Copart Review: Buy, Auction or Sell a Car (2024 Guide) (2024)

Copart is an online auction site where drivers can buy and sell used cars. The company claims it will purchase cars in any condition, whether your vehicle is in good shape or has significant damage. In this review, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will look at how to sell a car to Copart, what the car-buying process is like and how it compares to the best websites to sell a car online.

Key Takeaways

  • Copart is an online auction site where you can bid on vehicles or receive an instant offer to sell your own.
  • We found that Copart tends to give slightly lower instant offers than some other car sales sites, especially if the vehicle is older or has higher mileage.
  • Customers who’ve purchased a car through a Copart auction review the company positively, but those who sell vehicles to the company have mixed experiences.

Our Copart Rating: 8.6 out of 10

After evaluating Copart on its industry standing, platform, cost, support and customer experience, we rate the company 8.6 out of 10 and give it our Quick Payments designation.

Our RatingScore
Overall8.6
Industry Standing9.8
Platform8.4
Cost7.2
Support9.4
Customer Experience9.2

Copart Pros and Cons

Pros

Sellers receive fast payments upon vehicle pickupMost vehicle pickups occur within 24 to 48 hoursWill purchase cars in any condition

Cons

Website isn’t as simple to use as competitors’Many fees for buyers

What Is Copart?

Copart is an online vehicle auction platform headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Members can bid on vehicles ranging from exotic cars to used vehicles. Copart features clean and salvage cars, SUVs, motorcycles and ATVs.

Copart members, whether individuals or businesses, can also sell a car through the company. Those looking to sell a car will go through CashForCars.com, a subsidiary of Copart. Copart will accept cars in any condition, including total loss and salvage vehicles, making it one of the best places to sell a junk car.

Is Copart Legit?

Yes, Copart is a legitimate online auction and car sales site. Copart launched the industry’s first mobile auction app in 2013. It currently has a presence across North America as well as the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Spain and Germany.

How Does Copart Work?

There are a few methods for selling a car through Copart for both individuals and businesses. We’ll go through each in the sections below.

Selling a Car With Copart as an Individual

To sell your car as an individual, you can choose one of two options. You can use the online instant offer tool on the Copart website, or you can call (800) 381-6219 and speak to a CashForCars representative to get an offer. The steps are similar no matter which method you choose.

Add Basic Information

Like other online car sales platforms, you’ll need to provide some basic information about your vehicle. To use the instant offer tool on www.copart.com, you’ll enter your vehicle identification number (VIN). Copart will be able to access some details about your vehicle, which you’ll confirm. These details include:

  • Your ZIP code
  • Trim
  • Year, make and model
  • Engine
  • Current mileage
  • Condition
  • Number of keys available

You’ll also provide your contact information. Once you’ve provided these specifics, either over the phone or online, you’ll receive an instant offer.

Accept the Offer and Schedule a Pickup

If you choose to accept Copart’s offer, you can schedule a pickup with a CashForCars representative. There are over 200 Copart locations across North America, so most pickups can occur within 24 to 48 hours.

Complete the Sale

You’ll receive your payment once the tow truck arrives to pick up your vehicle. You’ll hand over the title, and Copart will handle the rest of the paperwork for you.

Selling a Car With Copart as a Business

Copart sells vehicles on behalf of insurance companies, banks, financial institutions and fleet operators. The process of selling a car with Copart as a business is slightly different than selling as an individual.

First, you’ll need to enter your name, contact information and business details on the Sell for Business section of the website. After you enter the information, a Copart representative will contact you to provide an offer and get the selling process started.

Alternatively, you can create a Copart Seller account and use the company’s Sales portal to track listings.

Copart Fees

To sell as a business, you’ll need to pay a few fees to Copart. It’s $85 to list a vehicle, and upon selling, you’ll need to pay 2% of the selling price to Copart.

Selling a Car With Copart as a Dealer

If you’re a car dealer looking to sell with Copart, the company claims it can help you reach over 750,000 potential customers. As a dealer, you’ll have access to Copart’s virtual bidding technology, allowing you to increase your reach even further.

Like selling as a business, car dealers will either need to fill out the online application or call 888-616-1237 and speak to a Copart representative.

Copart Fees

Selling as a dealer requires the same set of fees as selling as a business. The listing fee is $85 and the selling fee is 2% with a $150 cap. Copart doesn’t collect any fees until the car is sold.

