual gearbox

SOLD for £16,430

This straight-six 2.5L two-seater really does offer top performance with a luxurious interior

SOLD for £14,840

A lovely example of an early M car with modest mileage

SOLD for £11,130

A great drivers example of the much loved E30, coming with a fresh service

SOLD for £6,360

What a 3 series should be all about, straight six, manual, rear wheel drive, you gotta love these classic E30s

SOLD for £12,720

A simply stunning Z3 M Roadster that will provide a lot of summer fun.

SOLD for £15,212

Arguably in the best colour combination - a great summer runaround.

SOLD for £11,915

A well priced 840Ci that's had a lot of money spent on it over the year.

SOLD for £8,300

A real piece of history, and a lesson in how to look after a car, one owner from new

SOLD for £17,543

A '90s Monster - 3.2 litres neatly fitted into the small yet mighty Z3 pocket rocket shell.

SOLD for £9,540

A classic shark nose BMW with a popular airlift suspension swap out

SOLD for £10,600

Combining the best that BMW has to offer, in what can only be described as the golden era of BMW design

SOLD for £10,070

A rare sharknose indeed - be the coolest person around town in this classic.

SOLD for £14,310

Lots of sharknose goodness with this car and lots of money spent.

SOLD for £13,250

A sorted little 1602 that's ready for some new adventures.

SOLD for £10,950

The E31 8 Series was a masterclass from BMW, with engineering and styling ahead of its time.

SOLD for £7,420

With timeless boxy styling and legendary engineering, the E30 is the swiss army knife of classic motoring.

SOLD for £12,932

Timeless styling, legendary engineering and the 3 series heritage – the E30 has to be the perfect modern classic.

SOLD for £17,755

A 640i in impeccable condition - a future classic in the making.

SOLD for £5,565

A original 3 Series BMW coming from ~20 years ownership, and in astonishing condition considering its age and use.

SOLD for £6,838

Fun to drive and great looking, this 3 series is an old school slice of BMW style.

SOLD for £16,960

One of the M-Divisions best creations yet - the modern classic roadster Z3M with its mighty 3.2L straight-six.

SOLD for £7,791

Owned 24 years, MOT'd, a great, useable modern classic

SOLD for £9,805

Birth of the ultimate driving machine - track days, classic shows, or the daily commute; this E30 can do it all in style.

SOLD for £8,215

The origins of BMWs all-time greatest model line - where it all began with the 3 Series.

SOLD for £16,695

Classic engineering - the origins of the 3 Series.

SOLD for £21,200

A superb quality Alpina with just 40k miles from new.

SOLD for £9,858

The Swiss Army Knife of motoring - the iconic E30.

SOLD for £20,900

Arguably the best sounding and performing naturally aspirated car of its time.

SOLD for £7,950

A truly time warped E46 that's better than having money in the bank.

SOLD for £16,960

One of the best modern cabriolets created by BMW M-Sport, unique styling and a perfectly paired drivetrain.

SOLD for £10,600

Built on the success of the 2002 and attractive styling from the larger 5-series the E21 has a huge cult following.

SOLD for £5,571

The E36 3 Series Coupe offers the perfect balance between handling and ride quality.

SOLD for £12,773

Featuring one of the best naturally aspirated engines the BMW E46 M3 packs a punch with it's S54.

SOLD for £11,026

V8 power with German build quality and durability.

SOLD for £10,706

M-Division treatment to BMW's flagship roadster made the Z3 a lot more fun

SOLD for £16,139

A beautifully presented FSH low mileage modern classic.

SOLD for £22,260

The Z3 M Coupe has it all, arresting looks, raw power and a commanding driving experience.

SOLD for £11,130

The insane performance from this 500BHP V10 is definitely a lot of "bang for your buck"

SOLD for £23,850

M3 running gear in an open top roadster, a real pocket rocket

SOLD for £3,800

A great affordable beemer ready to be driven

SOLD for £50,000

One of the most desirable classic BMWs, off to a new owner after 34 years

SOLD for £7,500

This car is on many enthusiasts wish list and it's easy to see why.

SOLD for £7,950

A stunning and rare Alpina B10 is up for sale - don't miss this one

SOLD for £8,000

A big 8 Series – we’ve sold a lot of these and this was another great example bought by David.

SOLD for £57,750

Cars like this really don’t come on the market every day.


 
 

 
 

* January 2022 – forecasting additional money returned to sellers by comparing total cost to buyer (including all premiums & fees) against average published fees & commissions of ten of the most established classic car auction houses in the UK to our service.