Vehicle remarketing explained: how used cars reach the trade
What vehicle remarketing is, how leasing companies, fleets and manufacturers sell used cars to dealers, and how dealers access the stock.
· 7 min read
Vehicle remarketing is the process by which leasing companies, fleets, manufacturers, rental firms, banks and insurers sell used vehicles they no longer need – mostly to the motor trade. It covers inspection, reconditioning decisions, logistics, pricing and the sale itself, through auctions, B2B portals, tenders or direct contracts. For an independent dealer, it is the main wholesale source of young used cars.
What vehicle remarketing means
Remarketing means selling a vehicle again at the end of its first use cycle, as efficiently and at as high a price as possible. The seller is a business whose core activity is not used car retail – a leasing company, a corporate fleet, a manufacturer – so it needs a process, and often a service provider, to turn returned cars into cash.
A complete remarketing process includes:
- De-fleeting and collection – picking the car up from the driver or branch.
- Inspection and condition report – damage, mileage, documents, keys.
- Repair decision – repair before sale or sell as is, depending on what the trade will pay.
- Channel choice – auction, fixed-price B2B portal, tender, retail programme or export.
- Pricing – reserve or asking price.
- Sale, invoicing and handover – payment, documents and logistics to the buyer.
Who sells remarketed vehicles
The sources of remarketed vehicles are the businesses that buy cars new in large numbers. In Germany, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) reported that 66.1% of new passenger cars registered in 2025 went to commercial holders – a large pool that comes back to the market a few years later.
| Seller | Typical stock | Age and mileage |
|---|---|---|
| Leasing companies | Company cars and private leases at end of contract | 3–4 years, mid to high mileage |
| Corporate fleets (owned) | Company cars replaced on a fixed cycle | 3–5 years, often high mileage |
| Manufacturers and importers | Demonstrators, pre-registered cars, buy-backs, press cars | Very young, low mileage |
| Rental companies | De-fleeted rental cars, buy-back or risk cars | 6–18 months, varied mileage |
| Banks and finance companies | Repossessed vehicles | Any age |
| Insurers | Total-loss and recovered stolen vehicles | Any age, damaged |
Rental cars come back in two flavours: buy-back cars, which the manufacturer has agreed to take back and remarkets itself, and risk cars, which the rental company sells on its own account.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessRemarketing channels: where the cars are sold
Remarketed cars reach the trade through a handful of channels, and the same car can move through several before it sells.
- Physical auctions at remarketing centres – cars on site, sold in the lane and streamed online.
- Online auctions – timed or live, with the car often still at the seller's site. More on this in online vehicle auctions.
- Lessors' and manufacturers' B2B portals – fixed-price or bid sales open to registered dealers.
- Closed tenders – batches offered to selected buyers, often exporters or large dealer groups.
- Direct contracts – an agreed volume per month for a trusted dealer.
- Retail programmes – the best cars are prepared and sold to consumers through manufacturers' approved used schemes or the lessor's own retail sites.
- Export – older, high-mileage or damaged cars often go to buyers in other markets, inside and outside the EU.
Remarketing services – inspection, logistics, refurbishment, document handling and the auction platforms themselves – are often outsourced by the seller to specialist providers. That is why the same remarketing company may sell cars for several lessors.
How independent dealers get access to remarketing stock
Independent dealers get access by registering as trade buyers on the platforms and with the lessors that remarket their cars. The requirements are similar everywhere:
- Company registration extract and the name of the authorised person.
- A valid EU VAT number, checked in VIES.
- Identity documents of the bidders.
- A deposit, credit check or payment guarantee for larger volumes.
Then build a track record. Remarketers want buyers who pay quickly, collect on time and do not dispute every scratch. Once you have bought regularly, ask for access to tenders and closed sales and for return forecasts by model.
Cross-border access is open to any VAT-registered dealer in the EU. VAT-qualifying cars – the majority of remarketed stock – are invoiced net under Article 138 of the VAT Directive (2006/112/EC) when you quote a valid VAT number in another member state, and you account for the VAT in your own country. For the full list of sourcing options, see where do car dealers buy cars.
How remarketed cars are priced for the trade
Remarketed cars are priced twice: once by the seller, who sets a reserve or asking price, and again by the market, through the bids. The seller's reserve is usually anchored on the residual value the car was expected to have at the end of its contract, adjusted with trade price guides and recent results. Our article on residual values explains how those forecasts are made.
The bids, however, are set by dealers who price the car against the retail market in their own countries. That is why the same remarketed car can be worth very different amounts to different buyers. According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026, the median asking price of a Volkswagen Tiguan from 2021–2023 was:
| Country | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 445 | €23,900 |
| Germany | 540 | €24,933 |
| Poland | 91 | €25,077 |
| Belgium | 205 | €25,250 |
| Netherlands | 417 | €29,950 |
The median mileage was about 82,000 km. Most markets sat within about €1,400 of each other, while the Netherlands stood out – partly because Dutch registration tax (BPM) is built into local prices and has to be paid, with a depreciation discount, on an imported car too.
What this means for buyers of remarketed vehicles:
- Check the tax status first. A VAT-qualifying Tiguan bid net must be compared with the retail price ÷ 1 + your VAT rate – 1.19 in Germany, 1.21 in Belgium and the Netherlands, 1.22 in Italy, 1.23 in Poland.
- Price against your own market, narrowed to the same engine, gearbox, drivetrain and mileage band.
- Budget the return wear listed in the condition report at your own repair cost.
How dealers can use remarketing more effectively
The dealers who profit most from remarketing treat it as a steady pipeline rather than occasional opportunistic buying. Practical habits:
- Watch several sources at once – different lessors and platforms remarket different brands and segments.
- Know your numbers per car before each sale – market price, VAT, landed costs and maximum bid.
- Buy in your segment – the models and price bands you turn over fastest.
- Track your results – compare actual sale prices and reconditioning costs with your bids every month.
Watching multiple remarketing sources across several countries is time-consuming. MyCarDealer brings auction and listing stock from several European countries into one search and attaches the margin each car would leave in your market; dealers can test the valuation on a single car with a free valuation.
Frequently asked questions
What does vehicle remarketing mean?
It is the sale of used vehicles by businesses that operated them – leasing companies, fleets, manufacturers, rental firms, banks and insurers – at the end of their first use cycle. It covers inspection, repair decisions, logistics, pricing and the sale itself, mostly to the motor trade.
Who sells remarketed vehicles and through which channels?
Leasing companies, corporate fleets, manufacturers and importers, rental companies, finance companies and insurers. They sell through physical and online auctions, their own B2B portals, closed tenders, direct contracts with dealers, retail programmes and export buyers.
How can an independent dealer get access to remarketing stock?
Register as a trade buyer with a company registration, a valid EU VAT number and bidder ID, and sometimes a deposit or credit check. After building a track record of prompt payment and collection, dealers can ask for access to tenders, closed sales and direct volume agreements.
How are remarketed cars priced for the trade?
The seller sets a reserve or asking price, usually based on the expected residual value and trade price guides. The final price is set by dealers' bids, which reflect retail prices in their own markets after VAT, costs and profit.
What are remarketing services?
They are the services that support the sale of used fleet and lease vehicles: collection, inspection and condition reports, refurbishment, logistics, document handling and the auction or sales platform. Many leasing companies and manufacturers outsource some or all of them to specialist remarketing providers.