Copart

[Daylight 28]

Afternoon all,

I have never looked at, or even considered Copart for sourcing stock previously. I'm still not, however i'm thinking about a replacement daily knocker for myself.

It goes without saying I don't care about any potential car being on the register, it won't be a high value, just a big old diesel estate most likely. I had no knowledge of their selling process, but I have followed a few sales recently online to get to grips with the bidding system. I guess my main question is, what should I avoid? 

At BCA we know what UKCGR cars are and also Multi Vendor, any tips to spot such cars with Copart? Should anything Unrecorded be avoided? I assume the engine will likely be held in with cable ties etc? 

Do people bid in person at salvage auctions? (not at the moment obviously)

Feel free to PM if you'd rather not share publicly

Thanks

[Casper 272]

Watch salvage rebuilds uk on youtube Rob did a good video last week on what to look out for .https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4RsefesoZis

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Casper

[Lakeside 94]

I’d avoid unrecorded. It’s usually dealers px scrap. I’d also avoid categorised cars that appear to have no damage as it’s usually cars that have been bodge repaired and sent back through for a quick profit.

The start and drive guarantee is a bit iffy aswell, as all that means is it will start and move a few inches under its own steam. Doesn’t guarantee that the engines not knocking its boobs off. 

[Casper 272]

5 hours ago, Lakeside said:

I’d avoid unrecorded. It’s usually dealers px scrap. I’d also avoid categorised cars that appear to have no damage as it’s usually cars that have been bodge repaired and sent back through for a quick profit.

The start and drive guarantee is a bit iffy aswell, as all that means is it will start and move a few inches under its own steam. Doesn’t guarantee that the engines not knocking its boobs off. 

Friend of mine bought an octavia as a non runner turns out it was a flat battery apparently copart don't try and jump start or boost them . Also if you get one watch they don't damage it on the fork lift 

 

6 hours ago, Daylight said:

Afternoon all,

I have never looked at, or even considered Copart for sourcing stock previously. I'm still not, however i'm thinking about a replacement daily knocker for myself.

It goes without saying I don't care about any potential car being on the register, it won't be a high value, just a big old diesel estate most likely. I had no knowledge of their selling process, but I have followed a few sales recently online to get to grips with the bidding system. I guess my main question is, what should I avoid? 

At BCA we know what UKCGR cars are and also Multi Vendor, any tips to spot such cars with Copart? Should anything Unrecorded be avoided? I assume the engine will likely be held in with cable ties etc? 

Do people bid in person at salvage auctions? (not at the moment obviously)

Feel free to PM if you'd rather not share publicly

Thanks

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by Casper

[metcars 397]

Does anyone remember Universal Salvage? Their site at sandwich in Kent. Where everyone stood behind the viewing barrier and the guys drove the cars around in a lap! And the little golf cart made into a mobile rostrum!

[Casper 272]

28 minutes ago, metcars said:

Does anyone remember Universal Salvage? Their site at sandwich in Kent. Where everyone stood behind the viewing barrier and the guys drove the cars around in a lap! And the little golf cart made into a mobile rostrum!

I remember universal salvage Northern salvage in Scotland did something similar but it was a pick up with a back that was the mobile rostrum. 

[Lakeside 94]

5 hours ago, Casper said:

Friend of mine bought an octavia as a non runner turn out it was a flat battery apparently copart don't try and jump start or boost them . Also if you get one watch they don't damage it on the fork lift 

 

 

See I’ve heard that happen a few times but it may be more down to luck than anything. Copart work on commission so will do as much as they can to get the highest price for their cars, they will defiantly get them running if they can.

[Casper 272]

16 minutes ago, Lakeside said:

See I’ve heard that happen a few times but it may be more down to luck than anything. Copart work on commission so will do as much as they can to get the highest price for their cars, they will defiantly get them running if they can.

Yeah i guess it depends who is  doing the assessment if they can be arsed on the day .

[Daylight 28]

15 hours ago, Casper said:

Watch salvage rebuilds uk on youtube Rob did a good video last week on what to look out for .https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4RsefesoZis

 

Thanks I’ll take a look

15 hours ago, Lakeside said:

I’d avoid unrecorded. It’s usually dealers px scrap. I’d also avoid categorised cars that appear to have no damage as it’s usually cars that have been bodge repaired and sent back through for a quick profit.

The start and drive guarantee is a bit iffy aswell, as all that means is it will start and move a few inches under its own steam. Doesn’t guarantee that the engines not knocking its boobs off. 

That was my hunch too. The marker doesn’t bother me at all, I’m just looking for something with light damage to bolt on replacement parts or a minor paint repairs. 
 

