Salvage vehicles for sale at Copart auctions

What is a salvage vehicle?

A salvage vehicle is one an insurance company has declared a total loss, usually after an accident, theft, flood, fire or hail, when the cost to repair it passes a set percentage of its value. The vehicle is issued a salvage title and sold at auction to recover the insurer's money. For a deeper breakdown of the terms and title brands, read our full definition of salvage cars.

Not every lot is badly damaged. Many are light hail, minor collision, theft recoveries or vehicles totaled on paperwork alone, so a salvage title is often the biggest discount in the entire car market. Before you bid, price your true all in cost, the winning bid plus every fee, on our fee calculator.

Every category of salvage vehicle

Copart sells far more than wrecked cars. Filter by type, damage and title in our inventory search to find exactly what you are after:

• Cars and SUVs — sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs and crossovers, from light hail to rebuildable collision.
• Trucks and vans — pickups, work vans and heavy duty trucks for personal use, hauling or resale.
• Motorcycles and ATVs — street bikes, cruisers, dirt bikes and quads, often minor damage at deep discounts.
• Boats and jet skis — powerboats, sailboats and personal watercraft, salvage and clean title alike.
• RVs and campers — motorhomes, travel trailers and campers at a fraction of dealer prices.
• Clean title vehicles — theft recoveries, lease returns and fleet cars with straightforward paperwork, see salvage vs clean titles.

Why people buy salvage vehicles

The appeal is simple: price. Insurers sell total losses fast, so bidding starts far below retail even for light damage. Buyers who can handle some repair work, or who hire it out, turn that gap into savings on a personal vehicle or margin on a resale. Our buying tips explain how to read the damage and avoid the mistakes that cost money.

Rebuilders repair and re title salvage cars, flippers buy low and resell, and some vehicles are worth more parted out than whole. Whatever your goal, run a VIN history report first to confirm the record, and see real lender options on our financing page since most banks will not finance a salvage title directly.