Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about LMNM Auctions – the world’s ultimate auto auction site.
General Questions
How do LMNM Auctions work?
LMNM Auctions is the world’s ultimate low miles auto auction site. Cars are submitted for consideration and, if accepted by the LMNM staff, posted for a 7-day auction. During this 7-day auction period LMNM raises awareness of these listings among our database of hundreds of thousands of classic car enthusiasts and dealers who may have an interest in your car.
Registered bidders have the opportunity to place bids on vehicles they wish to purchase. All bids are considered binding contracts. The highest bidder (assuming any reserve price has been met) wins the auction and is required to follow-through with the purchase. LMNM connects the buyer and the seller so they may complete the transaction.
What is a Reserve?
A reserve is the absolute minimum the seller is willing to accept for their vehicle. The seller will have an opportunity to request a reserve price. LMNM will either accept that price or recommend a price at which the vehicle is likely to sell based on numerous data tools at our fingertips and our vast auction and enthusiast sales experience.
The reserve is not disclosed at any time during nor after the auction. If the reserve is met, LMNM will connect the buyer and seller to complete the transaction at the winning bid price (assuming the reserve was met or exceeded). Sellers submitting their vehicles should not look at the reserve as the value they hope to get for their car. It should be viewed as the absolute minimum offer they would take. Most auctions exceed the reserve price.
Note, some cars are auctioned at No Reserve, in which case the highest bidder wins every time!
How much does it cost?
Membership is free! There is no cost to start bidding. Winning bidders are charged 5% of the total winning bid (with a minimum charge of $250 and a max charge of $7,500. If the winning bid exceeds $150,000, the winning bidder will not be charged more than $7,500. If you do not win the auction, there is no charge.
Sellers – Click here to learn more about listing your car with LMNM
How do I register to bid?
It’s easy. Simply click here and follow the instructions. You will be required to enter a credit card. However, your credit card will not be charged unless you are a winning bidder. Winning bidders are charged 5% of the total winning bid (with a minimum charge of $250 and a max charge of $7,500. If the winning bid exceeds $150,000, the winning bidder will not be charged more than $7,500. If you do not win the auction, there is no charge.
How do I submit my car?
LMNM is offering an introductory listing fee of $99.00. Listings for dealers are free.
Submitting your car is easy, but you’ll want to have a few things ready to maximize the potential for your car to be accepted and to get the value you want for your car. Click here to learn more.
What happens when an auction ends?
If the highest bid has met the reserve price, the winning bidder and seller each receive separate emails providing the relevant contact information. The seller will receive the buyer’s contact information. Buyer will receive seller’s contact information. LMNM does not facilitate the transaction of the vehicle sale. That process is entirely the responsibility of the seller and the buyer. However, if there is a dispute, LMNM may be instrumental in mediating the deal.
Buyers should have all funds or financing in hand PRIOR to placing any bids. You are not bidding on an opportunity to buy a car, your bid is a contractual agreement. If the highest bid has not met the agreed upon reserve, LMNM reserves the right to make up the difference. For example, if the reserve was $20,000 and the highest closing bid was $19,750, LMNM may make up the difference and will pay the $250 difference directly to the seller.
How do I know my credit card information is secure?
LMNM does not store your credit card info. The financial transaction function on LMNM is run by one of premier financial back-end providers called Stripe, which operates its authorization for crediting and debiting accounts through Wells Fargo. Stripe will securely store your information as it does for tens of thousands of its customers. Some of Stripe’s other clients include: Lyft, Instacart, and OpenTable, among many others.
You will not be charged by Stripe or Wells Fargo for their services and you do not need to bank with Wells Fargo to use LMNM auctions.
Frequent Questions Asked by Buyers
What happens when I bid?
When you place your first bid on a particular vehicle, a $250 hold will be placed on your credit card. This is not a charge, just a hold. If you are not the winning bidder at the end of the auction, the hold will be released (this usually is triggered immediately but with some financial institutions it may take up to 7 days for the refund to appear on your records). There are no charges to you associated with the hold. It is simply a verification of the validity of your card.