Basically bangernomics, my trusty mk5 Golf GT Tdi I gave £500 off dealer auction 3yrs ago has done its duty and ready for a new owner (abroad). 
 

Thanks 

[Casper 272]

1 hour ago, Daylight said:

bangernomics

Best way isn't it there is something satisfying about driving something  that cost less than than a new cars first payments .  

[metcars 397]

45 minutes ago, Casper said:

Best way isn't it there is something satisfying about driving something  that cost less than than a new cars first payments .  

Yes! Love me a cheap smoker! 

All that ‘showboating’ in a German convertible might impress the girlfriend but otherwise makes you look a knob 

[Casper 272]

3 minutes ago, metcars said:

Yes! Love me a cheap smoker! 

All that ‘showboating’ in a German convertible might impress the girlfriend but otherwise makes you look a knob 

Haha  my thoughts exactly 

[J.B 19]

I'd quite happily have a punt on some cheap fixers but whenever I've watched anything remotely interesting, it always seems to make money only sensible for something that hasn't been written off! The collection worries me a bit as well, I've heard it's a nightmare and takes hours. I haven't got the patience these days 

[Paul C 75]

They only deliver now, no collections.

[Halfpenny 114]

Years ago, as a previous premises, I had a Chief jig with their Genesis laser system. Nice bit of kit.  For a few years I did a profitable sideline repairing salvage for sale - did it properly.  But the price of salvage started to go up and Tomacz, Dick and Harry were paying stupid prices for the lightly damaged stuff. Wasn't worth doing unless you were prepared to bodge it. Now when I see any decent DR's the prices are close to what I'd pay for a clean-ish car so not sure its worth the bother.

[New year revolutions...... 197]

I went to copart about 2 months ago to view a commercial,it was accident damaged but checking its history and also looking on facebook I could see the vehicle had come direct from the company via insurance as it had been posted up as breaking a traffic with a photo of the driver even eating a lolly ,anyway after talking to the chap who accompanies you through all the mangled wrecks at copart he also explained that the long numbers in the window tell copart who the vendor is in relation to say salvage /private entry /or indeed a company disposal/

So after checking the vehicle and working out the coatings £400 + in transportation fees alone I set my marker and sat down to bid on the day

I got took out as fast as I could bid and realised that whatever I bid was not going to buy it so walked away from the keyboard

I studied autotrader and found a direct off fleet vehicle some 100 miles away and made an appointment to see it,once there I didn't even need to drive it but just bought it and drove it back

It then went off for a new  body fitting and then we had lockdown so it's the most expensive landmark I've ever purchased

Moral of the story

Copart isn't the cheapest place if willing to travel and do your homework

[Casper 272]

Its probably not worth it now unless really cheap or as the original poster says a daily driver  a guy i worked for did really well out it for years in-fact at time he nearly got the contract from a large insurance company to buy all there salvage but someone else got it in the end .

a lot of his stuff was bought from hudson kepell scratch and dent in the later years hes retired now and sold his garage infact its no longer there

on the subject of cheap cars i bought a diesel vectra evans halshaw part ex from the auction for a friend for a cheap runner think it was £600 out the door but 3 years later its still going strong was father and son owned before hand and been a good car so was his previous one  think that was £1200 and a again he had it 3 years 

[metcars 397]

20 hours ago, Casper said:

Watch salvage rebuilds uk on youtube Rob did a good video last week on what to look out for .https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4RsefesoZis

 

I’ve watched this guy and he seems to be doing a stand up job. But sadly he is not representative of the majority of salvage repairers, who focus on the minimum spend and maximum profits. My involvement with salvage was pre copart back in the ‘90s. But the prices were getting silly and comparable with straight auctions even back in those days. The majority of the cars were going over to Europe. You’d see the lorries parked outside ready to go. Im guessing that back home they could register them in their own country and the history was wiped clean, which made all those BMW/Mercedes much more lucrative to sell?

im not sure who the typical Copart customer is these days? YouTubers, dreamers, who knows? Brexit will have an impact that’s for sure.

[J.B 19]

6 minutes ago, metcars said:

im not sure who the typical Copart customer is these days? YouTubers, dreamers, who knows? Brexit will have an impact that’s for sure.

Definitely, according to my local Copart account manager (who contacted me by facebook when i was trying to clear a spares/repair smokey 1 series on marketplace) a lot of their customers are exporters who will either strip them down for parts or clock them, fill it up lucas oil stabiliser and flog them on overseas..

[metcars 397]

8 minutes ago, J.B said:

Definitely, according to my local Copart account manager (who contacted me by facebook when i was trying to clear a spares/repair smokey 1 series on marketplace) a lot of their customers are exporters who will either strip them down for parts or clock them, fill it up lucas oil stabiliser and flog them on overseas..

