Auction Buying
Wire or Card: The Buyer-Fee Gap on the Same Copart Car
Copart charges a higher buyer fee when you pay with an unsecured method. On a $3,000 bid it's $175 more; on a $10,000 bid, $390. Here's why, and how to plan for…
Articles
Auction Buying
Copart Says the Title Is Coming 'Tomorrow.' What to Do When It Doesn't
You paid, the car's in your shop, and the title is late, or lost. Why auction titles get delayed, why a bill of sale won't register the car, and the steps that…
Auction Buying
What a $3,000 Copart Bid Really Costs After Fees and a Tow
The bid is not the price. A $3,000 Copart win, line by line: buyer fee, gate, environmental, internet bid fee, transport, and what's left before the first part.
RVs
Buying a Used RV at Auction: Water Damage and Hidden Costs
RVs at auction can sell for a fraction of retail, and many have hidden water damage. What to check on motorhomes and campers, the chassis vs. house problems, titles, and why fall…
Heavy Equipment
Buying Heavy Equipment at Auction (IronPlanet, Purple Wave, and More)
Skid steers, excavators, loaders and tractors sell at online auctions every week. Where to buy, how to read the inspection reports, what to check, and the transport costs people forget.
Auto Rehab
Airbag-Deployment Cars: What the Repair Really Involves
A car with deployed airbags is a much bigger repair than the dents suggest. Every part that has to be replaced after a deployment, why it adds up so fast, and the…
Auction Buying
Hyundai and Kia Theta II Engines: What to Know Before You Bid
Millions of Sonatas, Santa Fes, Optimas and Sportages got the Theta II engine, and plenty of them end up at auction with a blown motor. The recalls, the settlement, the knock sensor…
Auction Buying
Jeep Wrangler JK (2007–2018) Problems to Check Before You Bid
JK Wranglers hold their value, but they come with death wobble, early 3.8 oil burning, TIPM electrical gremlins, leaky tops and off-road abuse. What to check before you bid.
Auction Buying
Chevy Tahoe and Suburban (2015–2020) Problems to Check Before You Bid
Full-size GM SUVs, including retired police and fleet units, show up at auction all the time. AFM lifters, the 8-speed shudder, cracked AC condensers and what to check before you bid.
Auction Buying
Toyota Tundra (2014–2021) Problems to Check Before You Bid
The second-generation Tundra's 5.7 V8 has a reputation for running forever, but it has a few known weak spots: the secondary air injection pump, cam tower leaks and frame rust. What to…
Auction Buying
Copart Buyer Fees Explained: What Gets Added to Your Bid
The winning bid is never what you pay. The fees Copart adds on top, how they scale with price, the ones people forget, and how to build them into your maximum bid.
Trailers
Auction Trailers: Titles, VINs, and Paperwork
Trailers can be the easiest money at an auction, or the hardest to register. VIN plates, homemade trailers, titles by weight, and the checks to make before you bid.