I've done it through Regal Auctions in Calgary once. It's a hands-off way to sell a vehicle, but it'll cost you, as you'll be getting a lower sale price.
This is not as much due to the commission the auction house charges, as to the fact that the people who shop at public auctions for private consignment vehicles are usually (very) budget minded. This is understandable, given that they won't have a chance to drive the vehicle, and so are taking the risk of something cropping up post sale that could not have been detected by them though a visual inspection at the auction yard.
The auction companies such as Regal offer a warranty for major component failures, but that only covers so much.
Where selling a car like this makes sense is if it's an older, inexpensive vehicle that is in less than good repair, and the required repairs are not economical if done through a shop due to time required * shop labour rates (for example, many small issues like switchgear/instrument cluster problems that would require taking apart the dashboard, or something difficult to diagnose in the charging system, etc).
Also, keep in mind that potentially many people will be crawling through your vehicle during the inspection period, especially if it goes through the auction floor more than once (meaning, doesn't sell on the first go-round). There is a limit on the time and the number of sale attempts by the auction house, but you can reduce your price if you see no interest the first time or two.
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