Copart is legit but I always look at cars in person, Don't alwaystrust then when it says runs and drives, I've seen them say run and drive when the engine was broke to the point that there was no way in hell it would have started or moved under it's own power. Also be ready to pay a premium price for that car they are still a hot item and likely will be for a long time.

Copart Claimed "Runs and Drives" But The Engine Is Broke In Half... WORST Auction Purchase Ever!!! - YouTube

 

There's one right around the corner from our house. Know nothing about them other than I'm shocked at the volume of cars going in and coming out of there weekly. I cringe when I see trailers of totaled cars leaving there thinking they'll be "refurbished" and put back on the road soon.

 

Engine Packages Archives - Cleveland Power & Performance

Late Model domestic high performance drive-lines

www.clevelandpap.com

Another option, maybe?

Dennis

 

Oh that might be a pretty slick option actually.

 

I tried it one time.

never again.

I ended up getting a better deal for my project car off of craigslist

 

If I was into flipping cars it might be worth it, but for a one off project car I had to go thru a broker to do my bidding

 

Just a warning they have more fees than you can think of.
How much are those wrecked Hellcats going for? I was think of the same thing

Check out this guys Youtube channel

https://www.youtube.com/@KhalSRT

 

Just a warning they have more fees than you can think of.
How much are those wrecked Hellcats going for? I was think of the same thing

Check out this guys Youtube channel

https://www.youtube.com/@KhalSRT

^^^^ This!!!

We had a Copart account over two decade ago, it was dealers and recyclers only then. We did pretty well until the Russians and the Arabs got in on it. They were paying way more than the value of the vehicle in the states. Since they opened up to the public it's an amateur shit show.

 

Just looking around...

Wrecked Hellcat Arrivals - Cleveland Power & Performance (clevelandpap.com)

Salvage Dodge Challengers For Sale In Minnesota (erepairables.com)

 

I found a LS2 on Co-part. It was a 2007 Corvette drop out. I picked it up myself and all went smooth. Most the advertisers are professional wrecking yards.

 

If you meet someone from Copart.....stab them in the eye for what they did to close Etown. I know it sounds harsh and all, ......but still Id be OK with it.

 

As mentioned the fees are ridiculous and they keep piling them on. I bought a GSP Mustang from them a few years back and was high bidder but they wouldnt sell it for the bid and ended up having to pay a higher price for it. Have not bought from them since.

 

You will need to go with someone who has an account or use a broker. Copart totally sucks. That is who we buy cars through and they suck. They handle everything with fork trucks, the drive ways are a shit show, full of big holes that bounce the vehicles all over the forks, and the invoices say that the vehicles are handled with fork trucks and there will be damage. Never, ever buy a vehicle without looking it over in person. Especially an expensive unit. The Copart salvage sales are the last best deals in the car kingdom. There are some real deals to be had there, but a guy can get screwed BAD,too. It is not for the faint of heart, or inexperienced buyer.

 

I have a Dealer in the family that tracks Copart for insurance totals…..some real deals IF you know your stuff.

 

Might also try IAA

 

We use IAA; Copart's customer service is second to none (as in bad) and the aforementioned fees. Still, finding any kind of a bargain on a salvage Hellcat is going to be a neat trick. They're hands down one of the most sought after units and everybody and their dog is out there looking for them.

 

A lot of them in south Florida from hurricane Ian, they have three huge yards a few miles from me, for a month to 6 weeks trucks going in loaded non stop, classics, hot rods, ferraris you name it, now they are coming out I assume bought online, you can see the salt line up to the roof on most of them.

 

IAA has hundreds of Ian cars listed on their website, most sold with a certificate of destruction only. Some dealers will buy them and if repairable (many are if the water didn't get too high), use them for personal drivers and run them on the street with dealer tags. Just don't get caught; you'll lose your car and you can go to jail for it.

 

get ready to pay as much in "FEES" as you do for the car!

 

if your not a dealer or salvage yard you have to use a broker and the fees will kill it. Those photographers who can take a picture of a fat girl for the year book and make her look like a beauty queen also work for Salvage pools. The pictures can hide a lot of stuff or should say miss a lot of stuff. If your going to bid you had better go look at it in person to see what your really getting. I have not yet been able to buy anything because the bids go through the roof. There is good money in junk and good junk is like gold now.

 

Those photographers who can take a picture of a fat girl for the year book and make her look like a beauty queen also work for Salvage pools.

No joke. Only way I'd do one now, would have to be one I (or someone I trust) can look at in person first.

