##### Create an Account 

The first step is to create a user account by heading to [our sign up page](https://dreamcars.com/auth/sign-up). 

Simply enter your email and a password, and you're on your way to winning your next dream car.

##### Verify Your Email 

We require all bidders to verify their email address. Upon signing up you will receive a unique link to verify the email you're using was correctly entered. Check your inbox and click "view on website" to complete verification.

##### Add Payment Information

Every bidder needs an active card on file so we can complete the service charge on a winning bid. To do this, head to [our billing page](https://dreamcars.com/settings/billing) and add your payment information. All major cards are accepted. 

##### Find Your Dream Car

We're constantly adding inventory, just browse our listings, find your dream car, and bid away.

Make sure to join our insiders and subscribe to our mailing list and be the first to know about updates and new listings.

##### Placing a Bid

Bidding on the site is extremely easy and our auctions run for 7 days. Place your top dollar bid by directing your attention to the top-right corner of the listing. There you'll see the current bid, time remaining, and how many bids have been placed. 

Once you're ready, enter your top bid and click submit. As long as the bid is higher than the current bid you're now one step closer to the owner of that car. 

##### Bid to Win

Auctions tend to heat up towards the end, with most bids coming in the last 24 hours. Make sure to keep an eye and be ready to bid higher when an auction is ending.  

How do I register to bid?

##### Buyer Fees
Each bidder must add payment information to their dashboard before they are able to bid on a car. Once this information is added, you may browse available auctions and participate. 

DreamCars charges a flat percentage fee of 5% to the winning bidder, with a minimum of $250 and a maximum of $5000.

Users must keep an active credit card on file to maintain their active-bidder status. 

When you bid, we will place a hold on the card for 5% of the current bid. If you bid higher, we will simply charge the difference between the two amounts. As the auction progresses, we will drop any holds that are outside of the top 5 bids at any given time. 

What are the fees for buyers?

##### Bidding Prerequisites
Before you start, please make sure you're registered to bid and understand our fee structure. You can familiarize yourself with our help articles on our [support page](https://dreamcars.com/help) and by reading our [terms of service](https://dreamcars.com/info/terms-of-service).

##### Examine and ask questions
Each seller is carefully vetted by our team to prove ownership, display any flaws or issues, and ultimately create a thorough outline of their car for sale. That said, as a prospective buyer you should perform the following checklist to make sure the car is up to your standards. 

Look closely at the detailed photos provided, including each body panel, the engine bay, interior, and underside of the car. 

Ask the seller questions about the car, including their ownership history, maintenance records, and any other applicable information not provided in the listing. 

Schedule an in person inspection to see the car more closely and understand the condition. 

##### Plan logistics of the purchase

Each buyer is expected to fully complete the transaction within 7 days of auction completion. To do this, please make sure the following list if completed prior to bidding. 

Arrange for financing or have the funds available to transfer to the seller. We do not recommend any specific lending agency, but there are many available for classic cars. ACH or wire transfer, along with a proper bill of sale is recommended.

Discuss and plan for shipping or pickup of the vehicle within a reasonable timeframe. 

Most of all, bid to win! Don't miss out on a chance to own your dream car, as the best ones rarely come back up for sale. 

What is proper bidding procedure?

##### How do I register to bid? 
The first step is to create a user account by heading to [our sign up page](https://dreamcars.com/auth/sign-up). Enter your email and a password, and you're well on your way to winning your next dream car auction.

##### How does bidding work?
Registered users submit their biggest and best bids while the auction is live. Once time elapses, the highest bidder will be connected with the seller.

##### How can I track new auctions?
Subscribe to our insider's e-mail list to remain current on listings and site updates.

##### How can I see the vehicles in person?

All cars listed on DreamCars may generally be inspected in person by contacting our support team, and arranging a meetup with the vehicle owner. Simply shoot us an email at support@dreamcars.com and we'll get you sorted.

##### What happens if the reserve is not met?

Should a vehicle auction not meet the reserve price, the auction is automatically changed to an asking price format to allow for interested parties to finalize a deal. We will keep each car up until it is sold!

##### Can I cancel my bid? 

Currently we do not allow for bid cancellations, please make sure to look over all vehicle information before bidding. 

##### Why does the time keep going up on the auction?

Our auction process is very unique, which means that the last 5 minutes may extend longer if there are active bids. Each bid under 5 minutes adds 30 seconds to the auction time, with a max of 5 minutes, while every bid under 2 minutes brings the auction back to 2 minutes. 

##### Is there a buy it now price?

Currently all supported auctions cannot be ended early, and the only way to win the car is to simply outbid others. 

##### Can I contact the seller after the auction?

We only connect the winning bidder and the seller after the auction, if you did not win and the reserve was not met, you may reach out to make an offer on the car. 

##### How does shipping work?

Shipping is the buyers responsibility after winning the auction. We are happy to assist in this portion of the deal if needed and can recommend reputable companies. 

##### What are the buyer fees?

We charge the winning bidder 5% of the sale price with a minimum of $250 and a maximum of $5000. 

##### Can I bid if I'm not within the United States?

Absolutely! We allow registered bidders to bid on any cars, regardless of their location. Please be aware of shipping costs. 

##### I have a question about the car, where can I ask the seller?

You may ask any question about the listed car in the comments section or in our questions section on the auction page. We encourage sellers to answer all questions quickly and accurately. 

Buying Articles