Ready To Sell Your Car The Easy Way?
Get a free, no-obligation quote — or contact us directly if you're not sure which service is right for you.
Ready To Sell Your Car The Easy Way?
Get a free, no-obligation quote — or contact us directly if you're not sure which service is right for you.
In New Zealand, services that sell your car on your behalf charge in one of three ways: a commission on the sale price, a flat fee plus a smaller percentage, or a guaranteed price where the service keeps everything above an agreed figure. The headline fee tells you very little. What matters is how much lands in your bank account once the car has sold. Below is how each model works, every line we charge at MV Consignment, and worked examples at three price points.
The service takes an agreed percentage of whatever the car sells for. If the car sells for more, you both earn more. If it doesn't sell, no commission is earned. This is how we work.
The thing to check is what else sits alongside the commission, such as preparation, advertising and storage, and whether those are spelled out before you sign.
Some services charge a fixed amount plus a lower percentage. It can work out well on a higher-value car. On a cheaper car the fixed part takes a bigger share, so it pays to run the numbers on your own car rather than compare percentages alone.
Here you're promised a fixed figure, and the service keeps whatever the car sells for above it. You get certainty, but your figure has to sit below the expected sale price, because that gap is how the service is paid. We go through this model in detail in guaranteed price vs commission consignment.
There's a fourth option that looks free: selling to an instant car buyer. Nobody charges you a fee, but the cost is built into the offer, because the buyer needs to resell your car at a profit.
We publish the lot on our pricing section. Here it is in one place.
| Fee | Amount | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Package | Essential $189, Premium $429, Signature $749 | Upfront |
| Pre-purchase inspection | $190+GST, charged by the inspector and passed on at cost | Upfront, refunded if the car sells for over $30k |
| Commission | 9% on $10k-$30k, 7% on $30k-$60k, 6% on $60k-$80k, 3-5% over $80k (priced individually) | Only when the car sells |
| Storage | $20 per week | While the car is stored with us. No fee if you're on the North Shore or close to Riverhead and keep the car with you |
| TradeMe listing | $79-$500 at cost | Optional on Essential. A basic listing is included on Premium and Signature |
Every vehicle over $80k is priced individually, between 3% and 5%. For vehicles under $10k, commission is by quote. The rates above are indicative and can vary from car to car, so you'll always have your own figure confirmed before you commit.
Two of those lines are costs we never mark up. The inspection is the workshop's own charge, and the TradeMe fee is TradeMe's. We add no margin to either.
Every package includes $600 of value, with no cap and no minimum sale price:
If your car sells for over $30k, the $218.50 inspection is refunded as well.
Each example assumes four weeks of storage.
| $18,000 sale | $34,995 sale | $65,000 sale | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | Essential, -$189.00 | Essential, -$189.00 | Premium, -$429.00 |
| Commission | 9%, -$1,620.00 | 7%, -$2,449.65 | 6%, -$3,900.00 |
| Pre-purchase inspection | -$218.50 | Refunded | Refunded |
| Storage (4 weeks) | -$80.00 | -$80.00 | -$80.00 |
| You receive | $15,892.50 | $32,276.35 | $60,591.00 |
| Share of the sale price you keep | 88.3% | 92.2% | 93.2% |
Figures are illustrative. Actual sale prices, commission and timing vary by vehicle and market, and we don't guarantee a sale or a particular sale price.
The pattern is worth noticing. The percentage you keep goes up as the car's value goes up, because the commission rate steps down and the inspection is refunded over $30k.
Not always, and this is where sellers most often get caught out.
Your result is the sale price, less commission, less fees. A lower commission only helps if the sale price holds up. On a $20,000 car, two percentage points of commission is $400. A service that presents the car properly and negotiates well only has to achieve $500 more on the sale price to put you ahead, even at the higher rate.
So compare the whole picture:
These apply to any service, including ours. Our answers are alongside.
There's a longer checklist in what to check before you choose a consignment dealer.
If you'd rather have speed than the top price, a sell-on-behalf arrangement isn't the right tool. Our wholesale service is. We shop your car around our network of wholesale buyers and bring you the best offer. You see the real number and say yes or no, with no obligation.
Every car is different, so the most useful thing we can do is run these numbers on yours. Ask for a free quote and we'll tell you what we think the car will sell for, which package suits it, and what you'd walk away with.
New to the idea? Start with how selling a car on behalf works.
How much commission do sell-on-behalf car services charge in NZ?
It varies by service and by model. MV Consignment's indicative commission is 9% on sales of $10k-$30k, 7% on $30k-$60k and 6% on $60k-$80k, with vehicles over $80k priced individually at 3-5% and vehicles under $10k by quote. Other services use a flat fee plus a percentage, or a guaranteed price where they keep everything above an agreed figure.
Do I pay anything if my car doesn't sell?
With MV Consignment, commission is only earned when the car sells. The package fee and pre-purchase inspection are paid upfront, and storage is $20 per week while the car is listed with us. If you withdraw the car, an unsold fee may apply to cover costs already incurred.
Is the pre-purchase inspection refunded?
Yes, if your car sells for over $30k. The inspector charges $190+GST, which we pass on at cost with no margin added, and we refund it once the sale completes for vehicles that sell above $30k.
Is a lower commission always better?
No. What matters is what you receive after the sale. A service that achieves a higher sale price can leave you better off even at a higher commission rate, so compare the expected sale price and every fee, not the percentage alone.
Which MV Consignment package should I choose?
Essential ($189) suits everyday cars such as daily drivers, family cars, utes and commuters. Premium ($429) suits enthusiast cars, including performance, European, modified and classic vehicles. Signature ($749) suits rare, prestige and high-value cars, or anything with overseas appeal.
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Not sure which service is right for you? Send us the details and we'll get back to you — or call 027 474 8942.