How Auctions Work
AutoRetta surfaces live and upcoming inventory from major auction sources (including Copart). The listings you see reflect what those auctions publish — vehicle condition, title type, and sale timing can all affect your bid and your total cost.
Online salvage & insurance auctions
Most vehicles on AutoRetta come from insurance totals, dealer trade-ins, or fleet remarketing. They are sold "as-is" through timed online auctions. The high bidder wins subject to the auction host's rules, payment windows, and any arbitration policies shown on the original listing.
Sale dates & lanes
Each lot has a scheduled sale date (and sometimes a live bidding window). AutoRetta shows what the source provides — always confirm critical dates on the host listing.
Reserve & no reserve
Some sales have a minimum (reserve); others sell to the highest bid. The listing and auction host determine the rules.
Title types
The title brand tells you how the vehicle was classified by a state DMV. It affects whether you can legally drive it, how you can insure it, and what it costs to make it road-legal. Understanding the difference between a salvage, rebuilt, flood, and non-repairable title before you bid can save you thousands of dollars.
Clean / Clear
No negative brand. Never declared a total loss. Rare in salvage auctions.
Salvage
Declared a total loss by an insurer. Can be repaired and retitled as rebuilt — requires a state inspection.
Rebuilt / Reconstructed
Was salvage, has been repaired and passed a state inspection. Road-legal, but harder to insure fully.
Flood
Totaled due to water damage. Electronics and structure may never fully recover. High risk.
Non-Repairable
State determined it cannot be retitled for road use. Parts or export only.
Certificate of Destruction
Most restrictive brand — intended to be scrapped. Cannot be retitled in any US state.
Lemon Law Buyback
Manufacturer repurchased from original owner under lemon law. Often repairable, lower risk than salvage.
Fee schedules on AutoRetta can differ for "clean" vs "non-clean" title tiers — see Copart auction fees.
Damage categories
Listings summarize how the vehicle was damaged or why it entered the auction. These labels come from the auction source — they help you filter inventory, not replace a physical inspection.
Collision / accident
Impact damage from a crash. Severity ranges from cosmetic to structural.
Hail / weather
Storm or environmental damage — often widespread sheet metal or glass.
Mechanical / engine
Running condition unknown or confirmed mechanical issues. "Runs and drives" notes when provided are from the seller, not a guarantee.
Flood / biohazard
Water intrusion or contamination. May affect electronics, safety systems, and insurability.
Use photos, announcements, and the host's condition report when available. If something material is unclear, open a support ticket before you commit.
Bidding on AutoRetta
When you place a bid through AutoRetta, we record it in your Bid Tracker and show a live fee estimate so you know your approximate all-in cost. Submitting a bid may require an account with buying power (wallet balance reserved against your active bids). Winning bids move into the post-win flow described in After you win a bid.
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