Most people shopping for a used car compare dealers against each other. The other option is to bid on the same kinds of cars online, at auction, where buyers set the price. Remarket Space is one of those marketplaces, open to the public with no dealer license. Here is an honest look at how buying at auction compares with buying from a dealer: what you pay on top of the price, what protection you get, and what you give up.
The short answer: A dealer gives you a test drive, financing, trade-ins, and temporary tags on the spot. Remarket Space gives you the auction price, an inspection report, a free Carfax, and delivery, but you pay a buyer’s premium and admin fee, you cannot test drive, and the title takes weeks. Auction fees are usually higher than a dealer’s doc fee, so you come out ahead only when the winning bid is low enough to cover them. Compare out-the-door totals, never sticker prices.
Updated October 30, 2026. Checked against Minnesota and Missouri statutes, the Missouri Department of Revenue, and the FTC. Remarket Space publishes this page. Sources are at the bottom.
Dealer vs Remarket Space at a glance
| Used car dealer | Remarket Space | |
|---|---|---|
| How the price is set | The dealer sets an asking price, and you negotiate | Buyers bid, or you take the Buy Now price |
| Fees on top | Doc or admin fee, capped by state law in Minnesota and Missouri, plus any add-ons you accept | Buyer’s premium and admin fee from a published table, both shown in the out-the-door total |
| Test drive | Yes | No. HD virtual test drive and a written inspection instead. |
| Financing and trade-ins | Usually offered | Pay in full by card within 48 hours |
| Warranty | Shown on the Buyers Guide window sticker | 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee and a title guarantee |
| Getting the car | Drive it home | Delivered |
| Title and plates | The dealer files the paperwork, often with temporary tags at the sale | Title transfer typically takes 8 to 12 weeks |
What do you pay on top of the price?
At a dealer, the main extra is the documentary or administrative fee for paperwork. Both of our home states cap it:
- Minnesota: for sales on or after July 1, 2025, the doc fee is capped at the lesser of $350 or 10% of the sale, and it must be listed separately on the sales agreement, under Minnesota Statutes 168.27, subdivision 31. Dealers may leave it out of the advertised price.
- Missouri: the administrative fee is optional, must be the same for every retail customer, and must carry a notice that it is not an official fee, under RSMo 301.558. The cap rises with inflation each year. The Department of Revenue rule sets it at $620.79 for 2026.
The bigger variable at a dealer is add-ons. The FTC notes that extras like gap insurance, VIN etching, and rustproofing can cost thousands, often come up late in the sale, and are usually optional. Ask for every one in writing, with its price.
At Remarket Space, you pay a buyer’s premium and an admin fee from the published buyer premium and fees table, and both are included in the out-the-door total on every listing. There are no add-ons to decline.
| Price of the car | Remarket Space premium + admin fee | Most a Minnesota dealer can charge as a doc fee | Most a Missouri dealer can charge as an admin fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $459 + $189 = $648 | $200 | $620.79 |
| $5,000 | $629 + $209 = $838 | $350 | $620.79 |
| $10,000 | $799 + $209 = $1,008 | $350 | $620.79 |
So on fees alone, a dealer is usually cheaper. The case for buying at auction is the price itself: a dealer’s asking price includes the dealer’s own margin, while an auction price is whatever the highest bidder pays that day. Whether you save depends on how far the winning bid lands below what dealers ask for the same car. The only fair test is to put both out-the-door totals side by side. Our guide to the car auction buyer’s premium explains how auction fees are built.
What protection do you get?
At a dealer, start with the Buyers Guide. The FTC requires dealers to post one on every used car, including cars sold online. It says whether the car comes with a dealer warranty or is sold As Is, meaning you pay for any repairs after the sale. If the Guide promises a warranty, it overrides an as is line in the contract.
Read the Buyers Guide closely before you sign: if the As Is box is checked, repairs after the sale are on you, and any spoken promise should be written on the Guide.
At Remarket Space, every listing has an inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, a free Carfax, and an HD virtual test drive. The 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed engine failure, automatic transmission failure, frame or structural damage, and flood damage reported within 72 hours of delivery. It is not a warranty, and it excludes disclosed issues, manual transmissions, and cars driven more than 100 miles after purchase. The title guarantee lasts for as long as you own the car: if your title is late, or the car has a title brand or mileage issue we did not disclose, we will make it right. If you are wondering whether you can send an auction car back, our guide on whether you can return a car bought at auction explains the rules and the claim steps.
What do you give up at each?
| Buying from a dealer | Buying on Remarket Space |
|---|---|
| You pay the dealer’s margin in the price | No test drive or in-person look. The Elk River lot is online only. |
| Add-ons and financing terms to negotiate | Pay in full by card within 48 hours. Bids are binding. |
| Time spent visiting lots | Title transfer typically takes 8 to 12 weeks, so plan for your state’s titling deadline |
| A smaller pool of cars on one lot | Delivery is quoted per car. Timing is typically within 48 hours in the Twin Cities and St. Louis areas and varies by distance elsewhere. |
If you buy in Missouri, our guides to the Missouri title transfer and Missouri temporary tags cover the 30-day clock.
Which should you choose?
| A dealer is the better fit if you | Remarket Space is the better fit if you |
|---|---|
| Need financing or have a trade-in | Can pay in full and want the auction price |
| Want to test drive before you commit | Are comfortable deciding from an inspection report, Carfax, and video |
| Need the car and plates this week | Can wait on title paperwork |
| Want to shop dealer warranties and service contracts | Want to skip add-on negotiations and see one out-the-door number |
Shopping auctions instead? See how we compare with the big salvage auctions in Remarket Space vs Copart and Remarket Space vs IAA. Or see cars up for auction now and check the out-the-door total against a dealer quote for the same model.
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes. Auction fees such as a buyer’s premium are usually higher than a dealer’s doc fee, so you save only when the winning bid is far enough below the dealer’s asking price to cover them. Compare the out-the-door totals for the same kind of car.
For sales on or after July 1, 2025, Minnesota caps the dealer documentary fee at the lesser of $350 or 10% of the sale, under Minnesota Statutes 168.27, subdivision 31. It must be listed separately on the sales agreement.
The Missouri Department of Revenue sets the 2026 maximum at $620.79. The fee is optional, must be the same for every retail customer, and must be disclosed as not an official fee.
No. The Elk River lot is online only. Every listing has an inspection report, a free Carfax, and an HD virtual test drive instead, and the 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee covers undisclosed major failures reported within 72 hours of delivery.
Sources
- Minnesota Statutes 168.27, subdivision 31: Documentary fee
- RSMo 301.558: Dealer administrative fee
- Missouri Department of Revenue: 12 CSR 10-26.231, Maximum dealer administrative fees
- FTC: Buying a used car from a dealer
- Remarket Space: Buyer premium and fees
- Remarket Space: How it works
- Remarket Space: 3-Day Major Mechanical Guarantee
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fee caps and warranty rules change, so confirm with your state before you buy.
