Help Center

Why buy from Penske Used Trucks Auction?

Our Auction site offers access to a wide variety of well-maintained vehicles from a name you can trust. Other reasons to buy from us include:

• No buyer premiums – Auction fees typically consist of seller fees and buyer fees, also known as buyer premiums. These fees are often a percentage of the final sale cost, charged directly to the buyer and the seller. Penske does not charge either of these fees – the price you see is the price you get.
• Free third-party condition report – A third-party condition report is an independent audit of the vehicle’s condition. It includes maintenance history, truck data, a detailed report of the vehicle’s current condition and more. This report allows you unfiltered access to the condition of the vehicle before you even bid on it. No other auction company provides this report for free. Click here for details on how to read the condition report.
• Detailed Penske maintenance report – The full maintenance history of the vehicle, provided to you in a detailed report.
• Ready-to-go inventory and quick pickup – Our vehicles are in stock and ready to go. Upon winning one of our auctions, you’ll have access to the quick pickup of your new vehicle.
• Customized notifications – Our customized and flexible notifications allow you to stay up to date on the auctions you’re most interested in. You decide what we notify you about, though we’ll always let you know if you’ve been outbid or won an auction.
• Easy-to-use watchlist – The watchlist is your one-stop control center for monitoring favorite auctions, seeing current bids, keeping track of when an auction starts and so much more. It’s a dashboard, favorites board and purchasing assistant all rolled into one. Device-friendly site – We’ve built our site to be intuitive and easy to use on any device. Whether bidding from a mobile phone, tracking auctions from your tablet, or paying for the new vehicle you just won on your desktop computer, your experience will be the same.

Who can register for our Auction site?

Everyone! Dealers can request a verified dealer account. Everyone else can verify their account with a working credit card.

How do I register for an auction?

Registering is easy and only has to be done once.

• For dealers: Create a login username and password. Then, submit your dealer license number to verify your dealer status (license verification can take up to 3 days). Once approved, you will enter company information, set your notification preferences and accept our terms and conditions. You’re now ready to browse and bid.
• For everyone else: Create a login username and password then verify your account by adding a current credit card. Your card will not be charged at this time and will only be charged if you win an auction. You’re now registered and ready to place your first bid.

Do I have to register for every auction?   

No, we require a one-time-only registration to use our site. Once you’ve created an account, you’re free to bid on auctions.

How does an auction work?

Once registered, you can bid on auctions at Penske Used Truck Auction. The highest bidder at the end of the allotted auction time wins the auction. Some vehicles have a reserve, which indicates the minimum sale price of that vehicle. If the reserve is not met during bidding, the vehicle will not be sold at the end of the auction. Once someone wins an auction, they pay for their new vehicle and schedule a time to pick it up.

Why didn’t the auction end on time?

Any bids placed in the last few minutes of an auction extend the bidding on that lot by 2 minutes. Extended bidding gives all bidders the chance to respond to that last-minute bid. As an example, if an auction is scheduled to end at noon and someone places a bid at 11:59, the auction will now end at 12:01.

How is purchasing from auction different?

A vehicle at auction is sold as-is, where-is, and includes a third-party condition report for free to verify the vehicle's condition. Non-auction purchases can be made in person at one of our Used Trucks Centers, or online via the Used Trucks Homepage.

Can I finance an auction vehicle?

Yes, financing is available for auction. Premier Financing specializes in commercial truck financing and works with the most competitive lenders in the commercial market to find you a great rate. We recommend taking advantage of Premier Financing’s easy pre-approval process.

How To Get Pre-Approved:

1. Submit the financing application.
2. A dedicated Premier Financing representative will work with a variety of lenders to get you pre-approved.
3. When pre-approved, you will receive bidding guidelines that can be used at upcoming Penske Used Trucks Auctions.

What types of bids can I make?

You can place three different types of bids:

• Advanced Bid – An advanced bid is a one-time bid placed prior to the official start of an auction and cannot be placed once an auction begins. Once the auction starts, the max bid amounts will be used to calculate the highest bidder; one bid increment will be placed on a bidder’s behalf above other competing bidders auto bid limit.
• Auto Bid – An auto bid automatically places bids on your behalf, gradually increasing as needed up to your specified maximum amount. This type of bid can only be placed once an auction begins.
• Instant Bid – An instant bid provides quick bidding access through pre-determined bid amounts, which allows you to competitively bid for a vehicle. This type of bid can only be placed once an auction begins.

Why can I bid on an auction that hasn’t started yet?

Advanced bidding allows you to place a customized bid on an auction before the auction begins. Advanced bidding does not guarantee that you will remain the highest bidder once the auction is live.

Why do I have to place a bid for a certain amount?

Bidding is done in increments to ensure a fair auction equally available to all who would like to bid.

Are Equipment Protection Plans available for auction vehicles?

Some auction vehicles are eligible for equipment protection plans. If a protection plan is available, it will be called out on the vehicle details and noted in the search results.

Look for the protection plan eligibility shield.

​What happens if I win an auction?

As the winning bidder in an auction, you will receive a notification with next steps.

What is a third-party independent condition report?

At Penske Used Trucks, we believe in transparency. That's why we provide a clear and comprehensive overview of each truck's condition with an inspection report from a third-party inspection team. This third-party report allows you to thoroughly review inspection details for the used vehicles you're interested in purchasing, helping to make the right decision for your business.

How do I access the report?

You can access the third-party inspection report via PDF or online link. Both options offer unique advantages.

• PDF Inspection Report: The PDF version is easily printable and provides thumbnail images of every aspect of the truck, allowing you to review the condition of various components quickly
• Web Link Inspection Report: By choosing the online link option, you can access larger photos that offer more intricate details of the truck. This option is particularly useful when you want to examine specific areas of the vehicle closely.

What will be included in the report?

All information in the inspection report is based on what the third-party inspectors find during their assessment. This includes positive aspects and areas requiring attention, allowing you to make informed decisions about the vehicle's maintenance needs.

In the report you’ll find:

• Specifications – A detailed look at the vehicle’s specs. The term "COVER" indicates that the inspector could not assess a particular part of the truck because it was covered and inaccessible
• Brakes – Location and assessment of truck brakes and brake pads, if readable
• Tires & Wheels – Location and evaluation of the tires and wheels based on the Used Truck Association (UTA) trade terms. Tires with tread measurements below 10/32nds are marked as having issues in the Wear & Tear section below
• General Observations – General review of leaks, lights, gauges, the diesel particulate filter and more
• Wear & Tear Detail – Additional details on any issues documented in the sections above, including any damage to the body of the truck
• Report Photos – Thumbnail images of the vehicle. These can be enlarged in the online version of the report
• Report Documents – Detailed information about every active and inactive diagnostic code identified during the inspection, giving you an in-depth understanding of the vehicle

What are inactive codes?

If a code is labeled as "inactive," the issue was previously detected but repaired, and the problem is no longer present. These codes are documented for transparency purposes and do not impact the truck's current condition.

What if I need further assistance understanding the report?

We hope this has given you a clearer understanding of how to read a third-party inspection report. At Penske Used Trucks, we're here to support you in making informed decisions about your vehicle purchase. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please contact our dedicated team.