Buying a Car With Copart

To buy a car on the Copart site, you’ll first need to register as a member. You’ll need to upload a government-issued photo ID. Depending on what state you live in, you may have to upload a business license in order to purchase a vehicle at an online auction.

Once you’re a member, you can browse the inventory and join an auction. If you don’t want to bid on a vehicle, you can browse the Buy It Now inventory. After you’ve purchased a vehicle either from the instant sales section or a Copart auto auction, you can have it delivered to you via a car shipping company or pick it up at a Copart location.

Copart Fees

If you’ve won an auction, you’ll see the following on your invoice:

  • Lot price (the final price paid at auction)
  • Taxes (these vary by state and vehicle type)
  • Auction fees (bid fee, storage fees, processing fees, gate fees and buyer fees may all apply)

Does Copart Give Good Offers?

Since Copart advertises buying cars in any condition, our team sourced offers from Copart on a couple of older, high-mileage vehicles. The table below shows the vehicle, its mileage and condition, and the offer from Copart.

VehicleMileageConditionCopart Offer
2007 Toyota Camry250,000Some body damage$847
2004 Nissan Altima250,000No damage$303

We didn’t include the Kelley Blue Book (KBB) value of these vehicles for comparison because for older vehicles, the KBB value includes too wide of a range to be useful. We also found that Peddle tends to offer more for older vehicles in various conditions than Copart offered us.

If you’re looking to sell a newer vehicle in good condition through Copart, you’ll likely need to call the company. When our team used the instant quote tool for newer vehicles, we didn’t receive an offer and instead received a notice saying to reach out to the company directly to sell the vehicle.

Copart Reviews From Customers

Copart has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but isn’t accredited by the organization. It has an average rating of 1.9 out of 5 stars from about 120 customer reviews. Copart’s average customer rating is slightly higher on Trustpilot, but only marginally. Over 650 customers give the company an average of 2.7 out of 5 stars.

Positive Copart Reviews

Customers with positive Copart experiences typically mention excellent customer service and the easy process for buying and selling cars. Those who have sold vehicles appreciate that the company handles all the paperwork to make the sales process a smooth one.

Negative Copart Reviews

Negative Copart reviews frequently mention misleading vehicle listings and unexpected fees after purchasing a vehicle. Some complaints refer to long wait times for towing vehicles sold through the website.

Our review team reached out to Copart for a comment on its low scores and negative reviews but did not receive a response.

Copart App Reviews

Copart’s mobile app for online auto auctions is highly rated by customers. The app has over 18,700 reviews on the App Store, giving it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Its Google Play score is similarly strong, earning an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 24,600 customer reviews.

Copart Review: The Bottom Line

If you’re looking to scrap a car, sell a damaged car or simply sell your used vehicle, Copart may be a good choice. The company purchases cars in any condition, including salvage or total loss vehicles. You can get an instant offer on the company’s website or call a CashForCars representative. Once you accept the offer, Copart will schedule a pickup date and handle the final paperwork.

Copart Competitors

Besides Copart, our top picks for selling a car include CarMax and Cars.com.

Cars.com: Editor’s Choice

Cars.com is our top pick for online car sales. Since its founding in 1998, Cars.com has become one of the most popular online platforms to sell a vehicle. It works with a large network of dealers throughout the nation. The company also includes a private-party sales platform if you’d rather sell to an individual than a dealership.

Read more: Cars.com review

CarMax: Great Value

CarMax is an excellent choice for selling your car. The company has an instant offer tool on its website, but you can also take it to one of the 244 CarMax locations across the country. There, you can complete the sales process from start to finish. CarMax offers are often comparable to KBB value.

Read more: CarMax review

Copart Car Auction Review: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about selling your car to Copart:

Customers tend to find the auction process easy and flexible. Some reviews mention being able to inspect a vehicle after auction and others mention Copart’s excellent customer service.

If you’re selling a car as a business or dealer, you’ll have to pay a listing fee and a selling fee. If you’re buying a vehicle at auction, the fees vary but may include a bid fee, storage fees, processing fees and gate fees.

If you win a lot at auction and you don’t submit payment within eight days, the lot will be relisted.

Yes, Copart lets you choose between having the vehicle shipped to you or picking it up at one of its 200 locations.

