TRUST & SAFETY
Who we are, where the vehicles come from, and how the money moves.
This page is the reference record for how GradeCar Auctions operates: the legal entity, the sourcing chain, the inspection process, the payment sequence, and the checks you can run on us yourself.
Legal entity
Legal name
GradeCar Auctions LLC
Entity type
Missouri limited liability company
Business ID
LC1846271
Registered
2019 · Columbia, Missouri
Headquarters
1233 Address Dr, City, ST, 12345
Yard
4.2 acres · 180 vehicle capacity
01 · WHERE THE INVENTORY COMES FROM
The sourcing chain.
GradeCar Auctions buys vehicles, boats and equipment from financial institutions, secured lenders, fleet operators, leasing companies and approved asset-disposition partners. Our supply agreements require confidentiality, so partner names aren't published. The seller type and asset source are stated on every lot, and verified bidders can review the underlying paperwork before paying.
01
Release
Register for free and verify your identity. Verified accounts can bid, buy at the posted price and track their orders.
02
Title review
Filter by make, type and title status. Every listing includes the inspection report, 80–150 photos, video and the documents on file.
03
Intake
Win the auction, pay against an itemized invoice, and an insured carrier brings the vehicle to you.
04
Inspection
48-point visual inspection, cold start, road test and diagnostic scan.
05
Listing
Original photos, recorded defects and documentation status go live on the lot page.
06
Auction
Bidding opens to identity-verified accounts. Bid history is public on every lot.
07
Title transfer
Title and odometer disclosure are processed once funds clear. Then the vehicle ships.
Who we buy from
Banks and credit unions · secured lenders · fleet operators · leasing companies · remarketing and asset-disposition partners.
What we don't sell
Consignments from private individuals, and any lot whose title or lien release we can't document. Those lots never go live.
Our role in the sale
GradeCar Auctions is the seller of record. We take title, invoice you directly and handle delivery, warranty administration and returns.
02 · WHAT "VERIFIED" MEANS
How we verify every vehicle.
GradeCar Auctions has no public showroom, so the listing does the showroom's job. Every lot goes through six checks at our Columbia, MO yard before bidding opens, and each check leaves a record you can read on the lot page.
Ownership verification
We confirm the selling institution has the right to sell and that the repossession or lease-return paperwork is complete.
Title review
We record the title brand and issuing state: clean, rebuilt, salvage, lien, title pending or MSO.
Odometer verification
We photograph the odometer and cross-check it against the last service record and title reading.
Condition inspection
48 checkpoints covering mechanical, exterior, interior, tires, electrical and conversion systems.
Photography
80–150 original photos plus cold-start, walk-around and road-test video, all shot at intake by our own staff.
Documentation
Title, lien release, inspection report, diagnostic printout and service records are filed to the lot.
Our inspection is observational. It records what a trained inspector can see, hear and scan in a stationary and short road test, and it is not a substitute for a manufacturer-certified mechanical inspection or an independent pre-purchase inspection.
03 · HOW PAYMENTS WORK
Money moves one way, and always on paper.
Accepted methods depend on the institutional seller and may include bank wire, ACH or a certified cashier's check. The method for each lot is stated in its terms and on the invoice. We never request payment until an itemized invoice is in your account.
01
Auction closes. The highest bid wins; reserve status is shown on the lot.
02
Invoice issued. Itemized: VIN, hammer price, buyer fee, doc fee, freight estimate and buyer name.
03
You verify. Call us and read the beneficiary details back before you send anything.
04
Deposit. $1,000 by card or ACH within 24 hours of close.
05
Balance. Due within 3 business days, by the method on the invoice.
06
Confirmation. You receive written payment confirmation the same business day funds clear.
07
Title transfer. Title and odometer disclosure are processed and mailed or e-filed with your state.
08
Delivery. An insured carrier is assigned; tracking stays in your account until handover.
WIRE FRAUD — READ BEFORE PAYING
GradeCar Auctions will never change payment instructions by email or text. Wire details exist in one place only: the invoice in your GradeCar Auctions account. Before you send funds, call +1 (660) 849-6169 and read the beneficiary details back to us. The beneficiary is always GradeCar Auctions LLC — never an individual.
FEES, IN FULL
Buyer fee
4% · min $395
Deposit at win
$1,000
Title & doc fee
$189
First 1,000 delivery miles
Subsidized
Beyond 1,000 miles
$0.85 / mi
Non-refundable on return
Buyer fee, outbound freight
04 · BUYER PROTECTION
Warranty and returns, limits included.
Limited warranty
Provider
Third-party administrator, named in your contract
Term
6 months or 10,000 miles, whichever comes first
Starts
On the date you accept delivery
Covered
Engine, transmission, drive axle and the components listed in the contract
Excluded
Wear items, tires, cosmetic damage, conversion appliances and any prior damage recorded on the lot
Deductible
$100 per visit
Not eligible
Boats, heavy equipment, some modified builds and commercial fleet purchases
14-day return policy
Window
14 days from delivery acceptance
Mileage limit
500 miles after delivery
Condition
Returned as delivered — no new damage or modifications
How to start
Written notice through your account, within the window
Return transport
Arranged by GradeCar Auctions, paid by the buyer
Non-refundable
Buyer fee, doc fee and outbound freight
Not eligible
Lots marked as-is on the lot page, and any lot with undisclosed damage after delivery
Eligibility is stated per lot. Boats, heavy equipment, modified vehicles and lots sold to commercial buyers may be excluded from the warranty; where a lot is excluded, the lot page says so above the bid button.
1,240
lots sold
Titles transferred, Jan 2019 – Jul 2026.
109
active lots
Live count — the same number shown across the site.
48
states served
Covered by our insured carrier network.
4.6 / 5
buyer rating
From 187 post-delivery surveys, Jan–Jul 2026.