Pickles vs Grays (2026): Buying Ex-Government Vehicles & Surplus in Australia

Pickles and Grays are two of Australia's largest auctioneers of ex-government and ex-fleet assets, and they charge in very different ways. Pickles charges a flat-plus-percentage processing fee on vehicles (on a car sold for $2,000 or more, $650 plus 1.65% of the hammer price, GST inclusive), with separate, lower fee schedules for state government fleet sales. Grays charges a buyer's premium that is a percentage of the price and is set sale by sale, shown in each sale's overview. Pickles is mainly vehicles and machinery; Grays is mainly industrial, IT, workshop and general goods, with vehicles as one category. Today we index 1,700+ live Pickles lots and 2,800+ from Grays, not counting private consignments.

Both auction to the public. You do not need a dealer licence to buy an ex-government car at Pickles or a pallet of ex-government IT at Grays.

Quick answer

• For ex-government cars, utes and fleet vehicles: Pickles. It runs dedicated state government fleet sales and most of its lots in our index are vehicles.
• For ex-government IT, tools, workshop and industrial equipment: Grays.
• Most predictable fee: Pickles, because the vehicle fee is published as a schedule. Grays' premium depends on the sale, so read the sale overview before you bid.
• If you want delivery: Grays, which offers Australia-wide delivery. Pickles expects collection within two days of paying.

Side by side

Fees are from each auctioneer's own pages and can change. The fee on the listing you bid on is the one that applies.

Fees and GST

Pickles publishes a car fee schedule it calls processing fees, which are GST inclusive:

• Hammer under $2,000: $525 per item.
• Hammer $2,000 and over: $650 plus 1.65% of the hammer price.
• Electric vehicles: an extra $100 admin fee.
• Luxury, prestige and classic cars have their own percentage rates with minimums.

State government fleet sales run on separate, lower schedules. Pickles lists VicFleet at $446.50 plus a $110 live bidding fee, SA at $300 and WA at $350, and the Tasmanian government sale bundles a roadworthy certificate into its fees. Late payment costs $75 per invoice per day.

Grays charges a buyer's premium, which it describes as an administration fee that is always a percentage of the purchase price and may vary. A sale can use a standard rate (one fixed percentage) or a variable rate (tiered by bid). The rate is shown in the sale's overview, and Buy Now purchases carry no premium. GST applies to the bid price, the premium and freight on taxable sales.

Because Pickles' fee is part flat, it weighs heavily on cheap cars and lightly on dear ones. On a $3,000 car the Pickles fee is $699.50 (about 23% of the hammer); on a $20,000 car it is $980 (about 4.9%). A Grays percentage premium scales evenly, so compare the two on the actual price you expect to pay, not the headline rate. The true-cost calculator does this for you, and our GST and buyer's premium guide explains GST-inclusive and exclusive lots.

What each one sells

Pickles is primarily a vehicle and machinery auctioneer. In our index most live Pickles lots are vehicles, and the named sellers include state government departments and the big fleet leasing companies that manage government and corporate fleets. It runs recurring government fleet sales in several states, including Victorian government vehicles at Sunshine North. Most of the military-surplus lots we see on Pickles come from one consignor, Australian Frontline Machinery.

Grays is one of Australia's largest online auctioneers, selling everything from wine and jewellery to vehicles and industrial plant. We index its surplus categories: tools and industrial, IT and electronics, heavy equipment, vehicles and office. Ex-government stock appears as named consignments, for example Western Australia Police uncollected and forfeited goods (general goods, bicycles, jewellery, marine and motorbikes). Most Grays lots are commercial, so check the seller on each lot if government provenance matters to you.

Bidding mechanics

Pickles runs timed online auctions through PicklesONLINE over several days, and live auctions with an auctioneer that you can join through the Pickles Live app. Proxy bidding goes up to your maximum and no further. If bidding is active near the end, Pickles extends the end time. Some items have a Buy Now price. For vehicles, a deposit (generally $1,000, more on high-value items) is taken from your credit card automatically when you bid online.

