How to check a VIN before you bid at a US auction
Learn how to read a VIN, spot a typo with the check digit and see the photos and every earlier sale of the car before you bid at Copart or IAAI.
Short guides on VIN checks, title and damage types, fair bids and shipping: what to know before you bid at Copart, IAAI or Encar.
Learn how to read a VIN, spot a typo with the check digit and see the photos and every earlier sale of the car before you bid at Copart or IAAI.
Many cars come back to auction. Learn what earlier sales of the same VIN tell you about relists, repairs, damage and mileage, and how Bidpier shows them.
US title types explained for auction buyers, clean, salvage, rebuilt and parts only, and why the rules depend on the state and on the country you import to.
Auction damage types explained, from front end and hail to flood and burn, what primary and secondary damage labels tell you, and what they leave out.
How to spot a flood car in auction photos, water lines, silt, corrosion and fogged lights, the title brands that may mark it, and why earlier sales matter.
Ten checks to make before you bid on a salvage car at Copart or IAAI: VIN, photos, damage, keys, title, mileage, sale history, prices, transport and fees.