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How does Carlins work? A Detailed review on Carlins Automotive Auctioneers Australia

Author: Suchit Aryal

Date: 12/21/2025

SnapShot / Quick Drive-through Carlins Automotive Auctioneers Review

(Location: Girraween, NSW & Brooklyn, VIC | Specialisation: Dealer-Only Auctions & Retail Sales)

Carlins is a dedicated automotive auction platform focused heavily on Dealer-Only wholesale events across Australia, with limited public access primarily via a retail arm.

Auction types include classic vehicles, muscle cars, high-performance models, and general wholesale/fleet cars.

Vehicle listings provide decent textual condition reports but are hampered by very poor image quality and limited photographic views.

Buyers should expect cars ranging from high-end performance models to general retail trade-ins.

All wholesale auctions are conducted online via simulcast bidding, running regularly in each state (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA).

The Buyer’s Premium is high at 11% (inclusive of GST) on the hammer price.

The platform also offers retail cars at fixed market prices, managed separately from the wholesale auction system.

Overall, with an aggregated Google review rating of 4.6/5, Carlins is highly rated for its personal, hassle-free retail sales but receives strong criticism for poor service and transparency regarding its primary auction inventory.

How Carlins Auctions Work? (Platform Overview)

Carlins hosts multiple auction categories and listing types. Carlins is a significant nationwide wholesale vehicle remarketing platform, but its core auction business is restricted: only certified dealers can register and bid in their wholesale auctions, which accounts for the vast majority of their volume. However, Carlins does run a separate fixed price/retail arm where the general public can purchase specific vehicles at their usual market price.

Location:

Carlins Automotive Auctioneers operates in multiple states locally across Australia:

  • Carlins Automotive Auctioneers (Girraween, NSW): 169 Magowar Rd, Girraween NSW 2145, Australia
  • Carlins Automotive Auctioneers (Brooklyn, VIC): I/77 Millers Rd, Brooklyn VIC 3012, Australia

Types of Auctions on Carlins

Carlins lists vehicles across a wide range of categories, though primarily for licensed dealers.

  • Classic Vehicles
  • Muscle Cars
  • High-Performance Models
  • General Wholesale/Fleet Vehicles
  • Retail Cars (available for purchase at fixed market price)

Auction Structure

  • All auctions are conducted online across Australia, often using a simulcast method (live video/audio stream from the auctioneer).
  • Each vehicle has its own scheduled closing time, often part of a regular weekly schedule.
  • Dealer-only auctions are held regularly in each state (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA).

Bid Method: Only online, according to the site, allowing licensed dealers to participate nationwide.

Information Available on Listings

Carlins provides vehicle details in a standard format, including:

  • Make, model, and year.
  • Odometer reading (km).
  • Vehicle History: This is a major area of concern. Information like “good service history” is provided in text format, which is not verifiable (e.g., if the car has been crashed multiple times but repaired, it isn’t mentioned), requiring the buyer to perform their own in-depth checks.
  • Minor damages are noted (scratches, rust spots).

Overall, Carlins is an industry-focused wholesale auctioneer, with a limited and less-transparent interface for the general public seeking auction deals. Our Rating: 3.5 / 5

Review of Vehicle Details Listed on Carlins

Carlins provides necessary technical details, but the lack of comprehensive, verified vehicle history (such as PPSR or detailed crash reporting) is a critical omission for auction buyers. Our Rating: 3.0 / 5

Reason: While they include all the required details needed to see before buying a car (Make, Model, VIN), the critical history check is not explicitly provided, putting the onus and risk entirely on the buyer.

Review of Vehicle Conditions on Carlins

  • Carlins provides decent condition reports focused on cosmetic and immediate mechanical observations, such as:
    • Drives Well, Sat Nav/Leather
    • BODY – Front Bar Scratched and scraped
    • BODY – ps rear door dented
    • BODY – ps sill panel damaged
    • BODY – alloy wheels scraped
    • BODY – Good / INT – Good / TYRES – 2 x Roadworthy
    Additional Info: Carlins mentions if there are any scratches and in which side, and even includes a summary condition if overall it’s good or bad. Our Rating: 4.0 / 5 Reason: The textual condition reports are specific and detailed, giving buyers clear, specific defects to look for, which is a strength of the platform.

Review of Images on Vehicles of Carlins

Carlins provides very poor quality images. Listings mainly include just two photos showing the outside of the vehicle and one image of the driver’s seat. Our Rating: 2.0 / 5

Reason: The insufficient number and poor quality of images is a major drawback, making it extremely difficult for remote bidders (especially interstate dealers) to accurately assess the vehicle’s true condition.

Review of Byer's Premium on Carlins

Carlins charges a steep 11% (inclusive of GST) on the hammer price. This percentage-based premium is applied to all vehicles purchased at auction. Our Rating: 1.0 / 5

Reason: A premium of 11% is very high in the wholesale auction industry and significantly raises the final cost compared to flat-fee auction models.

Average Reviews of Carlins Auctions from Customers Online

Google and ProductReview ratings weighted by number of reviews; Trustpilot excluded due to insufficient data.

  • Google Ratings: 4.3 based on 74 reviews
    : 4.3 × 74 = 318.2
  • Google Ratings: 4.6 based on 253 reviews
    : 4.6 × 253 = 1163.8
  • Total weighted score: 1482.0
  • Total reviews: 327

Final weighted rating: 4.53 / 5

Final Score for Carlins Auctions after Reviewing different factors:

Overall Rating: 4.53 / 5 Reason: Carlins is a highly rated retail seller (evident by the positive reviews) and a functional wholesale auctioneer. However, the high premium and poor image quality are significant barriers for a professional buying experience, while the lack of transparency in vehicle history poses a major risk.

