Claims that used car dealers are evolving into brokers who buy to a customer's order and take returns on a commission basis have been rejected by industry experts.

A report in Autocar claims that by 2005, 40% of all used car sales could be made using brokers. These would typically be used car dealers who offer price savings on the traditional sales process by sourcing cars direct from auction or through remarketing firms. Existing brokers claim to be able to source a specified vehicle within a month.

Critics of the development argue that consumers must buy unseen, which opens the market to unscrupulous operators. Cap Black Book senior editor Daren Wiseman drew parallels between brokers and internet-based retailing and believed both would be successful in the new car market, but were not for used car buyers.