“Bring a Trailer expects all sellers to be truthful and accurate when submitting information about the cars they are selling,” the online auction company admits on the Better Business Bureau website, “though we do not inspect any cars personally and are limited to what sellers provide.”
Expecting “all” BAT sellers to be “truthful” and “accurate” is like expecting an Instagram influencer’s real life to mirror their onscreen persona. You’d be an idiot to do so. Needless to say, the world’s full of idiots. BAT isn’t one of them.
BATMEDIA IS NOT AN AUTOMOBILE BROKER, DEALER OR TRADITIONAL AUCTIONEER AND WE DO NOT SELL, EXCHANGE, BUY, OR OFFER FOR SALE, NEGOTIATE OR ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE, A SALE OR EXCHANGE OF AN INTEREST IN ANY VEHICLE LISTED ON THE DIGITAL SERVICES
Bring a Trailer Terms of Use
And there you were thinking that the countdown clock and all that bidding stuff made BAT an auctioneer. Nope. They’re an internet publisher, protected by section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
As the information posted on BAT’s provided by a third party, the website’s immunized against tort liability. Not to put too fine a point on it, if you get f*cked because of false or misleading information on BAT, it’s not their problem. Buyer and sellers beware!
You are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of any information you submit to us in relation to your access to and use of the Digital Services.
You are solely responsible for any information (including any information used in any listing) you provide to us.
Bring a Trailer Terms of Use
There’s a word missing from the disclaimer above: “legally.” Still, to their credit, BAT makes no bones about their complete lack of accountability. And don’t get me wrong: BAT doesn’t want lying sellers creating unhappy buyers.
Pissed-off car buyers are an existential threat to Hearst’s Auto’s cash cow. Which is why BAT’s media mavens are all over BBB with cut-and-paste answers for users publicizing their dissatisfaction. Here’s one they prepared earlier.
Bring a Trailer takes any and all accusations of misrepresentation by sellers very seriously, and as this customer notes we did work with them and the seller to try and reach a mutually-agreeable solution. That said, there is always some risk involved when purchasing used vehicles at auction, and bidders are encouraged to arrange for in-person inspections prior to bidding if possible, and to ask questions of the seller during the auction period so that they can bid to their comfort level.
Courtesy The Better Business Bureau
In-person inspection prior to online bidding? I thought buying a car without leaving your sofa was Bring A Trailer‘s raison d’etre. I guess it’s actually “Go Look At A Car, Go Home, Interrogate the Seller Online, Bid On The Car, If You Win, Bring A Trailer.”
Anyway, if a deal starts going South, like a good neighbor, BAT is there. Right? Not according to BBB poster JP C. He took a walk down lonely street to heartbreak hotel.
They have a “rules’ list on comments yet they do NOT monitor it and left internet trolls full reign to trash listings at will – including mine – likely to influence a sale at a lesser value – possibly for themselves to take advantage of.
MULTIPLE outreaches were made- Of course there’s no phone number (like a scam is set up). Absolutely zero response from my “auction manager” or anyone else for that matter. They allowed non-constructive, inaccurate, speculative comments that tarnished my listing in place with no editing. Total low rent internet sales experience with ZERO customer service. Filing a complaint with FTC. Anyone trying to sell a car needs to find an alternative than Bring a Trailer.
Courtesy The Better Business Bureau
Rules schmules. You gotta read the fine print: “you acknowledge that other Users may post comments about your User Content which may be derogatory, and BaTMedia has no obligation to monitor or delete any such User Content.”
Real world auction houses can be equally, uh, unhelpful. But you can sue the Mecums and Sotheby’s of this world for auctioning a vehicle that ain’t what they said it was. Not only is BAT shielded from any such litigation by Section 230, buyers and sellers sign away their right to (euphemistically) shoot the messenger.
You release BaTMedia (and its affiliates, service providers, partners, and its and their respective co-branders, licensors, payment processing partners, other partners and officers, directors, employees, contractors, and agents) from all damages, losses, liabilities, costs or expenses, arising out of any dispute between you and any other User or third party relating to your use of the Digital Services.
Bring a Trailer Terms of Use
To answer our headline question, yes. You can trust Bring A Trailer. It’s a smooth-running operation with thousands of satisfied buyers and sellers. But you can’t trust the people using the site. Or depend on BAT to be your champion, if push comes to shove. Let me put it this way . . .
Tony Rienzi never lies about a car’s condition. He stands behind every deal he makes – for which he’s legally liable. While Tony’s happy to predict hammer prices for Bring a Trailer, he doesn’t buy or sell cars on BAT. ‘Nuff said?
Like internet dating, everyone has perfect teeth and good breath on the internet
“he doesn’t buy or sell cars on BAT.”
That’s rather telling. Fun site to ogle though, and if they are not an auction house then I guess there is no reason not to attempt to contact the seller directly.