Online Car Auctions: Salvage, Repairable & Used (2024)

FAQs

Are salvage car auctions worth it? ›

The most obvious benefit of buying a car with a salvage title is the price. These cars are not highly sought after, and very few people have the skills or patience to restore them. If you're looking for a good deal and aren't worried about looks, a salvage title car might be a good option.

Public buyers are eligible to bid on Copart auctions. 'No license required' vehicles are open to the public without restriction. View Copart's public auction inventory today.

In New Jersey, individuals wishing to buy or sell a few cars at auction don't need any kind of licensing. However, if you're planning to do so as a profession or as an organized business, licensing is required.

Salvage title and rebuilt title are both terms used to describe cars that have been declared totaled by an insurance company. The key difference is what has happened to the vehicle since. Cars get a salvage title when an insurer deems them a total loss and a rebuilt title after they are repaired to a driveable state.

On average, car dealers markup cars up to 30% that are bought at auctions. There are several reasons for this. The used cars at the auctions are not in a perfect driving condition and sometimes they won't even appeal to many bidders, that's why they are cheaper than the dealer's shops.

We recommend eBay as the best online auction website because it's free for buyers, fees are reasonable for sellers, and its platform is incredibly user-friendly.

You can drive a car directly off the lot if you have insurance on it and have access to dealer tags. Otherwise, we recommend you either have Copart ship it to your business address or hire a third-party transporter to bring it to you.

Copart's inventory is mainly composed of wrecked cars from insurance companies, but we also have some consumers who sell their clean title vehicles through us as well. You can find boats or power sports vehicles like jet skis at Copart too!

Does Copart let you walk around? ›

Can I visit a Copart location to preview vehicles? Yes, and in fact, we encourage you to visit. Although Copart provides 10 high-quality images and accurate descriptions for each vehicle, any information provided is for convenience only.

Buying a car at auction could result in a great vehicle at a bargain price. However, there are plenty of risks involved. Always be sure to run a vehicle history report and investigate the car's history before parting with your hard-earned cash.

You must first have a valid government-issued ID on file with Copart to be able to bid. Click here then click on the "Upload License" button in the top right corner to upload your government-issued ID if you have not already done so. Each state has its own specific licensing requirements.

The rationale is to relieve themselves of excess new car inventory imbalances or aged new cars, and instead replace them with fresh merchandise that they think will sell more quickly to a consumer. The whole reason cars go to the auction is to ensure inventory balance at the dealership.

Buyers would likely need to put in some repairs of their own in order to get the most out of their purchase. In California, salvage vehicles are not legal to drive on the road until they have been properly repaired and inspected.

Cars with rebuilt titles have typically been declared total losses by an insurance company and then repaired for resale. A car with a rebuilt title should sell for considerably less than a similar model with a "clean" title. Having a rebuilt title can also make a car more difficult to insure.