That's a possibility but it depends on the auction yard. Most will require you
to have or be with someone who has a Dealer License. Insurance auctions
generally are not open to the general public though that are.
One of the biggest insurance auctioneer companies is Copart
(http://www.copart.com). They used to pick up about 95% of the totaled
vehicles from my shop when I was still in the towing business. Copart's
auctions are not open to the general public but the public can open a buyer's
account with them. I don't know what the requirements are but I would assume
it would involve some sort of credit check and probably some upfront capital.
In reality, the insurance companies don't want the general public to have
access to complete, total loss vehicles to prevent any funny business. They
prefer the vehicles get purchased by auto recyclers and parted out. And many
recycler yards wont sell complete vehicles since they're worth more in parts
than as a whole.
Copart has a location near me in New Britain, CT. I used to sub-contract for
them, with my carrier, from time to time when they had a heavy workload.
Another huge auction yard is Southern Auto Auction (http://www.southern-aa.com)
in East Windsor, CT. But they deal mostly with dealer trades, lease turn-ins
and repossessed vehicles. I used to drop stuff there all the time. They're
not open to the public and you need to be a registered licensed dealer to even
get in the gates. The place is Huge! 300+ acres and dealerships throughout the
entire eastern US channel stock through there. Transports pulling in and out
24hrs a day with Wed being Auction day. Complete zoo on auction day but cool as
hell if you can get in. I bought my 83 Dodge conversion van there back in 87
for $3000. I got in with a frind who was an auto wholesaler. Drove the thing
for an additional 150k and got $3000 for it from the insurance company when it
was totaled from being rear ended in 94.
If you have the contacts to get into one of those auctions, you can find some
decent deals there.
Walt
In article <dkfvs8$m9o$1@bent.twistedbits.net>, sneezer@gmail.com writes:
> Best option is an insurance auto auction. If you are close to a major
> metropolitan area there is usually one or two out there. When an insurance
> company pays for a totalled vehicle, it is then transferred to a salvage
yard.
> These yards sell the complete vehicle at pennies on the dollar. Sometimes it
is
> done in an auction format, other times by soliciting bids. Each state is
going
> to be different on how a salvage title is handled. Some states do not even
have
> a provision for declaring a vehicle as salvage. Others do not transfer from
> state to state. Thus a vehicle salvaged in one state may be retitled in
another
> with a clean title. It depends on the state though. You can always get
> insurance on a salvaged vehicle, but you may be limited to liability only, no
> comp/coll due to the salvage. If it has a rebuilt/recertified title you can
> usually get comp/coll, but the value of the vehicle is significantly lower.
> Where a non salvage vehicle may have an ACV of $15k, a rebuilt may be $5k.
None
> of this applies if you are looking for a parts truck though.
>
> You might get lucky finding someone on one of the boards or ebay, but chances
> are it won't be close. Figure $1-2k to transport a disabled vehicle.
>
>
> Kevin
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