Overall Pros and Cons

Common Complaints about Carlins
  • Only certified dealers can register for auctions.
  • High Buyer’s Premium (11% inclusive of GST).
  • Poor image quality and insufficient photos for remote bidding.
  • Lack of guaranteed vehicle history/transparency on major damage.
  • Unprofessional service (seen in complaints about wasted travel time due to poor communication).
How to deal with them:
  • Access: If you are a member of the public, focus on the ‘Fixed Price’ retail section.
  • Premium: Factor the full 11% premium into your maximum bid price to ensure the final cost remains competitive.
  • Inspection: Do not bid without a physical inspection (or an independent third-party inspection) due to the poor photo quality and lack of history.
  • Service: Always confirm vehicle availability by phone before travelling, especially for retail purchases or inspections.
Common Compliments about Carlins
  • Clear and transparent pricing (for the hammer price).
  • Personal service from specific retail sales staff (Chris, Michael).
  • Specialisation in desirable vehicle types (Classic, Muscle, High-Performance).

Auction Time

Carlins runs scheduled weekly auctions in major Australian cities with fixed start times depending on location:

  • Sydney (NSW): Every Monday at 11:00 AM
  • Melbourne (VIC): Every Thursday at 11:00 AM
  • Brisbane (QLD): Every Thursday at 10:00 AM
  • Perth (WA): Every Wednesday at 10:00 AM

How to Bid on Carlins? (Summary - Dealer Only)

  1. Login to the dealer-only website.
  2. View the vehicle in the current auction lot that you want to bid on.
  3. Place a bid that is more than the previous bid.
  4. Enter the auction competition via the online simulcast system.

Customer Review Analysis

List of top 5 recent good reviews 4 and above (Retail Sales Focus)

  1. Gabriella Libertini: 5/5 Chris looked after my husband and I with buying a Kia Sportage. He is not your typical pushy sales guy, he is nicely spoken and genuine and we had such a great experience. He made me feel re-assured of any worries and was super patient with all my questions. We are super happy with our purchase and price and just overall experience with buying our car off Carlins Automotive and having Chris look after us. Super nice guy and just genuine. Thanks again Chris we love our new car! Highly recommend 🙂
  2. Michael Marks: 5/5 Michael went out of his way to make sure we got the best deal and the car was fully detailed and ready to go when we arrived. He was professional and respectful throughout the process. My daughter absolutely loves her new car.
  3. Dennis Procter: 5/5 I have been purchasing cars privately for over 60 years, and recently I bought a Mercedes C class from Chris at Carlins retail. It was, without doubt, one of the easiest and pleasant purchases I have made over those years. Chris would possibly be the most straightforward person that I have met in the industry — absolutely no pressure, and any questions were addressed with complete honesty. Chris was on holiday when I went to collect, and I was looked after by Michael. I received the same service and honesty. Well done both of you.
  4. Seb Goh: 5/5 We just bought a VW Golf from Carlins Automotive! Chris was very attentive and great to work with. He made the process seamless and was flexible with our schedule while we were traveling between viewing the car and final purchase. Overall, Chris offered a great service and we would definitely buy from him & his team again.
  5. Jason Spits: 5/5 Bought a Hyundai I30 from Carlins who were very easy to deal with and made the process very smooth. Car was in great condition and big shout out to Michael at Girraween for his great service.

List of top 5 recent bad reviews 2 but less than 3

  1. Mainul Islam: 3/5 Many cars there, but only dealers are able to buy from there!
  2. Kiran Battula: 3/5 Not great deals of car.
  3. Dean: 3/5 Bought a used car from Carlins retail arm. The process was pleasant and very much the opposite of most “used car salesman” experiences. Thanks Chris.
  4. Олег Alek: 3/5 Needs bigger premises.
  5. Sam Wise: 3/5

List of top 5 recent ugly reviews 2 or less

  1. Carlos Hernandez T: 1/5 I was sold a VW Golf 2002 last September 2022 that less than a month after buying it it started having overheating issues. Although I was aware that it is an old car, I can’t help questioning their transparency as I tried to contact them but never got any reply.
  2. Rhys Knowles: 1/5 If you are travelling a far distance to check out one of these cars… Do not do it. I travelled 3 hours today to look at a car which I had booked in with them to look at and I get there and all they do is say “we got a deposit on that this morning so it’s gone”. No phone call or even a sorry—I had booked a specific time and they knew I was travelling 3 hours. All they did was laugh and say, “Go enjoy some lunch while you’re in Sydney.” Even if they had other fantastic cars at good prices, I would not give them a cent. No courtesy and very rude—or rather, they just didn’t care that I did a 6-hour round trip, took a day off work, and spent petrol money. All it would’ve taken was a phone call.
  3. Aaron Smith: 1/5 Organised to inspect a car at the Girraween warehouse. Spoke with Mike on the phone to confirm a time. When I arrived, they told me the car had just been moved to another warehouse and I wasn’t able to inspect it. I drove an hour and wasted my time and fuel. Unprofessional and inconsiderate. Avoid Carlins.
  4. Jim Stines: 1/5 Tried getting my Landcruiser on auction here. “That’s not something we would put on auction.” Take your 4×4’s elsewhere, apparently.
  5. Dan (Knackle): 1/5 Car that I had arranged for a test drive was taken by ‘a manager’ over the long weekend and not returned. Time wasters.