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Even an experienced individual in the realm of searching for cars on Copart and IAAI may be unaware of the phenomenon known as a "Mickey Mouse". Synonyms for this concept include terms like "deception", "counterfeit", "dummy", and "forgery." As practice and experience show, the term "Mickey Mouse" is exclusively applicable to automobiles. Motorcycles, ATVs, boats, and the like in 99.9% of cases do not fall under this definition.
What is a "Mickey Mouse" car?
So, what is the essence of a "Mickey Mouse" in plain words? It's quite simple. Typically, a dealer purchases a salvaged car from an insurance company and "restores" it. The word "restores" is intentionally placed in quotation marks. Restoration, in this case, involves the cheapest, absurd, and crude execution. Missing body elements may be taped on with duct tape, wheels placed next to the car to make it look like they are in place and secured for photos, suspension components that should be bolted on might be roughly welded, and so on. Such a car will only look good in photos and is strongly not recommended for purchase.
How to identify a "Mickey Mouse" car?
When listing such lots for sale, an unscrupulous dealer relies on inexperienced auction participants. Unfortunately, victims of such manipulations often discover the deception only upon the arrival of the car. To avoid such an extremely unpleasant situation, it is strongly recommended to seek assistance from professionals, which is what our company provides. With years of experience, we can reliably identify a "Mickey Mouse".
How not to fall for scammers' tricks? The answer is simple. The sales history of a car, which can be checked using the VIN code, is available in the public domain. To check a car, simply copy its VIN code and enter it on a specialized website, such as AutoAstat or Bidfax.
What truly lies beneath the facade of a perfect repair is anyone's guess. There are numerous examples of such cases at auctions. Always exercise vigilance and knowledge in such matters. Even better, turn to us – we will always help you find an excellent car.
Are you interested in buying a car from US auctions?
With this being said – you can still export vehicles and save up a few thousand dollars with Auto4Export. We have an inventory of over 150k plus vehicles with titles you can export for you to choose from. Once you have placed your bid and won the auction a Bill of Sale document is then emailed to you as proof of purchase – after full payments have been made.
To gain access and get started on your purchase, sign up for free.
Further Reading
How do US auto auctions work?
How to buy a used car from a US auction
Dispelling 7 Main Myths About Buying a Car from the USA auctions
What kind of damage is it better to take cars from US auctions with?
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