Wholesale Console Media

How does Pickles work? A Detailed review on Pickles Auctions Australia​

The main goal of this page is to serve as the primary resource for the Pickles Auctions review. With that goal in mind, let’s begin with a brief introduction.

Pickles Auctions is one of Australia’s leading asset remarketing and auction companies, operating a large network of online and live auction services for vehicles, industrial equipment, trucks, salvage, and general goods.

Pickles was founded in 1964 in Moree, New South Wales, and over the decades has grown to become a major Australian‑owned auction and valuation business with facilities across the country. The company offers asset advisory, traditional and online auctions, and valuation services to government bodies, fleet and lease companies, financial institutions, insurers, and private sellers.

SnapShot / Quick Drive-through Pickles Auctions Review

  1. 1
    Pickles is a nation-wide vehicle auction platform with 90–100+ vehicles in online auctions weekly and 1,000+ vehicles in live physical auctions.
  2. 2
    There are multiple auction types such as cars, hybrid & electric cars, prestige, luxury & classic cars, Government cars, industrial, salvage, and others: motorcycles, boats, computers & phones.
  3. 3
    Listings usually include descriptive information such as model, year, odometer (km), transmission, fuel type and energy capacity and multiple photos providing multiple views.
  4. 4
    Buyers can expect a wide range of vehicles from different conditions: good, average and speciality/problematic conditions.
  5. 5
    All auctions are conducted online nationwide through PicklesONLINE/PicklesLIVE and at physical locations across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin.
  6. 6
    Each vehicle has its own scheduled closing time — typically after 7 days of activeness.
  7. 7
    Pickles uses a variable buyer’s premium depending on vehicle type, price, and auction type, generally 6–8% of the vehicle price, plus additional fees for EVs, government vehicles, or luxury/collectable cars.
  8. 8
    Overall, with a final weighted average rating of customers from different platforms like Google Reviews, Trustpilot and ProductReview: 3.5 / 5, Pickles is your go-to for transparency, reliability and flexibility.
Image of cars from Pickles
Source: Pickles Auctions

How Pickles Auctions Work?

Pickles hosts multiple auction categories and listing types. Pickles is a nationwide online and physical vehicle auction platform offering 50 – 100+ vehicles for online bidding on any given day and 1,000+ vehicles in physical auctions across its branches. Buyers can purchase affordable deals for quality vehicles through online bidding, live physical auctions, and Buy Now/fixed-price listings, where they place a refundable deposit and only pay the buyer’s premium if they secure the deal. Buyers pay applicable fees depending on the vehicle type, which varies by auction type.

Pickles allows physical inspection and collection of vehicles at the following locations:

  • Head Office: 36–40 Harp Street, Belmore NSW 2192

Types of Auctions on Pickles

Pickles lists vehicles across a wide range of categories to ensure buyers’ consistent choice and flexibility.

Usually, 7 different types of auctions are held regularly or occasionally:

  1. 1All Cars: Sedan, Vans & Utes, Wagons & SUVs
  2. 2Hybrid & Electric Cars
  3. 3Prestige, Luxury & Classic Cars
  4. 4Government Cars
  5. 5Industrial: Trucks, Agricultural, Mining, Machinery [Ex-Military]
  6. 6Salvage: Cars, Motorcycles, Boats, Trailers & Caravans
  7. 7Others: Motorcycles, Boats, Computers & Phones

Auction Structure

  • Auctions are conducted both online and physical across Australia
  • Each vehicle has its own scheduled closing time
  • Online Auctions are typically active for 7 days
  • Live physical auctions have no fixed schedule
  • A “Last Call” extension applies if bids are placed in the final moments

Information Available on Listings

Listings usually include:

Vehicle make, model and year
Odometer (km)
Transmission and fuel type
Condition notes
Service history
Registration
Auction location and pickup details

Overall, Pickles positions itself as a transparent and flexible alternative to traditional car buying.

Review of Vehicle Details Listed on Pickles

Pickles listings generally include detailed descriptions such as model, year, odometer (km), transmission, fuel type and location details. This allows buyers to shortlist vehicles efficiently before deeper research.

4.5 – It includes almost every detail and provides accurate information about the car.

Review of Vehicle Conditions on Pickles

Cars in auctions aren’t limited to poor condition or low quality stock. Auction vehicles can range from well-maintained cars to those that require repairs and maintenance. Pickles vehicle listings can be divided into three broad types:

  1. 1 Good Condition: younger, well-maintained vehicles
  2. 2 Average Condition: everyday used vehicles and older fleet cars that may show wear and tear
  3. 3 Specialty/Problematic: occasional classic or prestige vehicles, as well as cars with mechanical or cosmetic issues

4.5 – The details clearly mentioned the damages, dent with the visual image.

Review of Images on Vehicles of Pickles

4 – It contains only a few 10–20+ photos of the car but shows multiple angles.

