FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The short, honest answers buyers ask us most about know the repair cost before you bid.
- How accurate can a pre-bid estimate be?
- Accurate enough to set a safe maximum bid, as long as you include a contingency for hidden damage. It will never be as precise as a post-teardown quote, and it does not need to be. The goal is a number you can defend and a ceiling you will not cross, not a shop invoice.
- What is calibration and why does it cost so much?
- Calibration realigns the cameras and sensors that power modern safety systems after a collision. It requires specialized equipment, targets, a controlled space, and skilled setup time, which makes it a real and often overlooked cost. Assume it is required after any impact near a sensor-bearing panel.
- Should I use OEM or aftermarket parts in my estimate?
- Estimate with the parts you actually intend to use. Aftermarket and recycled parts lower cost but may affect fit, value, or warranty depending on the vehicle. An estimate built on the cheapest theoretical parts and filled with OEM invoices is how budgets quietly die.
- How do labor rates affect my estimate?
- Labor is priced as published hours multiplied by a local shop rate, and rates vary meaningfully by region and by shop type. If you are doing the work yourself, your labor is not free either — it has an opportunity cost. Use a realistic rate for whoever will actually turn the wrenches, and remember that structural and calibration work often bill at higher rates than cosmetic work.
- Why do paint and refinishing lines add up so fast?
- Because refinishing is more than spraying color. Prep, priming, blending into adjacent panels for a clean match, clearcoat, materials, and reassembly of trim all carry hours. Metallic and tri-coat colors widen the blend area and the bill. A multi-panel hit is almost always a paint-heavy estimate.
- How big should my contingency be?
- It depends on the severity and uncertainty of the damage. A light, contained hit with clear photos needs a smaller cushion than a heavy front impact with possible structural involvement, and flood or theft-recovery cars deserve the largest contingencies of all. Size it to what the listing leaves unverified.
- Do auction fees really change the math?
- Yes. Buyer fees, bid fees, gate fees, transport, storage, and sales tax can add up quickly, and on cheap cars the fixed fees are proportionally brutal. Always model the all-in cost, not just the hammer price. Our free Copart and IAA fee calculators estimate the stack for a given bid.
- What do the free calculators on this site actually do?
- The Copart and IAA fee calculators estimate the auction-side charges for a given winning bid, and the max bid calculator works backward from repaired value through repairs, fees, transport, and a safety margin to a disciplined ceiling. All three run in your browser and are estimates to confirm against the auction's own fee disclosures.
- Is a running car safe to estimate lightly?
- No. Run-and-drive means the car operated at the yard, nothing more. It says nothing about structural integrity, airbag status, or what fails on the road. Treat it as one positive data point and keep your structural and mechanical lines in the estimate.
- Can I get a full report on a specific car?
- Yes. Run the VIN on AutoEstimatePro to pull a consolidated damage, VIN, and repair-cost picture — including line-item parts and labor — before you bid. It is the fastest way to pressure-test the estimate you built from the listing.
Ready to dig into the details before you bid?
Auction Repair Estimate is the research step. AutoEstimatePro is where you pull the full report, decode the VIN, and see estimated damage and repair costs in one place.