Auto Rehab
Hail Truck vs. Wrecked Truck: Which One Is the Flip?
Hail-damaged trucks and collision trucks both end up at salvage auctions. What each kind of damage costs to fix, what you can't see in the photos, and which tends to be the…
Articles
Auction Buying
A Simple Max-Bid Sheet: Bid, Fees, Tow, Parts, Tax, Inspection
Bidding with your gut is how people overpay at salvage auctions. A one-page sheet to fill in before every bid, working backward from what the car is worth fixed.
Auction Buying
Carfax After the Sale: Why a Total Loss Can Show Up Late
You checked the history and it was clean. Weeks later, the total loss shows up. Why reports lag, how that bites flippers and buyers, and how to protect yourself either way.
Auto Rehab
Parts Car Math: When the Bid Is Only Worth the Motor
Sometimes a wreck is worth more in pieces. How to price an auction car as a parts donor, what actually sells, and the costs that turn a parts car into a loss.
Auction Buying
Why the Facebook Marketplace Truck Can Be Cheaper Than Copart After Fees
Auction prices look low until you add the fees, the tow, the title wait and the repairs. When a private-sale truck beats an auction truck, and when the auction still wins.
Auto Rehab
Insurance on a Salvage Car Before It's Rebuilt
A salvage-title car usually can't be registered or driven until it passes inspection, and that limits what insurance you can get. What to cover while it sits, and what changes once it's…
Auction Buying
Broker Fees on Top of Copart, and When You Can't Bid Yourself
Many salvage lots are open only to licensed buyers. A broker can bid for you, for a fee. What brokers charge, what they do, and how to keep the fee from eating…
Auction Buying
Storage Fees: What Happens If You Don't Pick Up Your Copart Car on Time
You get a few days to pay and pick up. After that, storage fees run every day. How to line up a tow before you bid, and what to do when the…
Auction Buying
The Seller You Don't See: Why the Insurer's Name Shows Up on the Title, Not the Listing
Copart and IAA listings often don't name the seller. You find out it was an insurer when the title shows up. Why it matters, and what the seller type tells you about…
Auction Buying
Run the VIN: How a $14,000 'Clean' Car Turns Out to Be a $6,000 Copart Total
Plenty of cars sold on Marketplace and small lots came through a salvage auction. How to check a VIN for auction history before you buy, and what the photos tell you.
Auction Buying
Buying a Salvage Tesla? Autopilot, FSD and Supercharging May Not Come With It
Salvage Teslas are all over Copart. Tesla limits support on salvage-titled cars: Supercharging, warranty and driver-assist features can be cut off. What to know before you bid on one.
Auction Buying
IAA's Fees in 2026, Next to Copart's
IAA added a service fee, environmental fee and title-handling fee from July 1, 2026. How they stack up against Copart's gate and environmental fees, and why you compare all-in, not by line.