Buying a Vehicle

Found something you love? Here's how to bid with confidence on Street Car Market.

1. Register to Bid To place bids and connect with sellers, you'll need to create a free account with a valid credit card and phone number. If you win, Street Car Market charges a 5% buyer's fee on top of the winning bid amount (minimum $250, maximum $7,500).

2. Do Your Homework Buying a car online puts the responsibility on you to make sure it's the right car before you bid, not after.

• Read the listing carefully, including known flaws, photos, service history, and any inspection reports.
• Use the comments section to ask the seller questions directly or use the "Contact Seller" button to contact the seller privately.
• If possible, arrange an in-person inspection or coordinate a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) at a shop near the seller, at your expense.

3. Get Your Finances Ready Don't wait until after you win to figure out payment.

• If you're financing, get pre-approved before you bid. Some lenders have year, mileage, or vehicle-specific requirements that could complicate things after the fact.
• Have a plan for transportation. If you're shipping the vehicle, get a quote before bidding so there are no surprises.

4. Place Your Bid Bidding on Street Car Market is straightforward.

• When you place your first bid on an auction, we place an authorization hold on your card for 5% of that bid (minimum $250, maximum $7,500). This hold carries through the entire auction, if you raise your bid later, no additional hold is placed. If you're outbid, your hold is released when the auction ends. If you win, your card is charged the Buyer's Fee based on your final winning bid.
• Bids are binding. Only bid if you've done your research and are fully prepared to buy, there are no refunds.
• Last-minute bids extend the auction by 2 minutes to keep things fair for everyone.

5. Win and Close the Deal To win, you need to be the highest bidder when the auction ends, and if the auction has a reserve, your bid must meet or exceed that hidden minimum price.

Once the auction closes, you'll receive the seller's contact information and they'll receive yours. From there, it's on both parties to finalize payment and logistics. Buyers are expected to pay in full within one week of the auction closing.