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Home » News & Updates » Hiring an Auto Broker: Is it right for you?

Hiring an Auto Broker: Is it right for you?

December 13, 2019 Kim

There are clear benefits and drawbacks to buying a car through an auto broker.  However, deciding whether to hire an auto broker should be based on your specific needs.

Esprit Motors is excited to offer this service! 

If you are looking for a car that is between three and five years old, consider hiring us to act as an auto broker for you.

We will outline the process below, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of going this route.

The Process of Buying a Car through an Auto Broker or Buyers’ Agent

We sit down with you and discuss what you’re looking for, work with you to develop a shortlist of cars that you want, and then search for a car that fits your needs.

Once we buy a car for you from a wholesale auction, we charge you a fee after the car is purchased. 

One important note: We can only shop for cars as an auto broker that are between three and five years old.


Benefits of Buying a Car through an Auto Broker

Here are some things to consider when you want to know if buying a car through an auto broker is right for you:

Low hassle and less time spent shopping for a car.  

Do you find visiting used car lots on the weekend enjoyable?! Many people don’t.

By purchasing through an auto broker, you can save yourself the time and annoyance of having to visit a used car lot and salespeople who work on a commission.


Consultation, not Coercion when Hiring an Auto Broker  

Traditional dealers are trying to sell cars that they have already purchased, not necessarily the right car for you.  

We work with you to find the right car for your needs and take pride in making life easier for our customers.

Since our business is based on referrals, we are transparent about the costs of buying straight from the auction. As always, we are more than happy to answer any questions that you have from Day 1.

By Hiring an Auto Broker, You Can Save Time and Money

There is definitely the potential for saving money by using an auto broker over purchasing a car from a retail car dealer or through a private party sale. However, it depends on the car that you are looking for.


Situations where hiring an auto broker is not right for you:

Buying a car from an auto broker is not worthwhile in every situation.  We are more than happy to discuss whether it is right for you in a no-pressure manner.

You’re looking for a car that is older than five years old. 

Unfortunately, we can only act as an auto broker if you are looking for a relatively new car (between three and five years old). 

If you are looking for an older car, consider joining our mailing list and check out our cars posted for sale as we have older cars that might fit your needs.


It is difficult, if not impossible, to take a car for a test drive when purchasing through an auto broker.

If the car is available locally, we take the car for a test drive for you and reporting back everything that we find, including photos and videos.

Each car also comes with a full inspection report from the dealer auction that we share with you. We discuss the inspection report and answer your questions about it. This inspection report details the condition of the car and is comprehensive.

Ian is a former automotive engineer and long-time car expert and can identify the costly issues (transmission slipping, squeals, clutch issues, shimmies, oil leaks, major suspension issues) and give you an idea as to what it will cost to fix it.


It typically takes more time to purchase a car through a broker.

Depending on the make, model, mileage, it can take between several weeks and up to three months to find a car that meets your specifications.

However, we do look all over the West Coast and can arrange delivery from other regions if you’re in the market for a hard-to-find car like a 5-speed Subaru.

Although it will usually take longer to purchase a car through a broker, that saves you a lot of time in the long run. You will not be going from used car dealership to used car dealership — the broker will handle all of this.

If you need a car immediately, buying from a broker is not the right choice for you.  

Is hiring an auto broker to purchase a car right for you?

For many people, hiring an auto broker / buyers’ agent saves them a significant amount of time and frustration.

We enjoy partnering with our customers to find the right car within their price range.



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Filed Under: Auto Broker Services

Esprit Motors is a used car dealership in Portland, Oregon.

Our goal is to always be honest, transparent, knowledgeable, and easy to work with.  We want to earn a recommendation from our customers & frequently work with repeat customers.

Please check out our current inventory or join our mailing list to be notified when we have new cars in stock.

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive an email notification when we post a car for sale on our website (and Craigslist)

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Recent posts:

  • All-Wheel Drive: Do I Still Need Snow Tires if I Have All Wheel Drive?
  • Steps for Buying a Car Through an Auto Broker
  • Confused by types of car titles? Here’s what they mean
  • Six year anniversary!
  • Kelly Blue Book (& other online pricing guides) are not reliable for the Portland Subaru market

Questions? Call us at (503) 893-9565

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About Esprit Motors

Kim and Ian Lomax Hello! We're Kim and Ian Lomax -- owners of Esprit Motors. Learn More

Recent Posts

  • All-Wheel Drive: Do I Still Need Snow Tires if I Have All Wheel Drive?
  • Steps for Buying a Car Through an Auto Broker
  • Confused by types of car titles? Here’s what they mean
  • Six year anniversary!
  • Kelly Blue Book (& other online pricing guides) are not reliable for the Portland Subaru market

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