Bidding options
Auction types
We offer three different types of auctions to provide a wide range of bidding experiences. Understanding how these auctions work will help you choose the most effective bidding strategy and increase your chances of winning.
Bidding tools
Discover these tools to help you improve your chances of winning OPENLANE auctions.
Our CAP Valuations provide a current estimated price of every vehicle, to help you make smart bidding decisions.
‘CAP clean’ indicates the vehicle’s top trade value and lets you know if it’s ready to be sold and has a current MOT, complete service history, all documents and spare keys.
‘CAP average’ is applicable if the vehicle is in reasonable condition given its age and mileage but is not in the best condition possible.
‘CAP below’ indicates the trade value of a vehicle that’s in below-average condition considering its age and mileage.
‘CAP retail’ provides an estimate of the vehicle’s current retail value.
You can find the current CAP value of every vehicle on the bottom right of the car details page.
Keep track of all your bids in different auctions and maximize your chance of winning with price guidance tools.
- A full overview makes it easier to win auctions.
- Go to ‘My Bids’ via the navigation menu at the top of the website.
- The Bid Agent is not available from ‘My Bids’.
Enter your maximum bid. The Bid agent bids for you – never more than is necessary to keep you in the highest bidder’s seat.
- You’re free to work, knowing you’ll bid no more than is absolutely necessary and will never go beyond your limits.
- Activate it using the switch on the car detail page. You can set it as your default bidding method from ‘My account’.
- Pressing the ‘Buy now’ button always wins the car, even if you set the bid agent first.
A message that pops up in your browser or on your mobile phone, to let you know what you need to know.
- You’re free to go about your business, knowing you’ll be informed about the most crucial auction events.
- You’ll need to allow your browser and phone to show these pop-ups. Adjust the settings in ‘My account’ to make sure you only receive the notifications you want.
- Available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, iOS and Android.