Frequently asked questions
Everything sellers and dealers commonly ask about how VINbattle auctions work, from listing your car to handing over the keys.
Listing your car
How long does it take to list a car?
About ten minutes. You enter your VIN, take photos, write a short condition description, and set a reserve price. Your auction slot is scheduled automatically.
What does it cost to list?
Listing is free. If you accept a winning offer, a $99 transaction fee is charged to the card you enter when you accept. If your car doesn’t sell, or you don’t accept the offer, you pay nothing.
When does my auction run?
Every car listed by Sunday 11:59 PM ET joins the next Monday’s lineup. Cars open in 20-minute slots starting at 10:00 AM ET, and each one runs 72 hours from its own start time, so it closes at that same time on Thursday. List after Sunday and your car joins the following Monday. The full dealer pool follows the day’s lineup, so your car gets its own window in front of every dealer.
How do I know what reserve price to set?
You set your own reserve, the lowest price you’d accept. Pick the number you’d genuinely be happy to sell at: a higher reserve may draw fewer bids, while a realistic one tends to attract the most dealer competition. If you’re not sure where to land, check your vehicle’s current value on KBB, Edmunds, or J.D. Power and set your reserve at the lowest price you’d take.
What if I set my reserve too high and no one bids?
You can relist at a lower reserve at no additional cost. We’ll send you a summary after the auction ends showing what dealers were watching and how close bids got to your reserve, so you can adjust before relisting.
Are there cars VINbattle won’t list?
A car cannot be listed if you don’t have a clear path to title transfer (lost title with no duplicate ordered, unresolved lien, or salvage title where state rules restrict private sale), or if it doesn’t run. You’ll also be asked to disclose any open recalls, accident history, modifications, and known mechanical issues. These don’t block your listing, but full disclosure protects you (see the disclosure section below).
Can I include modifications, recent repairs, or aftermarket parts?
Yes. Disclose everything in your listing description and include photos. Dealers bid based on what they see; full disclosure protects you, because as long as your car matches your listing, the price the dealer bid is the price they pay.
The auction
How long does the auction last?
All auctions currently run for 72 hours (3 days). Cars open Monday in 20-minute slots starting at 10:00 AM ET, and each car closes 72 hours after its own start. The exact start and end times are shown on your listing page. We may introduce a 24 hour auction option in the future based on seller feedback.
Who is bidding on my car?
Licensed franchise and independent dealerships in your area. Every bidding dealer has been verified: state dealer license, business filing, and physical location confirmed before they can place a bid.
Can I see the bids in real time?
Yes. The current high bid is visible on your listing page throughout the auction. You’ll also get notifications when new bids come in.
What if only one dealer bids?
When your auction ends, you have 24 hours to review the highest bid and decide. You can accept it, whether or not it met your reserve, or decline. If you accept, you pay the $99 seller fee and the sale proceeds with the dealer. If you decline, the auction ends with no sale and no fee, and you’re free to relist.
What if no dealers bid?
Your reserve is likely above the wholesale range for your car. You can relist at a lower reserve, or walk away. Either way, you’ve paid nothing.
After a winning bid
Do I have to accept the winning bid?
No. When your auction ends you have 24 hours to accept the highest bid, whether or not it met your reserve, or decline. A reserve is your target, not a floor on what you can accept: if the highest bid comes in under your reserve, it’s still your call whether to take it. If you decline, the auction simply ends with no sale and no fees.
Is the winning bid the final price the dealer pays me?
Once you accept a winning offer, the dealer is committed to that price, subject only to the vehicle matching your listing. As long as your car matches what you listed, the price is the price. If the dealer finds the car materially different from your listing, they can walk away for specific listed reasons in our terms, but they cannot lower the price.
When can a dealer walk away from a sale?
A dealer may withdraw from a winning offer only for a documented, previously undisclosed material non-conformity, in the vehicle’s condition, title, mileage, or an undisclosed lien or encumbrance. These conditions are set out in our Terms of Service.
In practice, that means the vehicle at handoff differs materially from your listing: for example, undisclosed frame damage, a title status that doesn’t match, a significant mileage discrepancy, or an undisclosed lien. Cosmetic wear, the dealer changing their mind, or market shifts between offer and handoff are NOT valid reasons to walk, and a dealer cannot lower the price.
