1976 GMC Motorhome at "Copart-GO" in Kentucky

J

jeffshadow

Member
Oct 14, 2023
32
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8
www.copart.com Lot #52709204
This GMC Motorhome "For Sale" is a bit different from the typical ones you would find at Copart. This listing is from their "GO" program, which means the coach is for sale by a dealer or private party and NOT at the Copart location (but nearby) in Lexington, Kentucky.
The pictures do not show the odometer which is probably not at 357,000 as the listing states. The keys are "not available" but should be easy to make. Worth $5,000? That's an individual valuation. If it does not sell for one or more auctions, the minimum bid should be reduced.
I just like to advise members when I find these at Copart. The auction date is Monday May 6, 2024.
 
jeffshadow said:
The pictures do not show the odometer which is probably not at 357,000 as the listing states.
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When I bought my most recent coach from Copart, it showed 560,000 miles on it. I'm betting the Gen-Z'ers in the yards these days don't understand why that tenths digit is white while the others are black.

Hmm, did that make me sound like an old fogy?
 
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If all seven (including the spare) are Alcoa wheels, they alone are worth nearly $1,400, $2,744 new at Applied.
I had to buy seven new Ion wheels as all seven Alcoas were stolen from my GMC while at the MGM GMC "Forced Closing Event". I wonder who took my rear bumper, Edelbrock intake manifold, SS headers, radiator, front grille, custom interior engine cover, suspension air pump and more. Perhaps I will see some of these parts at a GMC event in the future.
 
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tmsnyder said:
Is there an inspection process if someone wanted to look at it in person? I'm not familiar with copart auctions.
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Yes, you can call the local Copart and ask for an inspection by a "certified" inspector. There are several online of course but you want to select someone who lives nearby. I asked for a "video report" on a 1991 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser at a Copart in Pennsylvania three years ago. I received a hip-hop/rap video by some idiot who thought misogynistic lyrics helped display a car. He never opened the hood or tailgate and did not look for any rust. I asked Copart for a refund of the wasted $35 to no avail.
If you want to inspect in person (and not pay $125 to $200 for an inspector!) you have to get a Copart membership. Get the starter package. It might take time as they need to verify your ID (usually a driver license). After you join, you can visit the yard, tell them your member number and show identification and the yard is yours. Note: some yards do not allow people to visit, especially in high crime areas (northern Minneapolis).
ALSO, read the Copart information pages carefully. Some states require you to have a Dealer/Wholesaler/Dismantler license. Without one of these, you will have to use a broker. You can still visit the yard; you just cannot bid during the auction. I recommend AutoBidMaster.com
If you use ABetterBid.com, they require you to use THEIR transporters only, at a substantially higher cost. You can use your own but be prepared to sign a special contract and have the transporter email their license and insurance documents to them. I know. This happened to me at the Copart in New Braunfels, Texas when I bought my 1997 Mercury Cougar 30th Anniversary edition last July. Always pay a bit more than the winning bid as you may need to cover daily storage fees, which vary by location.
 
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jeffshadow has more experience with this than I do but I'll add a few things.

Copart and their competitor IAAI bump into a mishmash of state regulations that are literally all over the map. https://www.copart.com/content/us/en/licensing/licensingoverview
You can't buy this GMC in Kentucky without paying a broker due to state regulations.
Paul lives in Oregon which is awesome - anyone can bid and buy in that state with a paid membership.

Some states have additional hurdles even if you are allowed to buy directly. I can purchase a totaled vehicle in WA and pick it up or have it delivered but the title will not be re-issued without a state patrol inspection. In WA the backlog to get a state patrol inspection wastes 1 - 3 months to land a 15-30 minute appointment.

And there's fees. I think Copart is slightly worse but the two auction houses charge fees that are comical and baffling. Read the fine print - not all surprises are good.

Don't show up on site without a safety yellow or orange vest ($10 safety vest from Home Depot is fine) - also required at some yards before their big forklift dumps a vehicle onto your trailer.

But with all that, this can be a great way to get a complete or parts vehicle at a fraction of retail if there isn't a bidding war. With GMCs the cost of transport keeps competitive bids local or nonexistent.
 
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Kendra said:
jeffshadow has more experience with this than I do but I'll add a few things.

Copart and their competitor IAAI bump into a mishmash of state regulations that are literally all over the map. https://www.copart.com/content/us/en/licensing/licensingoverview
You can't buy this GMC in Kentucky without paying a broker due to state regulations.
Paul lives in Oregon which is awesome - anyone can bid and buy in that state with a paid membership.

Some states have additional hurdles even if you are allowed to buy directly. I can purchase a totaled vehicle in WA and pick it up or have it delivered but the title will not be re-issued without a state patrol inspection. In WA the backlog to get a state patrol inspection wastes 1 - 3 months to land a 15-30 minute appointment.

And there's fees. I think Copart is slightly worse but the two auction houses charge fees that are comical and baffling. Read the fine print - not all surprises are good.

Don't show up on site without a safety yellow or orange vest ($10 safety vest from Home Depot is fine) - also required at some yards before their big forklift dumps a vehicle onto your trailer.

But with all that, this can be a great way to get a complete or parts vehicle at a fraction of retail if there isn't a bidding war. With GMCs the cost of transport keeps competitive bids local or nonexistent.
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Yes, on all points, especially the Copart auction fees. I don't mind them when I get an absolute bargain like the 2011 Buick Lucerne CXL with 72,000 miles in 2022, for $2,150. A friend drove it to California from Wichita, Kansas.
It had a kicked-in front passenger door and a .22 gunshot (maybe a BB?) hit to the left rear window. I had a body shop in Wichita replace and repaint the door. The price for the LR window glass set at a GM dealer was $1,650.
I bought a complete one from a 2010 Lucerne at Pick Your Part for $73 and installed it myself; it's basically one piece. Now the car is approaching its second anniversary and I have already converted it into a proper WILDCAT! An Ocelot is a "wild cat".
 

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tmsnyder said:
Is there an inspection process if someone wanted to look at it in person? I'm not familiar with copart auctions.
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Members can go look at them themselves. That's what I did for my Palm Beach. Membership is not terribly expensive either (IAA is way higher). I've written off IAA at this point. Too many bad experiences, and too much gouging. I've had better experiences with Copart, even though they're a little less organized.

As Kendra mentioned, buying local stuff is easy for me. I've bought out of state with brokers, and it's another layer of pain with more potential for bad customer experience. And more money, of course.

A tow-truck friend towed my Palm Beach 45 minutes to his yard for $110 where I installed a new steering box so I could drive it home. Hard to beat that, but I did have a bidding war, and the coach ended up being a mechanical basket case. Win some, lose some.
 
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About 27 years ago i got call from a western Canada friend. Would I go to a local CoPart and look at a boat on a trailer. I went, he bid on it, and won.

When I showed up a couple of days later to pick it up all they asked me for was ID and "sign here" . I asked if they would Check the air in the trailer tires, connected it to my PU truck, and away I went.

THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO AND THINGS MAY HAVE CHANGED.
 
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