Another Copart thread- why a Epic Vin report is worth the $6

[dishdude]

Please forgive my ignorance but if the vendor is an insurance company would this be good or bad?

Good. Someone buys the car from the insurance company, realizes after they start working on it that it is worse than thought. They patch it together and send it back through the auction and the next bidder repeats the same mistake.

 

[RhondaHonda]

If this is the case then how would we ever know if we're actually buying a genuine AMG? Would the VIN reveal that or do we have to dig deeper?

Here’s a pretty good Mercedes VIN decoder to tell you what options it was built with.

Free online Mercedes-Benz VIN Decoder : MBDecoder

Mercedes VIN decoder will check your Mercedes VIN and show you full vehicle specification

www.mbdecoder.com

 

[madeej11]

Good. Someone buys the car from the insurance company, realizes after they start working on it that it is worse than thought. They patch it together and send it back through the auction and the next bidder repeats the same mistake.

So how can that be good? Also after the initial purchase from the IC the next vendor would be a private buyer because he's reselling. I'm confused, no experience with auto auctions. Thanks.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

The sums of money comment still doesn't make the cars at CoPart anything special. So it's nonsensical comment.

Nothing new with Copart the cats been out of the bag for a long time and the deals there have been few and far between for a while. I’d wager guys like Samcrac (the Gary Vaynerchuck of salvage title cars) have more to do with outrageous prices for cars on copart recently than much of what the government is doing.

 

[Wolf359]

Here’s a pretty good Mercedes VIN decoder to tell you what options it was built with.

This one is pretty good too:

Mercedes VIN Decoder | Decode Your Mercedes-Benz VIN

Want to know the specifications of your Mercedes? No problem! Our free Mercedes VIN decoder retrieves detailed information about your Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

www.lastvin.com

You can also get a copy of the EPC which will have the option codes for a particular vin plus all the parts for that car and the WIS which is the MB repair manual for about $8.50 on eBay.

2020 Mercedes/SMART WIS ASRA & EPC Dealer Service Repair Workshop Download | eBay

EPC Data card: ENABLED. EPC Date: 11/2018. WIS/ASRA/SSL/EPC. WIS Date: 04/2020. All major and minor service and repair instructions included. Your vehicle is still covered including smart vehicles & trucks as long as the vehicle year is between 1986 and 2020.

www.ebay.com

 

[GON]

CKN, I live in Midway. I think you may live in Heber Valley. You are very welcome to stop by my home and have a good cup of coffee or a beer and take a look and/ or a drive of my Copart vehicles. My home borders the Homestead resort.

 

[97prizm]

Sometimes if the vendor is an insurance company that can be good. Lately insurance companies seem to look at a car and deem it a total loss. At least in Colorado. Depending on the state, sometimes the length of time it takes to repair can deem it a total loss. Years ago when the Ferrari 355 came out a guy i talked to mentioned that his car was totalled by his insurance company after they were told it would be and 8 months or longer for a rear bumper. The frame wasn't damaged.

 

[01rangerxl]

If this is the case then how would we ever know if we're actually buying a genuine AMG? Would the VIN reveal that or do we have to dig deeper?

Yes, check the VIN.

I discovered this when a friend bought a mid 2000s C-Class. All US versions came standard with "AMG" rocker moldings and other touches because it had to look sporty for the US market.

 

[wpod]

Buying a car from an auto dismantler, what could go wrong.

 

[CKN]

Buying a car from an auto dismantler, what could go wrong.

I get very entertained when a BITOGer buys one-comes on here to brag-gets in to the vehicle and it turns out it's a disaster. OR-they go to pick it up-and the pictures somehow don't include some of the interior damages.