Bring a Trailer (BaT) — California | Curated Collector Car Auctions

What Is Bring a Trailer?

Bring a Trailer (BaT) is a curated online auction platform focused on collector, classic, and enthusiast vehicles. Listings are often hand-picked, accompanied by rich photography and community commentary, and attract national audiences willing to pay premium prices for rarity, provenance, and condition.

Curated, high-quality listings with editorial presentation
National audience of collectors and specialty dealers
Emphasis on provenance, maintenance records, and originality
Auctions run for several days with active commentary and bidder engagement

Who Should Use BaT?

BaT is ideal for dealers who handle specialty inventory such as classic cars, low-production sports cars, concours-quality restorations, and high-interest modern classics. Dealers can both buy and consign — but strategy differs from volume wholesale platforms.

Dealer Registration & Participation

Create an account on BringATrailer.com and verify contact information.
BaT accepts both private sellers and dealer consignments — follow the platform consignment guidelines for professional listings.
Provide clear title documentation and provenance when selling or flipping collector cars.

Listing, Consignment & Fees

BaT charges consignment fees and may charge seller's fees on successful sales. Fees vary by sale price and consignment package (photo & editorial packages impact exposure).

Item	Typical Range	Notes
Consignment Fee	Varies	Negotiable for dealers; higher for editorial packages
Buyer's Premium	0%–5%	Often included in listing terms — check each auction
Transport	$0.75–$2.00/mile	Buyer arranges transport; coordinate with national carriers for long-distance moves

Note: BaT auctions can produce above-market sale prices for well-documented, desirable vehicles — factor fees into your net proceeds when consigning.

Buying on BaT — Dealer Considerations

Expect broad competition from collectors — prices can exceed local market comps.
Review provenance, maintenance history, and supporting documentation closely.
Inspect in-person when possible; for distant buys, use independent inspectors familiar with collector cars.
Plan transport and temporary registration (dealer plates or temporary tags) for cross-state purchases.

Title & Documentation

BaT requires clear title transfer per seller terms — confirm the title state and any historical branding (branded salvage, lemon buyback, etc.).
For California dealers, ensure title transfer complies with DMV requirements and that any out-of-state titles are clean.

Bidding Strategy & Best Practices

Set strict maximums based on comps from national sale records (Hagerty, Classic.com, auction archives).
Account for transport, restoration risk, and market liquidity for specialty vehicles.
Engage with the community comments — active discussion can reveal maintenance history or hidden issues.
Consider pre-auction inquiries to sellers for additional photos, receipts, or build documentation.

Common Pitfalls

Overpaying due to collector enthusiasm — maintain discipline.
Assuming low recon costs — specialty vehicles often need expert parts and labor.
Underestimating transport and crating costs for valuable cars.
Failing to confirm title history and provenance — these drive value on BaT.

Key Takeaways

✓ BaT is a premium, curated marketplace that can yield above-market prices for desirable vehicles.
✓ Dealers must treat BaT like a national retail channel — presentation, documentation, and shipping matter.
✓ Use independent inspections and conservative max bids to protect margins.

Selling or Buying a Collector Car?

BaT is ideal for dealers who specialize in high-value, low-volume inventory. Make sure your documentation, shipping, and presentation are best-in-class before listing or bidding.

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