The Eastern European scrap guys just love that German prestige stuff. I’ve got a guy here at the corner of my road rebuilding them in his front garden. He’s always got a couple in various stages of repair. I gave no idea how or where he advertises as I’ve never found him. His cars are parked all over the place yet he never attracts any ‘heat’? He’s got a lovely house, big garden and workshop, wife and kids at school. I reckon if you totalled up his own cars and his stock it’s worth more than my house? Or at least it was......?

[Daylight 28]

4 hours ago, Casper said:

Best way isn't it there is something satisfying about driving something  that cost less than than a new cars first payments .  

Absolutely, i think that when I see smug looking tw@ts driving their PCP'd Audi's. Your car is nice looking but 3 payments buys and runs mine for 2 years 

1 hour ago, New year revolutions...... said:

I went to copart about 2 months ago to view a commercial,it was accident damaged but checking its history and also looking on facebook I could see the vehicle had come direct from the company via insurance as it had been posted up as breaking a traffic with a photo of the driver even eating a lolly ,anyway after talking to the chap who accompanies you through all the mangled wrecks at copart he also explained that the long numbers in the window tell copart who the vendor is in relation to say salvage /private entry /or indeed a company disposal/

So after checking the vehicle and working out the coatings £400 + in transportation fees alone I set my marker and sat down to bid on the day

I got took out as fast as I could bid and realised that whatever I bid was not going to buy it so walked away from the keyboard

I studied autotrader and found a direct off fleet vehicle some 100 miles away and made an appointment to see it,once there I didn't even need to drive it but just bought it and drove it back

It then went off for a new  body fitting and then we had lockdown so it's the most expensive landmark I've ever purchased

Moral of the story

Copart isn't the cheapest place if willing to travel and do your homework

I hear that if you're after something specific, I'm not though. I'll just keep any eye out for anything lightly damaged that fits the bill and take a punt. Same with ebay/facebook etc but less likely facebook as every motor I see on there is absolute dross being sold by a shifty trader pretending to be a private seller

[Casper 272]

41 minutes ago, metcars said:

I’ve watched this guy and he seems to be doing a stand up job. But sadly he is not representative of the majority of salvage repairers, who focus on the minimum spend and maximum profits. My involvement with salvage was pre copart back in the ‘90s. But the prices were getting silly and comparable with straight auctions even back in those days. The majority of the cars were going over to Europe. You’d see the lorries parked outside ready to go. Im guessing that back home they could register them in their own country and the history was wiped clean, which made all those BMW/Mercedes much more lucrative to sell?

im not sure who the typical Copart customer is these days? YouTubers, dreamers, who knows? Brexit will have an impact that’s for sure.

Before the dvla used to issue the same number back they used to put a private plate on cars it would then come back with a complete different new reg in the 80s and 90s i remember cars getting new regs my cousin took a private reg off his car in the early 90s so did a friend both got new age related plates . but im unsure if it totally cleared the status though off a write off but my old boss said it did i only asked cause the garage owned a lot of 4 number 2 letter and 3 letter 3 number plates a vice versa but were like ax etc or avu tht kind of thing as well as irish plates

my old boss told me an e reg Mercedes which had never been damaged and bought new once was given.a d reg in error and they wouldnt do anything about it saying it related to year of manufacture as it was an import   .but had previously been an e reg and was bought the same day as the big bosses e reg one which he owned for years and imported both from german not sure how reliable it is but have no reason to doubt him as he wasn't the type of guy that talked bullshit 

Edited April 27, 2020 by Casper

[Daylight 28]

1 minute ago, metcars said:

The Eastern European scrap guys just love that German prestige stuff. I’ve got a guy here at the corner of my road rebuilding them in his front garden. He’s always got a couple in various stages of repair. I gave no idea how or where he advertises as I’ve never found him. His cars are parked all over the place yet he never attracts any ‘heat’? He’s got a lovely house, big garden and workshop, wife and kids at school. I reckon if you totalled up his own cars and his stock it’s worth more than my house? Or at least it was......?

They do, I'm sure we've all seen it at the physical auctions. As soon as any Audi gets near the hall, the eastern european fellas are all over it mob-handed and paying strong money for them.

I think, unless you know the value of every car in every international marketplace, you can't underestimate it's value to some. I used to have an export guy for France that would take any 05 onwards VAG rubbish, regardless of miles, marker or faults. Always for way more than they'd make in the block or on ebay

[Paul C 75]

Isn't the steering wheel on the wrong side?

[Lucky13 14]

7 hours ago, Paul C said:

Isn't the steering wheel on the wrong side?

Normally export them back to the UK therefore loosing the damaged marker