If you are the winning bidder, at the end of the auction your card will immediately be charged the appropriate amount (5% of the vehicle sales price, up to $7,500 with a minimum charge of $250). LMNM does not collect the funds associated with sale of the actual vehicle. You will conduct that transaction with the seller. You should have all finances in order prior to bidding on a vehicle. If you do not have the funds to cover your bid, do not place a bid. Please note, you may be required to pay sales tax on the vehicle in accordance with the laws of your state. Sales tax is not charged on the fees collected by LMNM.
Can I change my bid?
You can bid as often as you like to increase your bid during the auction. However, you cannot lower or cancel your bid at any time.
May I ask the seller to disclose his reserve?
Sellers are not allowed to disclose their reserve. LMNM monitors the discussion boards and will take action against bidders or sellers trying to game the system.
Why does the auction end time keep extending?
In the spirit of true auction activity, if a bid is placed within the final 2 minutes of an auction, the auction extends for another 1 minute and 30 seconds. This occurs until there are no additional bids placed.
Where can I see the reserve price?
Vehicle reserves are never disclosed by LMNM during an auction and we forbid sellers to disclose their reserve price. We believe this reduces the amount of gamesmanship that often takes place on other bidding sites. Once the auction ends, the high bid will be posted and there will be an indication of whether or not reserve was met. Note, some auctions are No Reserve auctions and will be listed accordingly.
What if I just want to make an offer on a car?
All offers are made in the form of a bid. LMNM auctions is an auction format and the auctions do not operate as classifieds. If you are interested in classifieds, please see our vehicles listed as classifieds. However, we strongly encourage participating in the auction community where you can find unique cars and a community that can provide considerable detail and answer questions about the car during the auction. You’ll also get a feel for the market value for the vehicles.
When will my credit card be charged?
When you place your first bid on a particular vehicle, a $250.00 hold will be placed on your credit card. This is not a charge, just a hold. If you are not the winning bidder, the hold will be released within 7 days. There are no charges to you associated with the hold. It is simply a verification of the validity of your card.
If you are the winning bidder, your card will immediately be charged the appropriate amount (5% of the vehicle sales price, up to $7,500 with a minimum charge of $250). LMNM does not collect the charges/monies associated with sales of the actual vehicle. You will conduct that transaction with the seller. You should have all finances in order prior to bidding on a vehicle. If you do not have the funds to cover your bid, do not place a bid.
What happens if I am the highest bidder at the end of the auction?
LMNM will immediately disclose whether your bid met the reserve price. If so, your card will be charged for the LMNM fees and you will be put in touch directly with the seller to complete the transaction. Please be ready to complete the transaction with the seller in a reasonable timeframe.
How do I get possession of my car?
It is the buyer’s responsibility to coordinate and pay for delivery or pick up of the vehicle. There are many reputable shippers throughout the country and world. Sellers are encouraged to help accommodate the buyer’s shipping transport needs. Please make sure you coordinate shipping in a reasonable timeframe.
What happens if the seller does not follow through?
This is an extremely rare occurrence. Sellers have entered into an agreement with LMNM to sell their car at the agreed upon price. Additionally, to ensure accuracy, we require sellers to provide as many vehicle pictures as possible and as much vehicle documentation as is available in the submission process. LMNM carefully vets each submission and we pride ourselves on the quality and integrity of our service and the vehicle listings.
Nevertheless, if there is a dispute you have not been able to resolve with the seller, you can contact LMNM customer service at info@lowmilesnomiles.com and our customer support team will get in touch with you to discuss details. LMNM reviews each dispute individually and cannot provide information surrounding any particular outcome until we have collected all information. Sellers and buyers who do not follow through with a legitimate sale will be banned from all future LMNM activity.
Why don’t all auctions have a CarFax®?
CarFax Vehicle History Reports® are available on all used cars and light trucks from model year 1981 or later. Carfax does not offer reports for vehicles produced prior to 1981, therefore, LMNM cannot list a CarFax® report for those vehicles. LMNM also does not list CarFax® reports for anything other than automobiles.
Frequent Questions Asked by Sellers
Why sell my car with LMNM?
LMNM was built for car enthusiasts by car enthusiasts. We market your specific car through social media, search engine marketing, and a host of targeted marketing efforts. What that means for you is hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts viewing your car. LMNM prides itself on integrity and the accurate representation of the cars on our site. We can help you present your car in the most attractive way for potential buyers, all within the entertaining and engaging auction format. Contact us here for more information: info@lowmilesnomiles.com.