Your $99 fee is refunded if the dealer fails to complete the purchase even though your car matches your listing, and you can relist at no cost. It is non-refundable if the sale falls through because your car materially differs from what you listed.
If a dealer walks away without a valid reason, they forfeit their platform fee and the walk-away counts against their dealership’s standing. Repeated walk-aways remove dealers from the platform.
What if the dealer walks away?
If the winning dealer declines to complete the purchase, you can relist at no cost with no penalty. We track dealer walk-away rates, and dealers who walk away frequently lose access to the platform.
How quickly does the dealer contact me?
Within 24 hours of you accepting the bid. They’ll reach out to schedule the handoff.
Handoff and payment
Where do we meet?
Somewhere you both agree on. Most local handoffs happen at the dealership, a public location, or your home. You decide what you’re comfortable with.
Does the dealer come to me?
For dealers within roughly 30 miles, handoffs are usually flexible, many will come to you. For dealers farther away, they arrange and pay for transportation at their cost. Either way, you’re not paying for transport.
How do I get paid?
At the handoff, in person, by cashier’s check or wire transfer. The dealer presents payment before you sign over the title.
When can I cash the check?
Cashier’s checks from a major bank are typically immediately available, but check with your bank. Wire transfers post to your account based on your bank’s standard timing. Confirm with the dealer at handoff that the check is from a reputable bank before signing the title.
What about my $99 transaction fee?
It’s charged to the card you enter at the time you accept the winning offer. It is not taken out of your sale proceeds. The dealer pays you the full auction price directly.
Title, lien, and paperwork
Who confirms the title and lien status?
You self-attest at listing. You confirm you have clear title in hand, or you confirm there is an active lien with an approximate payoff amount. The winning dealer performs the actual title and lien verification at handoff as part of their standard due diligence, and the dealer handles lien payoff and title coordination directly with your lender. Listings without a clear path to title transfer cannot go live.
What if I still owe money on my car?
Normal and handled at the handoff. When you list, you’ll disclose your approximate payoff amount. The winning dealer pays off your lender directly and pays you the difference between the sale price and the payoff. The dealer coordinates with your lender to verify the exact payoff amount and to obtain the title release. You don’t need to handle anything between your lender and the dealer.
What documents do I need at the handoff?
Your driver’s license, the keys (all sets), the owner’s manual, and any service records you have. If you have your title in hand (clear-title sale), bring it. If there’s an active lien, the dealer coordinates the title release with your lender directly. You don’t need to handle anything between your lender and the dealer. The dealer brings the bill of sale, the odometer disclosure form, and payment.
What if I can’t find my title?
For a clear-title sale, you’ll need to order a duplicate from your state DMV before listing. Listings cannot go live without you attesting that you can deliver clean title at the time of sale. (If there’s an active lien on the car, the title is with your lender. That’s normal and the dealer handles it directly with them.)
Who handles sales tax, tags, and registration?
The dealer handles all of it. You sign over the title and remove your plates; the dealer handles the rest of the paperwork. Sales tax is the dealer’s responsibility on a dealer purchase.
What about the odometer disclosure?
Federal law requires an odometer disclosure on every title transfer. The dealer will provide the form at the handoff. You sign certifying the mileage; they sign acknowledging it.
Disclosure, accuracy, and disputes
How much disclosure does VINbattle expect?
Be straightforward about everything you know: dents, scratches, mechanical issues, accident history, modifications, smoking or pet history, open recalls. Honest, complete listings get strong bids. Sparse or evasive listings get weak bids or none, because dealers price in risk on anything you don’t disclose. Because the price a dealer wins is the price they pay, subject to verified vehicle condition, full disclosure is in your interest.
What happens if I forgot to disclose something?
If you accidentally miss something minor (a small dent, a worn tire), the dealer can walk away at handoff for specific listed reasons in our terms but cannot lower the price. If a major undisclosed issue is discovered after the sale closes (frame damage, prior salvage you didn’t disclose, rolled-back odometer), the dealer may have a legal claim against you under state misrepresentation law. We strongly encourage full, honest disclosure, it’s the safest position for you.
