Recommended Free Tools
Doug DeMuro said he launched Cars & Bids because he feared his online audience would eventually fade if he did not build a business around it. He also saw a possible opening for an enthusiast-car auction site with a more modern experience, but described that as a hypothesis—not a guaranteed route to success.
DeMuro’s stated reason: he feared losing his audience
In a May 16, 2023 interview on episode 456 of My First Million, DeMuro explained the personal motive plainly: “I was just terrified that I had this giant audience. And if I didn’t do something with them, they were going to start to go away eventually.” The episode transcript records his account.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Plays With Cars | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Bumper to Bumper | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Used Car Record Book (Police Book) | $32.99 | Buy on Amazon |
For DeMuro, building Cars & Bids was a way to turn attention from his media work into a business that could stand on another source of revenue. He presented the risk as one familiar to creators: an audience gathered online is not guaranteed to remain available indefinitely. This was his explanation of the decision, not evidence that his audience was already shrinking.
Why he thought another car auction site could work
DeMuro and his partner believed there might be room for a newer, more modern auction experience aimed at enthusiasts interested in relatively modern cars, initially vehicles from the 1980s onward. Bring a Trailer was already established, but DeMuro said they had heard complaints about listing delays and aspects of its site functionality.
#1 Best Overall
Those complaints informed the founders’ product hypothesis; they do not establish that the competing site was objectively deficient. DeMuro also acknowledged they had no secret insight that made success certain. The distinction matters: he described a perceived opportunity, not a proven market gap.
How DeMuro’s audience became a business advantage
His existing following offered Cars & Bids a way to reach potential sellers and buyers from the outset. In his account, that audience was both an asset the venture could use and the very thing he worried might fade. The platform therefore joined two ideas: a marketplace concept and a way to build a business around an audience he had already attracted.
Rank #2
DeMuro said he met an online viewer named Blake, who worked in technology and had recently sold a car on Bring a Trailer. According to DeMuro, Blake recognized some of the same shortcomings, provided seed money through his company, and became a partner. DeMuro said his audience helped him secure a substantial majority stake, while he took on significant operating work, including personally deciding whether early vehicle submissions would be accepted. The transcript does not give Blake’s surname.
The launch incentives brought submissions—and work
To attract early listings, DeMuro recalled offering $1,000 for each of the first 50 listings and $500 for each of the next 50. He estimated the campaign cost at about $75,000. He called it successful at drawing submissions, but said the influx also created an immediate workload: he recounted receiving 1,000 vehicle submissions in a single day.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
- 8-3/4" x 13-1/3"
- 256 pages, 3 forms per page, total of 768 vehicle records
- Prints in Black ink
- Packaged 1 per book
Those amounts and the one-day submission count are DeMuro’s recollections in the 2023 interview, not independently audited platform figures. They illustrate the trade-off in the launch strategy: an incentive could help seed a marketplace, but demand required people and processes to handle the listings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the interview does—and does not—say about current fees
During the same 2023 discussion, DeMuro described a 4.5% buyer fee, no seller fee, and shipping and recently launched inspections as other revenue components. These are historical statements from that interview, not confirmation of Cars & Bids’ current fees, services, or policies. Anyone considering a listing or purchase should check the platform’s current terms directly.
The business lesson in DeMuro’s account
DeMuro’s story is less about discovering a guaranteed winning auction formula than acting on two perceived assets: an audience he could bring to a new venture and a chance to improve an experience for a particular group of car enthusiasts. His stated fear supplied the urgency; the product idea and partnership supplied a way to act on it.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →
