WordPress Automotive Auction Site

I want to launch a full-featured car auction platform on WordPress. The CMS is non-negotiable because my in-house team is already comfortable maintaining content there, but the actual auction engine is still up for discussion. If WooCommerce Simple Auctions, Ultimate Auction, or even a totally different plugin—or a lightweight custom module—will give us smoother bidder flow and easier back-office control, convince me.

Here’s what I need to see working end-to-end:

• Vehicle owners (dealers or private sellers) can register, create a listing, upload photos/video, and set reserve / “buy it now” pricing.
• Bidders create an account, place manual or automatic bids, receive real-time updates, and check out securely once the hammer drops.
• Admin dashboard lets me approve listings, adjust fees, and relist unsold cars in one click.
• Responsive layout, clean automotive styling, and fast page loads—Google PageSpeed in the green on mobile and desktop.
• Stripe and PayPal ready on day one, with escrow or hold options for the winning bid.
• Email and in-site notifications for bid activity, outbid alerts, auction results, and payment reminders.

Acceptance criteria
1. I can publish a sample car, run a 24-hour test auction, and watch the timer, bid increments, and notifications behave exactly as expected.
2. A fresh user can move from sign-up to verified bidder in under three minutes without touching the WordPress back end.
3. After the test auction, payment clears through the chosen gateway and both seller and buyer receive confirmation emails with transaction details.

I’ll supply logo, color palette, and a few starter listings; you deliver the configured site, staging credentials, and a short Loom walkthrough so my team can manage future auctions on their own.

If you’ve built auction sites before—especially for vehicles—mention it and step to the front of the line.