Review of Buyer’s Premium on Pickles

Instead of inflating car prices with hidden margins, Pickles keeps auction pricing simple and transparent with a clear buyer’s premium—charged only when buyers successfully win a vehicle. It depends on the final bid price and auction type:

  • Motor Vehicle: $0–$1,999.99 → $475; $2,000+ → $650 + 1.33% of hammer price
  • Luxury / Prestige / Collectables: 3.75%–7.5% (depending on type), with minimum fees
  • Government Vehicles: Fees vary by state, typically around 5–6% including admin and online bidding charges
  • EV Admin Fee: $100 per purchase

For a simple understanding, if a motor vehicle is won at $20,000, the total payable amount would be:

  • $20,000 (hammer price) + $650 (buyer’s premium) + 1.33% of hammer price (~$266) = $20,916

This approach separates the auction fee from the vehicle price so buyers are aware of what they’re paying for—while allowing vehicles to be bid at their true market value.

3.5 – In general it comes around 6–8% of vehicle price – plus they have other different components added on top of the premiums.

Average Reviews of Pickles Auctions from Customers Online

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

  • Google Ratings: 3.5 based on 423 reviews

: 3.5 × 423 = 1480.5

  • ProductReview rating: 3.6 based on 1259 reviews

: 3.6 × 1259 = 4532.4

  • Total weighted score: 1480.5 + 4532.4 = 6012.9
  • Total reviews: 423 + 1259 = 1682

Final rating: 6012.9 ÷ 1682 = 3.5

Final Score for Pickles Auctions after Reviewing different factors:

4.0 – Pickles scores strongly for its large national inventory, clear condition reports, high-quality images, and trusted reputation. However, the rating is slightly lowered due to strong bidding competition on popular listings and additional or higher fees on some vehicles, which can reduce overall value for some buyers.

Compare auction houses across Australia. Choose wisely & Bid smartly.

Overall Pros and Cons

In conclusion, Pickles offers transparent fees, diverse listings and a structured online bidding process to make it easier for buyers to approach vehicle auctions with clarity, analysis and confidence.

How to Bid on Pickles? Step by Step Guide

  1. 1
    Create an account and verify your identity and contact information.
  2. 2
    Pay a $500 refundable deposit (if required) to unlock online bidding access.
  3. 3
    Choose a vehicle from PicklesLIVE or PicklesONLINE auctions.
  4. 4
    Place your bid — online: set a maximum bid and the system auto-bids for you; live: bid in real-time in person or via online streaming.
  5. 5
    Buy Now / Fixed Price: purchase eligible vehicles immediately outside of auction bidding.
  6. 6
    “Last Call” rule applies — auction closing time may extend if a bid is placed in the final moments.
  7. 7
    Receive notifications if you are outbid or if you win (online auctions only).

Auction Time

NameSchedule
National Government, Fleet & Lease Vehicle AuctionWeekly Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, start 10am AEDT
National Prestige Vehicle Auction*Weekly Monday, start 12:30pm AEDT
National Corporate, Fleet and Finance Vehicle AuctionWeekly Monday, Wednesday & Thursday, start 12pm AEDT
VIC Fleet Vehicle Auction*Weekly Tuesday, start 10am AEDT
Western Australian Government Vehicle Auction*Weekly Tuesday, start 10am AWST
Tasmanian Government & Other Vehicles Auction*Weekly Tuesday, Auction start 11am AEDT
National Council & Not For ProfitWeekly Tuesday, start 12pm AEDT
SA Government Vehicle Auction*Weekly Wednesday, start 10am ACDT
NT Government & Other Vehicle Auction*Fortnightly Thursday, start 4pm ACST
National Online Motor Vehicle Auction*Weekly Friday, auction starts 12pm AEDT and finish 6pm AEDT on Sunday

*Please note these auctions have remained unchanged. 

In general, Pickles auctions have varied times depending on the type (online vs. live) and category (cars, industrial), but generally run daily/weekly with specific start times (e.g., 10 AM, 12 PM, 12:30 PM AEDT for vehicles) and often extend the closing time if there’s a last-minute bid, providing a multi-day window for online auctions where you set max bids.

Live Auctions: These have set start times, often in the morning or early afternoon (e.g., 10 AM, 12:30 PM AEDT for vehicles).

Exact start times vary by auction type and location, so buyers should always check individual listings for precise details.

FAQs- Pickles Auctions Review

What kinds of auctions does Pickles run?

Pickles runs a variety of auctions including online-only sales, live bidding, and fixed-price Buy Now options. These cover vehicles, industrial equipment, salvage stock, and general goods. You can bid from anywhere online or participate in real-time live auctions through Pickles Live.

Yes — creating a MyPickles account doesn’t cost anything. The only temporary charge you might see is a small $1 authorisation on your credit card to verify the payment method, and it will disappear within a few days.

Yes, physical inspection is available at multiple branches. Online auctions provide detailed images and condition reports.

You can update your alerts for outbid notices and referrals by logging into your MyPickles account and adjusting your notification settings.