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best platforms to sell your car. We collected data on several providers to grade each company in five key areas. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the car selling platforms that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

  • Industry Standing: Our research team considers ratings from industry experts and years in business when determining this score.
  • Platform: Platforms that offer a variety of features, including instant offers and multiple sales options, are more likely to meet consumers’ needs.
  • Cost: To compare providers’ average offer prices, our team conducted a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicle types. We also considered the fees companies charge to use their platforms.
  • Support: Car selling companies that offer strong transaction support received the highest scores in this category. This includes offerings like free pickup service as well as how quickly you receive your payment.
  • Customer Experience: This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot as well as our team’s experience reaching out to each platform.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.com.

Copart Review: Buy, Auction or Sell a Car (2024 Guide) (2024)

FAQs

What are the pros and cons of buying a car from Copart? ›

Pros and Cons of Copart
ProsCons
Instant offer for junk cars (2002 or newer) regardless of damage or mileage. Sellers receive fast payments upon vehicle pickup (typically within 24-48 hours). Will purchase cars in any condition.Many fees for buyers (membership fees and potentially others).
4 more rows
Apr 19, 2024

Can Copart be trusted? ›

Yes, Copart is a legitimate online auction and car sales site. Copart launched the industry's first mobile auction app in 2013.

How can I avoid potential pitfalls when buying a car from Copart? ›

Review the high quality photos provided by Copart, either online or on your mobile device. Determine title type (or Ownership Doc Type), estimated repair cost, odometer reading, damage type, and if the keys are included. Inspect the vehicle in person.

What if I don't pay Copart? ›

If the lot is not paid in full within 8 calendar days (including the day of sale), the vehicle will be relisted. The Relist Fee will be 10% of the final sale price with a minimum of $600.

Does Copart have hidden fees? ›

Myth #1: Copart Has Hidden Fees

While Member Fees do exist at Copart, no fees are hidden from our Members, and the list can be accessed at any time. It is important for Members to educate themselves on which fees are relevant to them and what to expect before placing a bid on a vehicle.

Can I drive a car I just bought from Copart? ›

You can drive a car directly off the lot if you have insurance on it and have access to dealer tags.

Can normal people bid on Copart? ›

Without a business license, you will need a Broker's help to bid on clean and salvage title vehicles in California.

Can I cancel a bid I won on Copart? ›

Once a bid has been submitted, it cannot be retracted, deleted, or cancelled. I. Risk of Loss. Each Member takes full responsibility and assumes all risk of loss for all vehicles purchased from the time Copart accepts the Member's bid.

What are the disadvantages of buying a car in an auction? ›

Auction houses usually sell cars as-is, meaning you don't have any recourse if your purchase turns out to be unsafe, severely damaged, or in need of costly repairs. While laws vary from state to state, there is no federal law requiring the auction house to disclose these serious issues, explains Threewitt.

Can you return a car from Copart? ›

You return the vehicle to Copart in the same condition received, except in the event your claim is that you never received the vehicle, or the vehicle was confiscated by law enforcement because it was reported as stolen prior to the time you purchased the vehicle.

How to get $400 deposit back from Copart? ›

Copart will return the Premier Member security deposit upon the Member's request if all invoices and charges have been paid in full; however, the Member's account will then be downgraded to Basic Membership.

Can I pay cash at Copart? ›

Copart offers a variety of payment options: credit cards, wire transfer, money order, cashier's check, cash, company check, ePay, third party financing. Copart offers a variety of payment options: credit cards, wire transfer, money order, cashier's check, cash, company check, ePay, third party financing.

Can a regular person buy a car from Copart? ›

Buying for personal use in California? Without business licenses, you will need a Broker's help to bid on clean and salvage titled vehicles in California. If you're buying in another state, view the State Licensing Overview or search our No License Required inventory.

Are all cars on Copart Salvage? ›

Copart has more than salvage vehicles—we're also the premier online wholesale vehicle auction service for clean title, front line cars, trucks and SUVs. Unlike salvage vehicles, our clean title, front line vehicles are like used cars that can still run and operate.

Why does Copart charge a buyer fee? ›

Buyer Fee is a mandatory payment that is charged to a buyer at a Copart auto auction for using the site's services and arranging a car sale. The amount of the commission fee depends on the value of the car sold. The higher the cost of the car, the lower the commission percentage.

Can I get my money back from Copart? ›

Copart will send you a refund in 30 business days. If you purchased a Basic Membership, you can have your Deposit refunded electronically to the card you used in 3 to 5 business days, or get a check sent to you in 30 business days if you used another method of payment.

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