How to Choose a Classic Car Auction Platform in Europe

Choosing where to buy your next classic car matters as much as choosing the car itself. The platform you use determines what protection you have, what fees you'll pay, and whether the car you win matches the description.

This guide helps you evaluate auction platforms systematically. Full transparency: Finds is built by BetterQA, a software quality company. We're biased — but we'll explain exactly why we built things the way we did, so you can judge for yourself.

What to Evaluate When Choosing a Platform

Before looking at specific platforms, understand what matters:

1. Fee Transparency

The question isn't just "what's the buyer fee?" It's "what's the total cost?"

• Buyer's premium: Ranges from 5% to 15% depending on platform
• Payment processing fees: Some platforms add 2-3% for card payments
• Documentation fees: Some charge for paperwork handling
• Storage fees: If you don't collect quickly, fees can add up

At Finds, we charge 5% buyer fee with no hidden costs. We chose this because BetterQA's approach to software is the same — clear specifications, no surprises.

2. Verification Processes

This is where platforms differ most. Questions to ask:

• Are sellers verified before listing?
• Does someone review listings for accuracy?
• How are condition descriptions validated?
• What happens if the car doesn't match the listing?

At BetterQA, we test software for banks and defense contractors. We applied the same verification mindset to Finds — every seller goes through identity verification, every listing is manually reviewed.

3. Buyer Protection

What recourse do you have if something goes wrong?

• Payment protection: Is money held until you confirm receipt?
• Dispute resolution: Who mediates if there's a problem?
• Condition guarantees: What if the car has undisclosed issues?

4. Geographic Focus

Consider where the inventory comes from:

• US-focused platforms: Bring a Trailer — great inventory but shipping to Europe adds complexity
• UK-focused: Car & Classic, Collecting Cars — post-Brexit import considerations
• EU-focused: Finds (Romania/EU), Catawiki (Netherlands) — simpler intra-EU transactions
• Traditional houses: RM Sotheby's, Bonhams — global but expensive

Platform Comparison

Platform	Buyer Fee	Focus	Best For
Finds	5%	EU classics, barn finds	Affordable classics under €50k
Bring a Trailer	5%	All collector vehicles	US market, engaged community
Collecting Cars	6%	Premium classics	€30k-100k range
Catawiki	9%	Broad range	Entry-level classics
RM Sotheby's	12-15%	Investment grade	Six-figure+ purchases

Why We Built Finds Differently

BetterQA tests software for clients including Samsung, major European banks, and NATO-certified systems. Our business is finding problems before they become expensive.

When our engineers tried buying classic cars in Romania, they saw the same problems repeatedly:

• Listings that hid defects behind careful photography
• Sellers who disappeared when asked hard questions
• Platforms that took fees but offered no protection
• No verification that cars were as described

We built Finds to fix these problems. Same verification rigor we apply to software, applied to classic car auctions.

Making Your Choice

Match the platform to your purchase:

• First classic, learning the market: Start with lower-fee platforms where mistakes are less expensive
• Specific rare car: Go where the inventory is, regardless of fees
• Eastern European classics: Finds — we're based in Romania and understand this market
• Investment purchases: Traditional houses with provenance research

Whatever platform you choose, ask questions, verify claims, and understand your protection before you bid.

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Finds is a BetterQA project. We believe classic car auctions should be transparent, curated, and fair.