12-point checklist before you bid on a car abroad

The 12-point checklist

1. 1Run a VIN history report: accidents, flood, mileage, theft.
2. 2Check the title type – avoid parts-only and non-repairable certificates.
3. 3Study every photo: panel gaps, airbags, water lines, engine bay.
4. 4Read the condition labels as information, not a guarantee.
5. 5Check the yard location and the distance to the export port.
6. 6Calculate all auction and broker fees for your bid level.
7. 7Get the full landed cost: freight, duty, VAT, port, delivery.
8. 8Compare ports of clearance for your address.
9. 9Get a repair estimate and parts prices in your country.
10. 10Check what the car must change to be registered (lights, speedometer).
11. 11Plan the timing: payment and pick-up deadlines, sailing, inspection.
12. 12Set a maximum bid – and stick to it.

Before the auction: the car

Start with the VIN. A Carfax or AutoCheck report shows previous accidents, insurance claims, flood records and odometer readings. Compare the mileage with the photos of the dashboard and the wear of the seats and pedals. Check the title type in the listing and, for salvage cars, whether the damage matches the history.

Then go through the photos slowly: uneven panel gaps point to structural damage, a deployed airbag means expensive repairs, and a line of dirt inside the doors or on the seats is a sign of flood. Look at the engine bay and under the car where possible. Labels such as Run and Drive are recorded at check-in only and are not a guarantee.

Before the auction: the numbers

Add repairs, lighting conversion, inspection and national registration costs. Compare the total with the price of the same car in your country. The difference, minus a reserve, is the most you should spend, and that sets your maximum bid.

Before the auction: logistics and paperwork

• Confirm with your broker or exporter which port they ship from and how often
• Know the payment deadline and have the money ready in the right currency
• Arrange pick-up before free storage runs out
• Decide where the car will be cleared and who will be the customs agent
• Ask a workshop which conversions and inspections the model needs

The most common mistakes

• Bidding up to the market price without counting fees and taxes
• Forgetting storage fees when pick-up is delayed
• Underestimating repairs of ‘minor’ front damage
• Ignoring the registration tax in the home country
• Buying a car that needs parts which are expensive or slow to get in Europe

On auction day

Place your maximum as a preliminary bid or bid live, but decide the limit beforehand and do not raise it in the heat of the moment. If you lose, there will be another car next week – auctions list thousands every day.

After you win

1. 1Pay the auction and fees before the deadline.
2. 2Confirm the pick-up date with the transport company.
3. 3Ask for photos of the car at the export warehouse and check the keys and title are there.
4. 4Get the bill of lading and send the documents to your customs agent.
5. 5Order translations and book the workshop for conversion and inspection.

Following these steps keeps costs predictable from the auction to registration. Most expensive surprises – storage, demurrage at the port, a second inspection – come from small delays that pile up, not from one big mistake.