Salvage auctions sell cars that insurers, leasing firms and fleets no longer want. Some are repairable write-offs, some are simply old or unwanted. Buying one to fix and sell can work, but the fees, the transport and the repair bill catch out a lot of first-timers. This is the order we would do it in.

1. Open your accounts

Copart and IAA both sell online. You need to register, verify your ID and, for some lots, show you're a trader. Some categories and lots are trade-only, so check each listing's buyer requirements before you fall for a car you can't bid on.

2. Pick your yards

In Scotland, Copart has East Kilbride and Whitburn, with a new site at Dunfermline announced for the end of 2026. IAA has Glasgow (Torrance), Carluke, Addiewell and Dumfries. Our Scottish salvage yard guide has the addresses, fees at a glance, collection tips and recovery firms that cover each yard.

Buying close to home keeps transport cheap. A short local recovery run often costs about £90 to £160, but a car from the other end of the country can cost several hundred pounds to move.

3. Research the car

  • Study every photo. Look for panel gaps, airbag lights, fluid leaks and missing parts.
  • Check the write-off category (Cat S and Cat N explained), whether there are keys, and the V5C status.
  • Run the free MOT history check on the registration. Look for mileage that goes down between tests and advisories that keep coming back.
  • If you'll sell it in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Dundee, check the car meets the Low Emission Zone rules with the official Scottish checker (opens in a new tab).
  • Price the parts before you bid, not after.
  • Find what the same car has actually sold for, not what dealers are asking.

There's a fuller routine in how to check a salvage car before you bid.

4. Set a max bid, then stick to it

The hammer price is only the start. On a £1,000 car you can easily add £300 to £400 in buyer, internet bid, admin and retrieval fees, plus VAT at 20% on every one of those fees. Then add transport, parts, an MOT and the cost of selling.

Our salvage car profit calculator uses the published Copart, IAA and BCA fee tables. Put in a realistic resale price, your repair estimate and the profit you want, and it gives you the most you can bid. Write that number down before the auction starts. Auction fever is how most people lose money.

5. Win, pay and collect fast

  • Copart and IAA both charge late payment fees, and storage charges build up after the free period.
  • Book your collection through the auction's own process and give your recovery driver the lot details.
  • Tell the driver if the car doesn't run. Non-runners need a winch or a forklift load.
  • Check the car when it's loaded and photograph it, including any damage that wasn't in the listing.

6. Repair, MOT and sell

Repair the car properly, keep every receipt and get a fresh MOT. Take good photos in daylight. In the advert, be honest about the write-off category and the repairs you've done. Buyers will find the category anyway with a history check, and an honest listing sells faster and keeps you out of trouble.

Remember that categorised cars sell for less than clean ones, and some insurers charge more to cover them. Price your resale with that in mind from the start.

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting the internet bid, admin and retrieval fees, and the VAT on all of them.
  • Under-estimating parts. Headlights, airbags and sensors are expensive.
  • Buying an older diesel to sell in a Scottish city with a Low Emission Zone. Diesels generally need Euro 6. Read what Glasgow's Low Emission Zone means for used cars.
  • Using asking prices instead of sold prices for the resale.
  • Not getting a transport quote before bidding on a car far from home.

This is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. Auction rules and fees change, so check the auction's own pages before you bid.