What if a dealer accuses me of misrepresenting the car?
Disputes between sellers and dealers after a completed sale are handled directly between the two parties under applicable state law. VINbattle is the platform that connects you; we are not a party to the sale. Honest, photo-documented listings prevent the vast majority of disputes.
Does VINbattle inspect my car before listing?
No. You take the photos and write the description. Dealers bid based on what you provide. This is why the model works, as long as your car matches your listing, the price holds: dealers are pricing in reasonable risk and you’re providing honest disclosure. The system depends on both sides being straight with each other.
Can I cancel a listing?
Yes, before the auction ends, at no cost. Once you accept a winning bid, you’re committed to completing the sale unless the dealer walks away.
Privacy and safety
Who sees my information?
Your name and contact information are shared only with the winning dealer after you accept their bid. Bidding dealers see your car’s photos, VIN, mileage, condition disclosure, and approximate location during the auction. Not your identity. Documents you upload (like inspection forms) are visible to bidding dealers, cover or black out personal information before uploading.
If I share my next-car wishlist, who sees it?
Sharing a next-car wishlist is optional during listing. If you opt in, dealers subscribed to VINbattle Connect can see the wishlist details (make, model, year, trim, price range, timing) but not your identity or contact information. During the auction, dealers who have inventory matching your wishlist can flag themselves, and you’ll see a star next to their bid. After your car sells, you’ll receive one courtesy email with the names and contact information of dealers who flagged matching inventory. You can reach out to them directly if you’re interested. That’s the end of it. Your wishlist closes when your listing closes.
Is meeting a dealer safe?
You’re meeting a licensed business owner, not an anonymous internet buyer. That said, you decide where to meet. Many sellers prefer the dealership or a well-lit public location. Trust your instincts. If a dealer’s communication feels off, contact us before the handoff.
What does VINbattle do with my data?
We use your information to run the auction and connect you with the winning dealer. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
For dealers
How do I become a verified dealer?
Apply on the dealer page. You’ll need your state dealer license, business filing, and proof of physical location. Verification typically takes 2 business days.
What does it cost?
$499 per winning bid. No monthly fees are required to bid. We also offer VINbattle Connect ($299/month), a separate subscription that helps you source and sell inventory, see the next question.
What is VINbattle Connect?
Connect is a $299/month subscription that helps you source and sell inventory. You build a saved wishlist of the makes, models, and price ranges you’re looking for, and you receive push notifications when matching listings hit the platform, so you know what’s coming before it’s live. During auctions, you can flag that you have inventory matching a seller’s wishlist; the seller sees a star next to your bid, which can influence their decision. If you don’t win, the seller receives a courtesy email after the auction closes with your name and contact info if you flagged matching inventory. Connect gives you visibility to both the cars you want to buy and the customers looking for what you sell. Connect is completely separate from bidding, every verified dealer can bid on auctions whether or not they subscribe.
Can I inspect a car before bidding?
You bid based on the seller’s photos and disclosure. As long as the car matches the listing, the price you win is the price. If the car materially differs from the listing, you can walk for specific listed reasons in our terms, but you cannot lower the price, you either complete at your winning bid or walk for a valid reason. Persistent walk-aways affect your standing on the platform.
What’s the arbitration process?
There is no post-sale arbitration window once you win, subject to verified vehicle condition. Your protection is the right to walk away at handoff for specific listed reasons in our terms. Review listings carefully: photos, condition disclosure, service history, before bidding.
How are walk-away rates tracked?
Your walk-away rate is visible in your dealer dashboard alongside your bid history and win rate. Repeated walk-aways trigger review and removal. Walk-aways for clearly misrepresented listings are documented and don’t count against you the same way buyer’s remorse walk-aways do.
Do you offer floor plan financing?
Not directly in V1. We’re evaluating partnerships with floor plan providers. If this is important to your dealership, let us know.
Still have questions?
Email us at contact@vinbattle.com. We respond within one business day. Live chat is coming soon.
New here? Read how it works or apply as a dealer.