Grays runs timed online auctions with Autobid, its proxy bidding tool. The closing rule is published and strict: every bid in the last 10 minutes extends the sale by 10 minutes from that bid, so a lot only closes after 10 minutes with no bids. Bids cannot be withdrawn. Grays also has Buy Now sales, which carry no buyer's premium and allow change-of-mind returns within 30 days.

Payment

Pickles gives you 24 hours to pay the full invoice balance by bank transfer or ANZ branch deposit. It does not take credit cards for the balance.

Grays charges purchases under $10,000 to your nominated payment method within 24 hours of the sale closing. Over $10,000, you pay by direct deposit within two days. It takes Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners and PayPal, with surcharges of 1.2% (Visa, Mastercard, PayPal), 2.5% (Amex, Diners) and 0.7% on debit cards.

Pickup, delivery and registration

Pickles expects you to collect within two days of reaching a zero balance. After that, storage is $75 per day. Pickles offers a transport service, but plan collection before you bid on a car in another state.

Grays releases goods only after funds clear, within the collection window stated on the sale. Uncollected goods can be treated as abandoned, and storage fees apply after the window. Grays also offers delivery Australia-wide, typically 2 to 14 business days.

For vehicles, buying at auction is only the start. Depending on the state you register in, you may need a roadworthy or safety certificate, a transfer of registration and stamp duty. Run a PPSR search on the VIN before bidding to check for money owing. See the ex-government vehicle guide and the glossary.

What about Manheim?

Manheim is the other large vehicle auctioneer in Australia, with in-lane sales simulcast online and online-only sales, including government and fleet vehicles. We do not index Manheim, and we could not read its fee schedule directly, so we have not put it in the table. Manheim's own site says some of its sales are for licensed dealers only, and it charges a buyer fee on top of the price that varies by sale. If you are shopping for an ex-government car, it is worth checking alongside Pickles.

Who each one suits

• Private buyers after a well-kept ex-government car or ute: Pickles, especially its state fleet sales with their lower fee schedules.
• Trades and small businesses buying tools, IT and workshop gear: Grays.
• Buyers who cannot collect in person: Grays, for its delivery service.
• Buyers of cheap cars (under about $3,000): compare carefully. Pickles' flat fee takes a large share of a low hammer price.

Search both at once

GovAuctions indexes Pickles, Grays and Allbids in one free search and shows the source on every lot, so you can compare a Pickles ute against a Grays one before clicking through to bid. Browse ex-government vehicles, see every source on the Australian sources page, or read how Allbids and Grays compare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, Pickles or Grays?

It depends on the item and price. Pickles charges vehicles a fixed-plus-percentage fee ($650 plus 1.65% of the hammer from $2,000, GST inclusive), which is cheap on dear cars and expensive on cheap ones. Grays charges a percentage premium set per sale. Compare the total on the price you expect to pay, and check Pickles' government fleet sales, which have lower fee schedules.

Can the public buy ex-government cars at Pickles?

Yes. Pickles auctions are open to the public through a free MyPickles account. Online vehicle bidding needs a deposit, generally $1,000, taken from your credit card.

Does Grays charge a buyer's premium on Buy Now items?

No. Grays says Buy Now purchases carry no buyer's premium. Auction lots do, at the rate shown in the sale's overview, and GST applies to the premium on taxable sales.

How does the Grays closing time extension work?

Every bid placed in the last 10 minutes of a sale extends it by 10 minutes from that bid. A lot closes only after 10 minutes pass with no new bids, so sniping in the final seconds does not work.

How long do I have to pay and collect at Pickles?

You have 24 hours to pay the invoice balance by bank transfer or ANZ deposit, and two days after paying in full to collect. Storage is $75 per day after that.

Do Pickles and Grays sell government vehicles with registration?

Some are sold registered and some unregistered; the listing says which. To register or transfer a vehicle you will usually need a roadworthy or safety certificate for your state, and you should run a PPSR search on the VIN before you bid.