 

I looked at a truck in person that was missing all four inner fender wells, the lower radiator support, the exhaust from the manifolds back and had dents that were as big as golf balls in the roof but did not show in the pictures. I drove 4 hours to look at it before I bid and was glad I did. I ended up not even bothering because the damage was not bad but the parts missing were what would have kept me from fixing it. I had seen it in the St Louis pool first, then 6 months later it was in Sikeston MO pool and between the two it lost a lot of parts. Someone did buy it and put it back together but they did not make much on it.

 

You need to be patient and dont get your heart set on one unit. Most (like 90%) of the stuff sells for clean title/ no damage money. There are deals to be had but you need to be willing to walk. Have a max price in mind, factor in fees witch can run 15+% and bid live. Let the clock just about run out before bidding. Dont take it personnel and get in a bidding war. Over the years I have grabbed a few cars including a Ferrari 360, a f150 that i currently drive and a few others. This week I picked up a enclosed trailer but bid on 5 others scratching my head over he price before getting this deal. Mind you this took place over a 3month period.

The price was lets say 10k and with a secure payment my fees are almost 2k.

Number 1 that needs to be said is inspect in person. Lots of people buy cars and re-run the cars making the damage look minor. Have seen brand new fenders taped on with the frame 2ft back, brand new headlights zip-tied in etc. The place is a jungle with hungry people from all over the world looking to make 2 cents. The out of country guys dont give a shit about branded titles.

Another thing to keep in mind is the work and cost to rebuild a title (all sates are differnet) and if there is a title problem like a lien release needed , good luck dealing with copart. It also becomes tuf to get full coverage on R titles cars and if you do there will be a depreciation if there is a payout.

 

If you cant look at the car in person, dont even consider copart, it's a scam shitshow for the most part. You have ZERO idea what you are actually getting. People buy totaled cars, do a little work to hide how bad they are and put them right back on copart. Even a child can expose them:

 

If you cant look at the car in person, dont even consider copart, it's a scam shitshow for the most part. You have ZERO idea what you are actually getting. People buy totaled cars, do a little work to hide how bad they are and put them right back on copart. Even a child can expose them:

You have to be smart enough to only buy cars that are for sale from an insurance company. I buy quite a few cars from Insurance Auto Auctions and almost never look at them in person before hand. I would never buy one that is listed by anyone other than a major insurance company though because almost every other seller is trying to fuck you.

 

This guy sums it up as well. 30% of copart cars have bad engines.

 

Thanks guys, I guess wont even look at that place anymore. Seems like totaled out ones there are going in the 30s and I just saw a running and driving clean title one for sale locally here for 35k...if its too much of a headache, I guess maybe I would just buy the redeye hellcat crate unit and find a trans and go that route with Holley EFI.

 

I am currently waiting on CoPart (in Orlando FL) to send me a Salvage Title for my 2009 Hyundai Sonata (115,000 miles).

My daughter was the driver for this car (it was basically her car, but still in my name....luckily, she was NOT injured!) and back in August she was sitting at a red light, and a guy ran into the back of the car. Guy actually had insurance! Imagine that!
Anyway, his Ins. adjuster finally came out (was able to drive it home fine) and looked it over, took a ton of pics, I started the car up for him, etc. and he then told me he would total it. This currently happens a lot with insurance companies now-a-days......supply shortages, body shops too busy, can't find labor in the body shops, etc.
So, weeks later I finally got a settlement amount from said ins. company......$3800.00 if they retained title, $2650.00 if I retained title. I had already been looking at similar cars for sale online, same condition, mileage, etc and getting ready for their lowball offer! Sure enough, had I taken their first offer, I would need to put nearly $2000.00 with it to buy a comparable used car.....with them retaining the title for my car and having the ins. company pick it up (CoPart I'm sure).
Anyway, I told them this and refused their offer. After nearly a month of them trying to get me to accept it, they finally said they would "rerun the car through a different valuation company" to see what they could offer me........somehow, the settlement prices rose approx. $2000.00......

I decided to retain the title, and have since received the settlement check......now waiting for CoPart to mail me the Salvage Title.......I will then need to take the car to an inspection company, then take their "Passed" certificate to the Tag Agency and a new title will be issued, and the car is then road ready and sellable. I already have fixed the car, less painting, and probably won't paint it as I am selling it to a friend for 3K.......the car is in perfect operating condition, and I have owned it since new......he's getting a good deal......considering the used car landscape currently.
I bought all good clean used parts at a local LKQ Used Parts JY ($310.00), straightened the trunk areas, installed all of the parts, and actually drove it for a few weeks, before I had to send my title and a POA to CoPart so the salvage title could be processed.

What an experience it has been so far! But, actually did pretty good considering I will net over $7000.00 once my friend buys it.

 

Insurance salvage vehicles are the last, best deals in the automobile world. BUT! It's not for everyone. There are good reasons why there are still good deals to be had.