After reading these reviews, I felt like someone needs to state the actual truth about buying from Copart. This is my experience thus far: First, let me state that i'm a reasonably attractive, blonde, female. I also have a *slight* obsession with vehicles and happen to know my way around a motor (and every other component) better than most men. However, given my gender and physical appearance, i'm accustomed to being treated as though i'm a blubbering idiot nearly every time I visit an auto parts store. I get the "little girl, what's going on with your car? Who told you this was what you needed? Did your husband send you over to grab this or ???" and all manner of similarly insulting nonsense. Not so, however, at the *pull it yourself lots*, you gain instant street cred by sucessfully pulling your own parts. I was proposed to 11 times over the course of a couple of day pulling parts for a 4cyl Camry I rebuilt. This is relevant because frankly, buying cars at a auction, open to the public or not, is a male dominated gig. I am so used to being treated like a bippytart or just someones wife, it's not even funny. Not so at Copart.... I was floored. First, the office was immaculate, i've been to three now and they are all. Not a spec of grease anywhere. Secondly, the staff has been awesome! They didn't treat me any differently than they did the big greasy guy behind me who was there to pick up 14 cars. Even on my first visit when I had no clue how it all worked, I was treated with the utmost respect and I truly appreciated it. My first Copart purchase was a high mileage (300k) 02 F150 5.4 for one of my sons. I have 4 sons btw, and I, not their dad, taught them basic car maintenance, changing tires, tune ups, brakes jobs, starters, alternators, thermostats, head gaskets, manifold gasket replacements (ugh) you know the basics..haha. I'm also a master at diagnosing mechanical problems. It's only because I am so COMPETENT and also CONFIDENT in my ability to make an educated decision with regard to potential issues as well as the vehicles likely history that I buy from Copart. For example with the truck, I could reasonably assume that it was well cared for in spite of sagging bumper and deployed airbags. I know that motor and it would not have made it to 300k had it neglected. I could also safely assume that most of the major components had been replaced as at their life span simply isn't 300k long, in most cases. For the 1000.00 I paid for it, I consider it one of my best buys and would bet a hefty chunk of change that it will see at lease 400k, maybe even 500k. The people complaining on here are simply trying to lay blame for poor decision making on something other than where it belongs; themselves. First, the pictures are pictures... Copart doesn't try to hide anything, but in any case, you're encouraged to go to the lot and actually look at the vehicle in person. If you're unhappy, you have nobody to blame but yourself for your laziness and greed. You're wanting a smoking deal on a great car but unwilling to even put forth the minimal effort to go to the lot and look at it. Ridic.... Next, its crystal clear that of the 600 required to have a business account, 400 is a fully refundable deposit and 200 is a non-refundable fee. I don't care what any supposedly *told* you, it's clear as day in black and white and impossible to miss. If for some reason that I fail to believe, you missed it, again, you have nobody to blame but yourself. Don't expect someone to do the work for you. It's your money and your responsibility to read the agreement. You don't get to whine about it because you chose not to. Third, a 99 luxury car is nothing more than an expensive repair waiting to happen. Most people who buy from Copart are trying to make money on their investments. Given that we don't know what the potential problems may be, a worse case scenario repair allowance needs to be factored in. In the case of an older Mercedes thats about 2k. You may know that it's perfect but nobody else does and they aren't going to take your word for it. You'd do the same if you were buying. So if, with the auction price and fees being around 700.00. Now were at 2700 on your 4500 car. 4500 is retail, it won't likely sell for retail. It will likely sell about 1k back of that but lets say 3750.00 which is fair. That leaves about 1k in profit for someone who does this for a living. Thats not much considering the market for that car is much smaller than it would be for a Camry of the same year adn they could have purchasd 2-3 of them and made triple the profit, for the amount they have into your 4500.00 car. Thats why your donated vehicle is truly worth less than 500 bucks. Try to think of it from a perspective other than your own. Fourth, not listing accurate retail value.... are you serious? That's YOUR JOB to determine. I can't even believe anyone would expect this, seriously. If you don't have the ability to arrive at the value on your own, you have zero business buying in this format and even less complaining about it. Don't quit your day job. Fifth, who leaves 1700 in valuables in a car at an auto auction? If you did, that's your fault don't blame Copart for you careless stupidity. Sixth, Copart is not your mechanic!!! They don't go through vehicles to check out previously done work. They are VERY CLEAR about this. You don't get to go blame them becuase you were too lazy and/or cheap to hire your own mechanic or inspector to go through the vehicle for you. The rest of these complaints are the same nonsense as i've addressed. What is wrong with you people? You fail to read the contract and expect others to do your work for you while expecting some amazing deal to be handed to you. Grow up and take responsibility for your own laziness. Copart hides nothing. They tell you exactly how they operate in black and white and it's impossible to miss. You want something for nothing and that just isn't going to happen with auction vehicles. Do us all a favor and just go to a dealership next time. That's where people such as yourselves belong.