How not to lose margin at Copart and IAAI
No filler: what a lot really costs, which titles to walk away from, and when winning the bidding does not mean owning the car.
How to read a CARFAX report: two samples explained
One owner does not mean no damage. Read the summary alongside the actual events.
Read
Free CARFAX reports: where to look and what checks include
A seller may already have a report for the car. An availability check is a different service.
Read
MV-907A title check: how to look up a New York salvage certificate and liens on the DMV site
One in three lots from New York sells on an MV-907A certificate. The state DMV lets you check for an active lien in a minute, free and without an account.
Read
How Copart works: buying a car as a foreign buyer
Who is allowed to bid at Copart, how much you need on deposit before the first bid, and where a broker fits. The auction’s mechanics from sign-up to a won lot.
Read
EV customs in Ukraine in 2026: 20% VAT, €1 per kWh excise and worked examples
The VAT exemption ended on 1 January 2026. An electric car now costs a little over 20% of its value to clear — here is the formula and the numbers.
Read
Copart and IAAI glossary: lot page terms and how to read the invoice
Every flag on a lot page means less than it sounds like. Here is what each one actually records — and what it does not promise.
Read
Certifying a US car in Ukraine: first registration and the 2026 rules
A cleared car still cannot be registered. Between customs and plates sit certification, a lighting conversion and the pension fund fee.
Read
Certificate of Destruction: what it means and whether the car can be exported
The cheapest lots at auction often carry this document. Legally it is no longer a vehicle but a set of parts — and that changes everything.
Read
Salvage vs Rebuilt title: the difference and what it does to the price
Salvage is a car an insurer wrote off. Rebuilt is the same car after repair and inspection. The gap between them is weeks, money and a question of trust.
Read
After winning a Copart lot: payment deadline, storage, late fees and relist
The clock starts when the hammer falls. Three business days to pay, then a late fee, then storage every day — and eventually your lot is sold again at your expense.
Read
How much a Rebuilt Title cuts a car’s value: how to estimate it and set your bid
The 20–40% rule is only the start. The real discount depends on the damage type, the paperwork and the model — and it decides how much you can pay for the lot.
Read
How to track a car shipped from the US: stages, numbers and where to check
There is no single “track by VIN”: every leg of the journey has its own number and its own place to look. Here is the map of the whole route.
Read
Importing a US car to Georgia in 2026: the 1.5 and 4.5 GEL excise, import tax and worked examples
Since April 2026 a car’s age matters more than its price in Georgia: the seventh year triples the excise. The formula, examples and what it does to your bid.
Read
Importing a US car to Kazakhstan in 2026: 15% duty, 16% VAT, the recycling fee and the 500 MRP registration
In Kazakhstan the biggest charge is not duty but first registration: 500 MRP for a car over three years old. Here is how that changes which lot you pick.
Read
Importing a US car to Kyrgyzstan in 2026: the EAEU flat rates in euro per cm³, with examples
In Kyrgyzstan the bill is computed from cubic centimetres, not price — and a car’s fifth year doubles the rate. The full table and three examples.
Read
Importing a US car to Uzbekistan in 2026: 40% + $3 per cm³ duty, and why to run the numbers first
On a car over three years old, duty alone in Uzbekistan exceeds the price of the car. Here is the formula and the categories where importing still works.
Read
Copart and IAAI fees in 2026: every buyer charge and how to price a lot properly
Your bid is roughly 75–85% of what you actually pay the auction. Here is every Copart and IAAI charge, what moves it, and how to price a lot before you bid.
Read
Landed cost of a US car: from the auction bid to customs clearance
The auction bid is roughly half of what you will pay. Here is the other half — and how to work your maximum bid backwards from the margin you need.
Read
Pure Sale, On Approval and Seller's Reserve: Copart and IAAI sale statuses explained
Winning the auction and buying the car are not the same thing. Here is what every Copart and IAAI sale status means for your bid.
Read
US car titles explained: Clean, Salvage, Rebuilt and Junk — and what can actually be exported
The title is the document that decides everything: whether the car leaves the country, whether it clears customs, and what the deal really costs.
Read
Copart and IAAI damage codes: which ones actually destroy your margin
Translating a damage code is easy. Knowing which ones cost a hundred dollars and which close the deal before you bid is the part that matters.
Read
How to check a US car's history by VIN: Carfax, AutoCheck and their blind spots
A VIN report is the cheapest way to avoid buying someone else's problem. But its limits deserve as much attention as its contents.
Read
Window sticker by VIN: how to check factory equipment on a US car
An auction listing gives you three lines. The factory sticker tells you exactly how the car left the line and what it cost when new.
ReadFree tools
Check any lot before you bid — no sign-up.