Semi Trucks for Sale at Auction – Where to Find the Best Sales & Key Tips

Rodney Charleson

In this article let’s cover where to find trucks for sale at auction, where to compare prices for used trucks online, and popular models you’ll commonly find for sale.

Thousands of semi tractors go up for sale at auction every month coming from large national fleets such as Walmart, Frito Lay, Pepsi Co, Haliburton, Tyson Foods, etc. along with smaller fleets, plus auctions for repossessed units, and insurance claims that go to salvage auctions. 

Let’s dive into where.

Where to find trucks for sale at auction

Be sure to watch our truck, mining & machinery auctions category for upcoming auction notices and if you know the model you are hunting for, try our auction search, for example, here’s a search for Freightliner Cascadia.

End of Lease, Dealer, Gov, and Repossession auctions

  • Ritchie Bros – rbauction.com – Nationwide – a lot of their stock is ex-finance company/lease/fleet, and gov
  • Truck Planet – truckplanet.com –  Nationwide – (also a Ritchie Bros company)
  • Iron Planet – ironplanet.com – Nationwide – (also a Ritchie Bros company)
  • Taylor & Martin – NE, MS, PA – taylorandmartin.com – regular auctions with hundreds of lots
  • Manheim – truck-auction.com – Their Indianapolis branch has a strong focus on class 4-8 trucks with regular sales, and trucks can also be found at their other branches 
  • ADESA – adesa.com – GA, FL, PA, AR – holding regular auctions for heavy equipment and trucks that are ex-lease or finance company. Some are consignments.
  • GSA Auctions – gsaauctions.gov – occasionally you may find some medium and heavy-duty trucks at Federal Gov auctions, and you certainly will at state gov auctions see the list of state auctioneers here 
  • AuctionTime – auctiontime.com – dealer, auctioneer, and inhouse sales
  • eBay – ebay.com – eBay hosts sales for large and small dealers and private sellers and you can usually find thousands of lts for sale at any time. 
  • local auctioneers in your area – use our find page to locate your state or city to find local auctioneers and watch our truck, mining & machinery auctions category

Damaged/Salvage auctions

Thousands of trucks of all types appear at salvage auctions for various reasons including insurance claims stemming from accident damage, flood damage, theft recovery, hail damage etc. For those that are competent with such repairs, it can be a great option with huge potential savings on offer. Check out

Price Research

How much should you pay for a used semi? Knowing the marketplace is key and it’s well worth visiting a few auctions to get a feel for how values at auction fluctuate depending on the current economic climate, people who turn up on the day, amount of stock for sale, and location to name just some factors. Of course, some trucks are highly sought after, others not as much.

Knowing the used marketplace and what you should expect to pay at a dealer and privately is also a huge help. There is absolutely no point in overpaying at auction for a rig that you could have bought for less from a dealer where you could test drive it and get a warranty. The goal here is come out in front and research is key.

Useful places for pricing research

 

 

Most Popular Semi-Truck Models

Across auction sites, the most commonly found trucks are ex-fleet, which, are generally made up of one of the six makes listed below

  1. Freightliner – The company, Daimler Trucks which includes Western Star, holds around 40% of new truck sales. The most popular model is its Cascadia. Other models include the M2 106 (medium-duty truck or tractor), 122SD (severe-duty truck or tractor), 108 SD (severe duty truck), 114SD (severe duty truck), and M112 (truck, tractor, truckload and less-than-truckload haulers plus gas variants.
  2. Kenworth – holding around 13% of the market. Their W900 model has long been their best seller and now replaced by the W990. Other models include T680/880 (severe duty truck and tractor), T270/370 (medium duty truck) K270/370 (cab over available in diesel or electric variants), T440/470, T800, and the off-road monster, the C500.
  3. Peterbilt also holds around 13% of the market. Their most popular models are the 579 and 389 on-highway tractors. Other models include their vocational trucks inc. the 567, 520, 367, and 365, plus their medium-duty truck models inc. 348, 337, 330, 325, and 220. They also have electric models inc the 220EV, 579EV, and 520EV.
  4. Navistar International holds just under 13% of the market with its most popular model being the Lonestar with other models inc. the LT series, RH series, Prostar, Transtar, the W9900i along with medium-duty truck models inc. Durastar, MV series, and severe-duty trucks inc. HV series, HX series, and Workstar.
  5. Volvo holds around 10% of the market with a range including their VNL series for long haul, VNR for regional haul, VNX for severe duty, VHD workhorses, and VAH made especially for auto haulers.
  6. Mack holds just under 6% of the market offering a range of models inc. Anthem for long haul, Pinnacle for regional haul, Granite for severe duty, along with medium-duty models the LR, Terrapro, and MD Series.

Engine Considerations – size, service history, and known lemons

Especially with class 8 trucks for the highway, it’s especially important to have the right drivetrain for the job. You will want to balance HP, maintenance costs, fuel costs, axle ratio according to your application, and then adding your preferences over auto or manual.

Cat, Cummins, or Detroit? And which model? Every engine series has had its issues and you should make yourself familiar with such. If you have a mechanic or workshop relationship in place, definitely ask their advice and know in advance what models they are not interested in or familiar with.

Some auctioneers will present a vehicle history that you can get from the auctioneer or it may be displayed on or in the vehicle at live onsite auctions.

Key Takeaways & Tips for finding a great buy at auction

  • Spend some time at auctions and understand the flow 
  • Online auctions are convenient but always try to visit in person for an inspection
  • Know the real-world value of what you are buying
  • Do spend the time doing solid research on pricing
  • Understand the model specifics (etc GVW, engine and drivetrain capacities)
  • Understand your application and the right truck for the job
  • Talk to the auctioneer (if possible) to get any background
  • Understand and factor in costs for unforeseen damage and maintenance
  • Is there any dealer/factory warranty remaining and can it be transferred?
  • Understand the fees and sale conditions which change from auctioneer to auctioneer and sometimes sale to sale