VPauto

VPauto is one of the larger French vehicle auction operations, and the thing that sets it apart from most wholesale platforms is that it does not close the door on private buyers. The registration flow asks which you are — particulier ou société, or pro de l'auto — and runs both, with the trade getting its own channel rather than the only channel.

What you can buy

• Used passenger cars, the bulk of the catalogue.
• Vans and light commercials.
• Electric and hybrid vehicles.

How the bidding works

Sales run live from physical salerooms with simultaneous online bidding — the site carries a permanent Live link and shows which room is selling and how many lots are up. You can create search alerts, save vehicles and bid remotely once registered. The group runs country sites for Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Romania alongside the French one, so the same stock reaches buyers in several markets.

What to check before you bid

VPauto publishes pages on where its vehicles come from (provenance des véhicules), on inspections and on its guarantees — read those before your first sale, because what is covered varies with the source of the car. Viewing is possible before a sale and worth arranging. Buyer's costs are set out in the conditions of sale; the site is in French, with the other country sites in their own languages.