Last updated: November 2025
🔎In this article: This buyer’s guide to impound auction purchasing shares details you’ll need to know to confidently buy a vehicle from an impound auction. Learn how the process works, what to expect, and how to maximize your chances of getting a great deal.
Looking for a cost-effective (and good for the environment!) way to purchase a vehicle? Regardless of whether you need a new-to-you vehicle for personal use, resale, or for parts, sourcing it from an impound auction is a great choice for two, compelling reasons:
- These auctions are packed with vehicles that have been towed and left unclaimed. This often means you can buy them for significantly less than market value, as prices are set to help sellers move inventory off-lot. While some vehicles may only be suitable for crushing and recycling, there are plenty still drivable — just waiting for their next owner.
- With the rise of online unclaimed vehicle auction platforms like Autura Marketplace, buying from impound auctions has become easier and more transparent.
Explore some foundational details about impound auctions — what they are, how they work, and why you should consider impound auctions to source your next vehicle. Then find useful tips before heading to your first abandoned car auction.
What Is an Impound Auction?
Impound auctions are auctions to sell vehicles that have been towed and then not reclaimed by their original owners. Abandoned vehicle auction sellers are usually owners of:
- A city impound lot — for example, municipal towing operations, like the City of Nashville Impounds, which runs monthly online impound auctions
- An independent tow lot or tow yard — for example, private towing companies that manage their own impound lots, such as Quality Towing in San Diego, CA.
For each unclaimed vehicle, there’s a legal holding period. Once that period expires, sellers have the right to put the abandoned vehicle up for auction. Sellers can hold these auctions in-person, online, or in a hybrid format.
How Impound Auctions Work
Abandoned vehicle lot or impound yard owners typically conduct auctions via one of the following formats:
- Live Auctions — more traditional, selling vehicles one-by-one during a scheduled event. In this scenario, there’s a pre-bidding window followed by the live sale. When that live sale starts, each vehicle is open for bidding until the timer expires. The highest bid wins that vehicle… then on to the next.
- Listing Sales — a more eBay-style approach, with a set bidding end-time. Interested parties must place their bids before that time, and the highest bid in wins the vehicle.
💡Autura Marketplace supports both formats, with intuitive dashboards and verified bidding to ensure a smooth experience. Each vehicle listing includes details about the vehicle title status, ranging from clean title to lien sale packets. We ensure that our Verified Sellers provide all necessary paperwork for registration after purchase.
Why Buy a Vehicle from an Impound Auction?
There are three great reasons to consider purchasing your next vehicle from an impound auction:
- Unbeatable Pricing: the inventory you find at an impound auction is usually sold for well below market value. True… some may need minor or even major repairs, but others are in good running condition, making them ideal for budget-conscious buyers or DIY enthusiasts. Even if the car goes for book value (ℹ️ defined below) you will likely save money and time you might otherwise spend on dealership fees or add-ons.
- Unique (and Wide) Selection: impound auctions often feature vehicles you wouldn’t find at a dealership — starter vehicles, scrappers, fix-and-flips, daily drivers, classic project cars, etc. Also, when the auction is hosted through a reputable auction platform, each vehicle has been through careful inspection. This means you can trust that listing information is accurate to what you are bidding on.
- Skip-the-Dealership: when you’re in the market for a used vehicle, dealerships can be a great place to start — depending on what you need. They can provide an excellent experience, but they can also mean pushy sales tactics, limited inventory options, and lots of fees. Conversely, the right unclaimed vehicle auction platform means no hidden fees, and no sales pressure.
ℹ️ What does Book Value Mean? In the context of abandoned vehicle auctions, book value is the vehicle’s current value. This is based on factors such as it year, make, model, mileage, crash history, etc. Book value can be the same as market value, but this isn’t always the case.
4 Tips for First-Time Impound Auction Buyers
- Do Your Research: Review vehicle photos, condition reports, and title information. Find out the state and local regulations for vehicles in the state you plan to register your new-to-you vehicle in. Every state has different rules about titles and registration. For example, many require a salvage-title vehicle to pass an inspection before you’re able to register that car. Autura’s listings include detailed inspections to help you make informed decisions.
- Set a Budget: Factor in potential repair costs, registration fees, and the platform fee. Autura discloses all costs upfront. However, not all auction providers do, so check.
- Understand “As-Is” Sales: Vehicles are sold as-is, so inspect listings carefully. If possible, attend in-person previews, or request additional photos.
- Know the Pickup Process: After winning a bid, you’ll receive instructions for payment and pickup. Autura Verified Payments ensures secure transactions and smooth logistics.
💡Some impound auction vehicles may still have an applicable lien attached to them. In this case, work with the lien holder and the state to obtain a title. For this reason, we recommend visiting your local DMV website before purchasing a car without a “clean title” designation in the documentation.
Conclusion
Impound auctions are a hidden gem in the vehicle buying world. With platforms like Autura Marketplace leading the way in transparency and ease-of-use, individual buyers, parts resellers, scrap yard owners, wholesalers, and even dealers can confidently explore thousands of listings and find the right vehicle at the right price.
Whether you’re a seasoned flipper or a first-time buyer, this guide is your starting point for navigating impound auctions with confidence. Got questions? Explore how it works.
Ready to find your next vehicle? Discover thousands of impound auction listings on Autura Marketplace.
