Sydney’s Best Kept Secret: How to Buy Cars, Furniture, and More for 50% Off

Here’s our next article in our Sydney Cost-of-Living Survival Series, and this time we take a look at bargain hunting at local auctions.

Verdict in a nutshell: With a sharp eye, a steady hand, and maybe a ute, auctions can save you thousands, if you dodge the bidding fever and learn where to look.

Sydney’s Auction Scene: A Budget Hunter’s Paradise

If you’ve ever muttered “surely there’s a cheaper way” while staring down a $900 couch or a $35 broom at a big-box store, let me introduce you to Sydney’s auction underground. It’s loud, it’s a bit chaotic, and it’s blooming with bargains.

Cars, tools, flatpacks, Dyson vacs, espresso machines, and even entire lounge suites still in plastic, you can find the lot, often at 40–70% off retail.

But here’s the catch: auctions can just as easily empty your wallet if you walk in without a plan.

The Main Types of Auctions (And Where to Find Them)

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s on offer and where to dig:

Vehicle Auctions

• Pickles and Manheim are the go-to for ex-govt, fleet, repossessed and damaged vehicles.
• Slattery Auctions holds weekly vehicle auctions at their Milperra depot.

Popular buys:
Toyota Corollas from NSW Health, low-mileage Camrys from Dept of Transport, and the odd hybrid from council fleets.

Typical savings: 20–40% off the same model at a dealership.

Pro Tip: Remember, vehicles here are sold as-is. You need to factor in on-road costs, repairs, and the fact that you have no warranty that may be offered by a dealer.

Furniture & Homewares

• Lloyds Auctions and Grays Online often have entire lots of:
  • Retail returns (think unopened or cosmetically flawed items from major retailers)
  • Clearance stock from defunct stores or property stylists
  • Bulk lots (six chairs, ten lamps, whole fit-outs)
  • Unclaimed Post (think unopened retail goods)

Pro tip: Target bulk lots even if you don’t need everything. Split with mates, or sell the spares and make your money back.

Tools, Renovation & Outdoor Gear

• Renovator Auctions (in Lidcombe and Penrith) specialise in tradie gear, timber flooring, vanities, kitchens—even saunas. They also sell bulk leftover stock from commercial builds, great for DIYers or landlords fixing a place on the cheap.

Returned Electronics & Appliances

• Look for:
  • Vacuum cleaners missing a manual
  • TVs with a bent corner on the box
  • Fridges used once in a display home

These are often listed as “retail returns”, “scratch and dent”, or “ex-demo”. Grays Online is loaded with these, but be sure to bid appropriately according to the item’s condition.

Where to Start: Aggregator Sites

If scrolling five auction sites makes your brain melt, good news: there are smart aggregators that round it all up. AuctionFinder is the most useful hub in 2025—filters by category, state, and type (in-person or online). For Sydneysiders, here are the links to their two most useful pages

• Car auctions in Sydney & Newcastle: here
• General auctions in Sydney & Greater NSW: here

Be sure to bookmark and check these once a week.

How to Actually Win (Without Losing Your Shirt)

Step 1: Do Your Homework

• Know the retail price.
• Set a max bid and write it down.
• Research the item (model number, age, any recalls).

Use PriceHipster or GetPrice to see price history and RRP.

Step 2: Inspect Before You Regret

• Attend preview days or request a detailed report.
• Check for hidden words: “as-is”, “salvage”, “incomplete set”—these are red flags.
• In-person? Bring a torch, plug things in, and check everything opens and shuts properly.

Step 3: Don’t Get Sucked Into Bidding Fever

Auction psychology is a trap, mate. As AuctionFinder points out in their brilliant guide on auction psychology, the rush of “winning” can override your financial logic. Common tricks to watch for:

• “Just one more bid” syndrome: Suddenly, your $200 fridge turns into a $380 mistake.
• Overconfidence bias: Assuming you must be getting a deal just because others are bidding.
• Sunk-cost fallacy: “I’ve already spent time researching this, so I can’t walk away now.”

The fix:
Bid coolly and early, or late and low. Don’t start a war in the middle.

Let’s Talk Money

Here’s what a well-played auction could save you based on some of the deals we’ve seen over the years:

Of course, prices vary and depend on the day and the condition of the item. What’s most important are the three steps we mentioned earlier.

Final Thoughts

Auctions are like the op-shops of the digital world—if you’re patient, a little prepared, and not afraid of a scratch or dent, you can furnish your life for half the price. Just don’t let ego do the bidding and be sure to inspect items thoroughly.

Take your time. Stick to your max. And remember: it’s only a bargain if you were going to buy it anyway.

Happy hunting. And if you do nab a velvet armchair for $50, you better tell me where it came from! And, be sure to check out the rest of our Sydney Cost-of-Living Survival Series.