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How it works

One inspection. Then we go to work.

Car Bid Club runs the whole selling process for you: the inspection, the dealership bidding, the offer, and the closing. You make two decisions — whether to start, and whether to accept the offer.

The five steps

What happens, in order.

Each step below lists what you do and what we handle, so there are no surprises.

  1. Step 1

    Enroll and tell us about your car

    Create your account, confirm the ZIP code where the car is kept, then describe the car. Nothing to pay.

    Start with your contact details, so we know how to reach you and can save your progress, then the ZIP code where the car is kept, so we can confirm we cover you.

    There is nothing to pay and no card to enter. Our $300 service fee is only charged if your car sells, and it comes out of the sale proceeds.

    Then comes your car: the VIN, which we decode into year, make, model and trim, and your mileage. An account manager calls you about ownership and condition, so you do not have to guess at paperwork questions on your own. No documents are required at this stage.

    Your part
    About five minutes of information. No payment.
    Our part
    We confirm your vehicle is eligible in your area.
  2. Step 2

    Complete a UVeye inspection

    Drive through a nearby UVeye system. The inspection takes place without a traditional manual walkaround.

    Pick an inspection location and a time that suits you. When you arrive, you drive slowly through the UVeye system.

    There is no manual walkaround, no test drive, and no sales conversation. Most visits take only a few minutes.

    The result is a detailed, consistent condition report that buyers trust — which means you do not have to sit through repeated appraisals at different stores.

    Your part
    One short visit to the inspection location.
    Our part
    We schedule it, send reminders, and collect the report.
  3. Step 3

    We market your car to dealerships

    We share your vehicle information and condition report with participating dealerships.

    We build a standardised listing package from your vehicle details and the UVeye condition report, then present it to hundreds of dealerships in our network.

    Every dealership sees the same information, so their offers are directly comparable. Your name, contact details, and documents are not shared while bidding is open.

    Your part
    Nothing.
    Our part
    We prepare the listing and invite buyers.
  4. Step 4

    Dealerships compete

    We manage the process and identify the strongest qualified offer.

    Dealerships submit bids during a defined bidding window. We review each one for the conditions attached to it, not just the headline number — a slightly lower bid with no deductions can be worth more to you than a higher one with conditions.

    Bidding usually produces a presentable offer within 7 days of your inspection.

    Your part
    Nothing. We will notify you when the offer is ready.
    Our part
    We run the bidding and qualify every offer.
  5. Step 5

    You decide

    Accept the offer and let us coordinate the closing, or decline without pressure.

    We show you the offer amount, any deductions, your estimated loan payoff, our $300 fee, and the amount you would actually receive. We explain the conditions attached to it and answer your questions.

    If you accept, we coordinate the documents, signatures, title transfer, loan payoff, vehicle pickup, and your payment. Our fee comes out of the proceeds in that same transfer.

    If you decline, that is the end of it. You are charged nothing, there is no obligation and no follow-up pressure.

    Your part
    One decision.
    Our part
    If you accept, we handle the rest of the sale.

Timing

How long it takes.

Most of the timeline is up to you: the sooner you complete your inspection, the sooner bidding starts. A typical sale runs 10 to 21 days end to end.

  1. Day 1

    Enroll

    Create your account and check your ZIP code, then tell us about the car — VIN and mileage. Nothing to pay: the $300 fee only applies if your car sells.

  2. Days 1–4

    Inspection

    Book a slot and drive through a nearby UVeye system. Appointments open 24 hours out.

  3. Within 7 days of inspection

    Bidding and your offer

    We present your vehicle to the dealership network, run the bidding, and bring you the strongest qualified offer.

  4. Days 10–21

    Closing and payment

    If you accept, we handle documents, title, loan payoff, and pickup. Payment follows within 3 business days of collection, with our fee taken out of the proceeds.

Things that can add time

An out-of-state title, a loan payoff that needs a lender letter, a jointly owned vehicle that needs a second signature, or a delay in uploading documents will all extend the timeline. We tell you what is outstanding at every stage.

Powered by UVeye

What the UVeye inspection actually involves.

It is much simpler than a traditional appraisal, and it is the reason dealerships can bid confidently without seeing your car in person.

You arrive at your chosen inspection location and stay in your vehicle. A team member guides you into the lane, and you drive slowly through the UVeye system. Most visits take only a few minutes.

There is no manual walkaround, no test drive, and nobody trying to sell you anything. The system captures detailed imagery of the vehicle, including the underbody and tyres — areas that are difficult to assess properly in a quick inspection.

We use the resulting condition information to present your vehicle accurately to buyers. You will see a plain-language summary and the images from your inspection in your dashboard once the report is ready.

What to bring: every key you have, your photo ID, and your vehicle registration if it is handy. You do not need to clean the car or make repairs beforehand.

What we do not show dealerships

While bidding is open, dealerships see your vehicle, its condition report, and its general location. They do not see your name, your contact details, your documents, or your loan information.

What we do not show you

We show you a consumer summary of your condition report rather than raw inspection data. Internal severity codes and diagnostic metadata are not useful for your decision and are easy to misinterpret, so we keep the report in plain language instead.

Why it works

Why this process can produce a stronger result.

Nothing here is a promise about your particular car. These are the reasons a competitive, standardised process tends to work in a seller's favour.

  • A larger pool of buyers sees your car

    Instead of one appraisal at one store, your vehicle is presented to hundreds of dealerships at the same time. A wider pool of potential buyers can create more competition for your specific vehicle.

  • Every dealership sees the same standardised information

    Buyers receive one consistent listing package. That makes their bids directly comparable and removes the guesswork that comes from each store inspecting a car its own way.

  • Inspection data reduces uncertainty

    A UVeye condition report documents the vehicle's actual condition, including areas that are hard to assess quickly. Buyers who are less uncertain about condition have less reason to discount their bid to protect themselves.

  • You never negotiate

    You do not call dealerships, respond to offers, or negotiate separately with multiple buyers. We run that process and bring you the result.

  • You keep the right to walk away

    Because you are not committed to selling, there is no pressure to accept a number you are not happy with. Declining costs you nothing at all — we are only paid if a sale completes.

  • We are only paid if you sell

    The $300 fee comes out of your sale proceeds and nowhere else. If we cannot find you an offer worth accepting, we earn nothing, which is a fairly direct incentive to find you one.

Common questions

Questions about the process.

Service currently available in New Jersey and Florida. See all questions.

The $300 fee does not guarantee a particular offer, sale price, or sale. You are never obligated to accept an offer. Declining an offer does not create any further commitment, and because the $300 service fee is only charged when a sale completes, you owe nothing.

Ready to see what dealerships will offer for your car?

Start with your name and ZIP code. It only takes a few minutes.

Currently available in New Jersey and Florida

How It Works | Car Bid Club