About Us
New Zealand's vehicle auction marketplace
The Wreck Auctions gives Kiwi buyers and sellers one honest place to trade cars, motorcycles, boats, trucks and machinery — with the information out in the open and the rules the same for everyone.
Who we are
The Wreck Auctions Ltd is a New Zealand registered business operating an online auction marketplace. We are a technology platform and venue — not an auctioneer, dealer, or agent for either party. Every vehicle on the site is listed by an independent seller, and we do not own any of the stock you see here.
Our job is to run the auction fairly and to put the right information in front of you: the vehicle data, the bid history, the seller's track record, and the legal position you are in when you place a bid. When an auction closes successfully, buyer and seller deal with each other directly to arrange inspection, payment and the NZTA ownership transfer.
A venue, not a dealer
We host the auction — we don't sell the vehicle
New Zealand owned
Based in Auckland, serving the whole country
Sellers pay, buyers don't
One listing fee, no buyer premium
Why we built it
Buying a used vehicle in New Zealand has always involved a gap in trust. Buyers worry about what the odometer really reads, whether there is finance owing, and whether the bidding against them is genuine. Sellers worry about time-wasters and about paying commission on a sale they largely found themselves.
We built The Wreck Auctions to close that gap with plumbing rather than promises — vehicle history and title checks attached to the listing, a bid ledger that can't be quietly edited, anti-shilling enforced in the database itself, and a fee structure simple enough to explain in one sentence.
What we stand for
A level playing field
Every bid is recorded and timestamped, and database-level rules stop sellers bidding on their own listings. What you see on the bid history is what actually happened.
Information before money
Listings carry CarJam vehicle data and PPSR security-interest checks, so you can look at odometer history, registration status and whether finance is owing before you commit.
No buyer fees, ever
We charge sellers a listing fee to publish an auction. Buyers pay the seller for the vehicle and pay us nothing — no premium, no commission, no hidden add-ons.
Built for NZ rules
Binding-bid confirmation, Consumer Information Notices for registered Motor Vehicle Traders, and data handling under the Privacy Act 2020 are built into the platform, not bolted on.
What you can do here
Two ways to bid, one account.
Timed online auctions
Standard listings run to a clock with proxy auto-bidding, optional reserves, Buy Now, and anti-sniping extensions that add time when a late bid lands.
Live Auction Lane
Scheduled live sessions where lots run one after another in real time — closer to a physical auction house, without leaving home.
Verified accounts
Identity verification, public seller profiles and buyer reviews give both sides something to judge before a deal is struck.
For the step-by-step version, read How It Works.
Where we sit legally
• The Wreck Auctions provides a listing venue under the Fair Trading Act 1986. Sellers are responsible for the accuracy of their own listings.
• Bids placed on the platform are legally binding offers to purchase. We ask you to confirm before every bid for exactly that reason.
• Where a seller is a registered Motor Vehicle Trader, a Consumer Information Notice is disclosed as required by the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003. Buying privately means the Consumer Guarantees Act does not apply.
• Personal information is collected, stored and released in line with the Privacy Act 2020 — see our Privacy Policy.
Full detail lives in our Terms & Conditions.
Talk to a real person
Our support team is in New Zealand, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm NZT.
Come and have a look
Browsing and watchlisting are free. You only pay when you list.