If the dealership is the stage, the Auto Auction is the backstage. This is the primary source of inventory for most independent dealers and where franchise dealers dump the "trash" they don’t want on their front lines. For the Sovereign Owner, understanding the auction is the key to understanding why a dealer offered you a certain amount for your trade. 1. THE BIG PLAYERS MANHEIM: The largest wholesale auto auction in the world (owned by Cox Automotive). When a dealer checks