At a glance
| What's sold | Ex-fleet cars, vans, trucks, tractors, municipal machinery, motorcycles, some classic cars |
| Lots located in | Austria: Vösendorf, Traun, Graz, Klagenfurt and consignors' yards (e.g. Ansfelden, Wels, Hohenems, Innsbruck) |
| Who can bid | Anyone with a verified myDOROTHEUM account; bidding is online only |
| Buyer's premium | 22% incl. VAT on "V" lots; 18.34% plus VAT on "+" lots (first EUR 100,000) |
| VAT on premium | Included on "V" lots; 20% on hammer and premium for "+" lots |
| Payment deadline | Set per sale; Vösendorf sale of 21 Oct 2026: by 29 Oct |
| Pickup deadline | Set per sale; 29 Oct at Vösendorf and Ansfelden, 9 Nov at Wels |
| Storage after deadline | Set per sale: EUR 20 a day per car, EUR 40 per truck at Vösendorf; EUR 3–6 a day by size at Ansfelden |
What's sold
Dorotheum's vehicle department runs more than 50 auctions a year from its centres in Vienna-Vösendorf and Traun, Upper Austria. Many sales clear a single public fleet, such as Land Oberösterreich, ASFINAG or ÖBB, and take place where that fleet keeps its vehicles. Vösendorf sales mix everyday cars with classics. At the Traun sale of 30 Sept 2026, 218 of 397 sold lots were "V" (agency sale: you buy from the seller, Dorotheum gives no warranty) and 179 were "+".
Who can bid
- Private buyers: Anyone can take part. You need a free myDOROTHEUM account and a copy of official photo ID. No deposit is published for online sales. The sign-up form lists 250 countries and no restriction is published.
- Businesses: Register with the exact company details for the invoice; changing an invoice later costs EUR 24. EU companies based outside Austria buy "+" lots free of Austrian VAT if their VAT ID (UID) reaches Dorotheum before the hammer. On "V" lots, VAT is never refunded, even on export outside the EU.
Registration
- Create a free myDOROTHEUM account on dorotheum.com, even if you already have a Dorotheum customer number.
- Enter the name or company that must appear on the invoice.
- Upload official photo ID; companies add a register extract and proof of the beneficial owner.
- Click the link in the confirmation email.
- Wait for approval, which Dorotheum promises within 2 working days, so register early.
Fees and real total cost
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer's premium, "V" lots | 22% incl. VAT | 15% above EUR 100,000 |
| Buyer's premium, "+" lots | 18.34% plus 20% VAT on hammer and premium | 12.5% above EUR 100,000 |
| After-sale (Nachverkauf) | 24% "V" / 20% "+" | Lots bought after the sale closes |
| Storage | Set in each sale notice | EUR 20 a day per car, EUR 40 per truck (Vösendorf) |
| Crane loading | EUR 66 | Only where the sale notice offers it |
| Vehicle papers by post | EUR 15 in Austria, EUR 50 abroad | Traun-run sales keep papers in Traun |
| Invoice change | EUR 24 | |
| Late payment | 6% a year above 3-month EURIBOR | Interest on the amount overdue |
Worked example. Basis: at the Traun sale of 30 Sept 2026, 88 cars sold for a median hammer of EUR 4,500 (range EUR 90–25,000). The example uses EUR 4,400, the nearest bid step below.
| Step | "V" lot | "+" lot |
|---|---|---|
| Hammer price | EUR 4,400 | EUR 4,400 |
| Buyer's premium | EUR 968 (22%, VAT included) | EUR 806.96 (18.34%) |
| VAT 20% | Included | EUR 1,041.39 |
| Total | EUR 5,368 | EUR 6,248.35 |
| Collected 5 days late at Vösendorf | + EUR 100 | + EUR 100 |
An EU company with its UID on file pays EUR 5,206.96 for the "+" lot and accounts for VAT at home.
How bidding works
- Sales are timed online auctions on myDOROTHEUM. All seven sales listed on 12 Oct 2026 close at 13:00.
- Each lot opens at its start price (Startpreis). Steps follow a fixed table of about 10%: EUR 200 between EUR 2,000 and 10,000, EUR 500 up to 20,000.
- You can enter a maximum; the system then bids for you one step at a time.
- A bid in the last 2 minutes extends that lot by 2 minutes.
- A hidden minimum price (Mindestpreis) can apply, and a win can be made conditional.
- Bids are binding. Dorotheum may cancel a win within 3 working days and offer the lot again.
Pickup and transport
- Viewing opens about a week before the sale at Vösendorf and Traun; sales in consignors' yards set their own, shorter viewing days.
- Pay first: cash, bank transfer or debit card (Bankomat). For Traun-run sales, pay by transfer or in cash at the Traun branch; cash at the pickup site is refused.
- After payment you get a release note (Ausfolgeschein). Nothing leaves without it, and for some Vösendorf lots you must fetch it at Vösendorf before driving to the yard.
- Pickup hours are set per sale: Mon–Fri 08:00–14:00 at Vösendorf, Mon–Thu only at Ansfelden, by appointment at Wels.
- Bring your own transport and loading gear. Vösendorf has no forklift or crane, and the 21 Oct sale offers no shipping.
Watch out
- Nobody inspects the lots, neither Dorotheum nor the seller. Hidden defects are not excluded, and papers, keys or accessories may be missing.
- Storage starts the day after the pickup deadline. At the 21 Oct sale, lots left at the outside yard are moved to Vösendorf at your cost.
- The 2026 terms say there is no distance-selling withdrawal right, yet a notice on dorotheum.com gives consumers 14 days for online sales. Treat every bid as final.
- A "+" lot costs about 16% more than a "V" lot at the same hammer (EUR 6,248.35 against EUR 5,368). Check the mark before you bid.
- On Trustpilot, dorotheum.com scores 2.6 from 44 reviews (12 Oct 2026); 69% are 1-star.
Verdict: A reliable source of ex-public-fleet vehicles with clear, published fees. It suits buyers who can view in Austria and collect within days; budget 22% to 42% over the hammer, plus transport.
Before you bid
- Check the mark next to the lot number: "V" means 22% all-in, "+" means 18.34% plus 20% VAT.
- EU business: put your UID on the account before the hammer.
- Read the sale notice for the payment deadline, pickup address, pickup hours and storage rate.
- View the vehicle, or send someone; descriptions carry no guarantee.
- Book transport and loading for the pickup window.
- Set your maximum from the all-in price, not the hammer.