What is required to submit my car?
The more information you can provide, the higher the likelihood of your car being accepted and the higher the likelihood that you will get the sales price you seek for your car. Make sure you have title in hand and you take many pictures. You can click here to submit your vehicle for consideration. Consideration may take up to 7 days. The LMNM customer service team may contact you with requests for more information.
Here’s a basic checklist for items you should have when submitting your car:
- Title/pink slip for your vehicle. LMNM does not accept vehicles that are bank owned or currently financed (exceptions can be made for dealers. Please inquire at Info@LowMilesNoMiles.com)
- Multiple high resolution (see how do I take good pictures section below) pictures of interior, exterior, engine bay, trunk, undercarriage, wheels, etc.
- Any service records or service and ownership history
- CarFax or other respected third-party vehicle report documentation when available
Remember, the more information you provide the better your chances of your car being accepted by LMNM and the better the car will be received by the bidding community. Be honest and accurate about description. Bidders appreciate an accurate take on a car.
LMNM charges a standard listing fee of $99. For a limited time, No Reserve vehicles have $0 listing fees and come with free professional photography*
*Some restrictions may apply
How do I set my reserve?
LMNM will work with you to set a reasonable reserve price on your car. The reserve will not be disclosed to sellers and you will be required to keep your reserve undisclosed through the end of the auction.
What if I want to change my reserve?
You can lower your reserve during the auction, but you may not increase your reserve.
How do I take good pictures?
There are many sites on line that will provide some basics on taking good photos. Keys to a successful shoot are: good lighting, a clean car, a nice location, and volume (people like to see the details, not just the basics).
Most smartphones and cameras take photos that are of high enough resolution and size. Still, please make sure your photos are at least 1000 pixels wide.
And, videos do wonders to help your listing. If you have a paint meter, get some shots. And, don’t be afraid to upload photos of your service records and accessories.
What’s the process used by LMNM to accept vehicles?
Low Miles No Miles strives to list vehicles that are appreciated by the auto enthusiast community. We want cars that stir the souls of car lovers. We are looking for honest representations from auto enthusiasts who appreciate the integrity of the process and ownership of these automotive gems. The better you can represent the vehicle, the better the chance of acceptance.
Who will write my listing?
LMNM utilizes seasoned writers who will use the information you have provided as well as research and their general auto enthusiast knowledge to fairly and accurately represent your vehicle. You will have an opportunity to review your listing for accuracy before it is posted and the auction begins.
What if there is an error in the listing?
Simply contact us, and we’ll make the necessary revision.
Can I cancel my auction?
You are required to let your auction run its course. LMNM does not cancel auctions and does not allow auction vehicles to be listed or sold elsewhere throughout the auction period.
What happens if the reserve is not met?
If the highest bid has not met the agreed upon reserve, LMNM reserves the right to make up the difference. For example, if the reserve was $20,000 and the highest bid was $19,750, LMNM may make up the difference and will pay the $250 difference directly to the seller. LMNM does not relist cars.
May I relist my car if it does not sell?
Sellers are not allowed to have their car listed elsewhere or sell their car elsewhere while their auction is live on Low Miles No Miles. Once the auction is over, if no sale, LMNM will not relist the car (very special circumstances are taken into consideration).
What happens if the buyer does not follow through?
This is an extremely rare occurrence. All bidders are registered with LMNM and the winning bidder’s credit card has been charged for the LMNM sales fees by the time they are picking up the car. If the seller has accurately represented the car, there should be no issues. If the buyer still does not follow through, they may be banished from the site. LMNM will review disputes individually.
How do I get paid for my car?
Upon the close of the auction, assuming reserve has been met, LMNM will provide contact information for the buyer. It is up to the seller and buyer to coordinate the sales transaction. We recommend providing the buyer with an electronic scan of the title as soon as the auction is over. The sooner the transaction happens, the fewer problems that occur.
What if the buyer needs shipping?
It is up to the buyer to coordinate shipping. Sellers should do their best to accommodate a buyer’s shipping/storage needs as the buyer is often at the mercy of when the shipping company can pick up a vehicle. Typically, shipping can be arranged within a few days and transporters most often arrive within a week following coordination.