How to inspect a vehicle before bidding

Most expensive auction mistakes are not caused by hidden faults. They come from information that was in the listing and nobody read.

Work through the photos twice

First pass, look at the vehicle. Second pass, look at what is not shown: a corner missing from an otherwise complete set, no engine bay, no interior close-ups. Check that panel gaps and color match across neighbouring panels in the same light; a door that reads slightly different from the fender beside it usually means paintwork.

Read the title status first

Clean, salvage and rebuilt titles are different products at different prices. A rebuilt title is not automatically a bad buy, but it is harder to insure, finance and resell. If the title status is not stated plainly, treat that as the answer and ask.

Look for water damage

The Gulf Coast has a long history of floods and hurricanes, and vehicles move around the country afterwards. Ask whether the vehicle has any flood or water history, and look for the usual signs in the photos and reports: silt or dampness in the carpet and seat rails, rust in unexpected places, fogged lamps, and a musty smell mentioned in the notes. A history report helps, but it does not catch everything.

Sanity-check the mileage

Compare the odometer with the wear you can see. A 30,000-mile vehicle with a polished steering wheel, sagging seat bolster and worn pedal rubbers is telling you something the number is not.

Ask for what is missing

A history report, extra photos of a particular corner, a note on whether it starts and drives: all reasonable requests, and the specialist on the lot can get them. Use the report request on the lot page or call .

Price the whole thing

Add the fees, the delivery, and whatever the vehicle obviously needs: tyres at the wear bars, a cracked windscreen, brakes that were photographed for a reason. Do the arithmetic before the lot opens, not while it is running.