damaged-cars-on-transporter
What is Salvage title? Export cars from the U.S.

Are USA Salvage Cars a Good Option to Export Overseas? 

By Mike Richards Updated: 07/26/2022 Posted: 10/16/2015

Quite a few buyers from other parts of the world, including places such as Russia and the Middle East, want to buy salvage cars in the USA and then bring them into their own country. The rise of online auctions has made this easier than ever for buyers outside of the United States.

To determine whether this is the right option for you or not, it’s important to understand how things work and what the basic types of costs will be.

The Import Process and Fees

Even before you think about buying salvage cars from auctions in the USA, you should consider the regulations and laws in your country when it comes to importing vehicles. In particular, you need to pay attention to how the country views importing salvage vehicles. In Saudi Arabia, for example, you can’t import a car that has a salvage title.

Know the regulations, as well as the fees, taxes, and duties you will need to pay when the car or truck arrives.

The Online Auction

An auction in person can be rather intimidating. Fortunately, online auctions are much easier to grasp. A number of online auctions are available that will provide you access to many types of vehicles that simply aren’t available in your country, including some salvage cars in the USA that could be just the vehicle you need.

One of the benefits of using auctions is the fact that the prices are typically very low on salvage vehicles. However, you can’t simply buy, ship, and drive. These vehicles will need to have some repairs before you are able to drive them on the roads in your country. You will need to have a rebuilt title before you can obtain registration and insurance in the USA, but you need to check with your local authorities if you wish to register abroad.

Keep in mind that some insurance companies will not offer anything except liability. Contact insurers in your country to understand their policies when it comes to rebuilt titles and the type of coverage you will be able to receive.

When you buy salvage cars in the USA from an online auction, you can bid on the vehicles on your own in some cases. Other times, only dealers are allowed to bid, so you will want to work with a dealer proxy that can handle your bidding for you. You can set your bid limit and let them do the rest of the work for you.

Shipping the Vehicle

Once you have a great vehicle that you can’t wait to rebuild and drive, you still have to think about the cost of shipping. Many of the companies that have auctions as well as the dealers you can work with have shipping contacts that can help you bring the vehicle overseas.

The cost of shipping will vary between shipping companies, and depend on the size and weight of the car, and other factors. It is a good idea to get an estimate of the shipping cost before you buy so you can then plan for the cost in your budget.

Should You Do It?

The benefits of buying salvage cars in the USA and then exporting them to your country are many. You have more choices, better prices, and there is the chance to find a wonderful car. You might even be able to find luxury vehicles through these auctions at unheard of prices. It does take some added money for the repairs, shipping, and duties, but many buyers feel it is well worth the cost.

See Also: Current Vehicle Auctions, Info on Exporting Vehicles, Recent Report on Markets Abroad.

Comments