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Field notes on car auction and marketplace data: Copart and IAAI lots, sold prices, VINs, imports from the US and Korea, Chinese listings, and how to build on all of it.

Flat illustration of a VIN plate connected by a line to two stacked report documents with checkmarks and a small code window beside them

Carfax and AutoCheck by API: how vehicle history report APIs work

Whether Carfax and AutoCheck have APIs, how report resellers work, what a report contains and how it differs from an auction record by VIN.9 min read

Illustration: a damaged SUV on an auction lot card connected by a dotted line to a European street, with a small receipt listing final bid, fees, shipping, duty, VAT and repair

Import & export

Best cars to import from USA auctions, and how to run the numbers

A method, not a top-10 list: the landed-cost formula, the traits that make a US auction car worth importing, a worked example and how to price it from sold lots.11 min read

Illustration: a route card from a US auction yard to a European port, with a car carrier truck, a shared 40-foot container holding four cars and a stack of quote lines

Import & export

How to ship a car from the USA to Europe: costs and transit times

Every line of a quote to ship a car from a US auction to Europe, what makes it expensive, the ports that carry the traffic and how long each step takes.10 min read

Illustration: a customs declaration card for a sedan with stacked layers for customs value, duty, excise and VAT, beside a VIN plate starting with 1 and a small EU flag

Import & export

Customs duty and VAT on a car imported into the EU from the USA

EU duty on cars from the USA (10%, or 0% for US-built cars since July 2026), how the customs value and VAT are calculated, national taxes and a worked example.10 min read

Illustration: a checklist card beside the rear of a US sedan with an amber indicator and rear fog light highlighted, a translated title document and a blank European number plate

Import & export

How to register a US car in Europe: the process step by step

The path from a US auction car to European plates: customs papers, the title and its translation, individual approval, lighting and speedometer changes, salvage cars.9 min read

Illustration: the rear of a sedan split down the middle, a red US tail light with an amber side marker on one half and an amber EU indicator with a rear fog lamp on the other, a miles speedometer dial below

Import & export

US-spec vs EU-spec cars: the differences that matter after import

What really differs on a US-market car, from red rear indicators and miles to 315 MHz keys and map regions, and what each one takes to fix for registration in Europe.12 min read

Illustration: a car outline split into zones coloured green, amber and red by repair risk, with a small parts list showing airbags, sensors and a headlight

How to buy a damaged car from auction: which damage is worth repairing

Repair economics by damage type, from light front hits and hail to flood, fire and frame damage, the hidden costs behind them and which titles can be registered.10 min read

Illustration: a grid of auction car photos with a magnifying glass over a dashboard showing warning lights, and small check marks beside a door gap and a tyre

How to inspect a Copart or IAAI car from its photos

A practical photo checklist for Copart and IAAI lots: gaps, paint, glass, warning lights, odometer, flood signs, engine bay, keys, and when to pay for an inspection.10 min read

Illustration: a map of the United States with labelled pins for salvage, dealer, enthusiast and government auctions, and arrows leading to a container ship

US car auction sites: where cars for export really come from

Salvage auctions, dealer-only wholesale, enthusiast sites, government sales and classifieds: who can buy where, how export-friendly each is and what data it shows.9 min read

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