Complaint Review: CoPart

We are formally writing a complaint in regards to auction lot# 49972037.  This vehicle is not remotely close to as advertised. We have been buying and selling repairable for a long time and this is the FIRST time we have had to make a complaint. This is not an indictment of Auto Auction Mall and its staff. Peter has always been helpful and professional. I am going to start by describing the vehicle as it was pictured in the ad. Followed by our view and then what we found upon arrival.

The Auction:

This Auction was labeled as “2015 Audi A3 Premium” The ad states the Primary Damage as “Water/Flood” and Secondary Damage as “Undercarriage”.  However only one picture to depict the damage to the secondary damage.  Listing nothing about mechanical damage, collision or missing keys.

• Pictures for the Auction provided by Copart as follows-

1. First picture in the ad is the main picture. This shows no real front damage other then a noticeable fog light and grill missing. Passenger door looks clean, passenger rear door looks good, fender looks good, and headlights and bumper look good. Everyone looking at this would presume the bumper, radiator, fan shroud, ac condenser and headlights are good. Perfect for flood damage parts right? Any buyer would look at this and be interested for all the other parts. Such as engine, transmission, suspension, exhaust, bumpers, rebar, radiator, abs system, wheels, drive shaft, rear differential, quarter panels, doors, fenders, airbags, moon roof and on and on….
2. Second picture we see Front Driver side angle picture. Hood looks lifted, fender and both driver side doors look damaged. We are ok with that we are being informed with pictures what to expect.
3. We move on to picture #3. Which is the Rear driver side picture. We notice quarter panel looks good and rear bumper looks good. The tail lights and trunk lid look good.  We see the tale pipes intact.
4. Now onto picture #4 which was the passenger rear angle picture. The rear quarter and door both look good.
5. The picture #5 is a front interior picture and that looks good. No apparent rips and everything looks intact.
6. Picture #6 is the rear seats and these also look good.
7. This picture we call #7 is the ONLY picture of engine compartment that only shows angled view of top the engine. We think from that view it is missing cover or someone messed with it to try and get the motor running as its labeled a flood. Checking cylinders.
8. Picture #8 shows the display working. (Awesome for a flood vehicle) Since you don’t normally plan on the electronics to work depending on the amount of water.
9. This picture we call #9 is the ONLY picture of the damage to undercarriage… only shows the cradle has a crack. Not a big deal probably a couple hundred dollars.
10. Door Jam – date of manufacture.

Purchase of the Vehicle:

We decided to purchase this vehicle. Purchase Price was $6000 Buy It Now. Our fees including our wire transfer to Auto Auction Mall totaled $1385 ($45 was our wire fee at Huntington). Finally we had to pay for shipping which was $1200 COD.

A week goes by and the Shipping provider calls to schedule a time. They stated Friday or Saturday. Friday comes along and we receive a call from the driver. He stated he would be there in a few hours and asked how we were planning to get the vehicle off the top of the carrier. I replied we likely need to pop it out of gear underneath and steer it down. The driver proceeded to tell me it does not steer, there is no drive train and no brakes. He also stated he did not get a key. We were taken back by this statement and replied to please bring it and we will find a way to get it off.

The driver shows up as promised during the time period he confirmed. We proceed to look underneath and to our disbelief sure enough the drive shaft and rear differential are gone. The drive shaft axel for the front passenger side is gone. We also see rear brake line cut and the catalytic converter, down pipes and exhaust from engine to the muffler are gone. We see the crack in the cradle as pictured but a few inches to the right we see a bottom corner of engine gone and cracked off. Immediately we start to think this isn’t the right car. No Keys? Its says S3 not A3. The auction by Copart shows nothing of the sort missing or damaged. Read that it was  primarily Water/Flood damage and undercarriage. We thought why would they not picture this stuff dismantled or missing? It was more obvious about drive train, drive shaft and exhaust missing then the cradle damage. There is no way this can be overlooked. One picture does not begin to describe this and it is not caused by accident. The entire manifold, catalytic converter, drive shaft and rear differential are missing? If it was because of an accident the muffler and other things around those items would have been mangled. Not to mention the items we just mentioned are mounted UP IN under carriage not hanging lower then any other item including muffler which is lowest. This ad is not as advertised to say the least and we still have plenty more to make our point.

Finally we get the car off the hauler and we want to find the keys. We check the glove box and find the MMI system has been destroyed. (No keys in glove box) We continue to search under the seats and center console. We look in the sun visor and find documents and a title. We find the title and the auction documents are for a company know as(EXCLUSIVE AUTO DISMANTLING) that DISMANTLES CARS!!!!! WOW! This is shady and now we are very upset. Also attached is a receipt for a used front bumper cover. Now we need to look under the front and open the hood. The hood latch and cable are missing. Hmmm why would a dismantling company remove that and why would they put a bumper cover on a car that is water flood damage? Unless you are trying to put lipstick on a pig and cover something up. Hoping no pictures from inside the engine compartment would be in the auction. This would explain why the tail pipes were left for appearance and the bumper cover was purchased used. We finally get the hood open. IMMEDIATELY you can see the bumper rebar, radiator, radiator support, fan shroud, ac condenser are missing. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS! Whoever took these pictures for the auction purposely covered up this and took that far angle shot. Not to mention the undercarriage photo is obvious because the missing items we noted above are easier to notice then the cracked support. We keep inspecting the engine compartment. We find several easy to see items missing like ABS module, fuel rails, injectors, exhaust manifold, down pipes, heater core lines, main engine wiring assembly cut off. We see the ballasts  and wiring for both headlights are removed. We decide to remove the cowel cover in the engine compartment and of course the wiper motor and wiper transmission is removed.

Now we start inspection of the exterior and missing other issues. The hood is more damaged then pictured. That wasn’t as much a big deal because we see it was lifted up in picture and had figured we might have to replace it. The passenger side rear door has a big dent and this is not in the picture. We removed the front right tire since that is the one missing a axel and we find that suspension is different.

NOTHING ADDS UP:

We paid for a Carfax because NONE of this adds up.

• The CARFAX states the car is a AUDI S3 not the A3 As advertised.
• NOT ONE record of flood damage to this car! (VERY odd remember primary damage is flood)
• Because of this discrepancy we purchase another VIN History report from AUTOCHECK.
• AutoCheck also has NO record of flood damage and the car is a Audi S3 not Audi A3
• THIS CAR IS NOTHING CLOSE TO AS ADVERTISED!

We received dismantled car that was not as advertised and nothing remotely close to this.

1. 1.    Advertised as Audi A3  - It’s a Audi S3
2. 2.    Advertised as Primary Damage (Water/Flood) – No Water Damage
3. 3.    Advertisement says nothing of missing keys  - Missing Keys
4. 4.    Water damaged does not mean car is dismantled and swapped.
5. 5.    Pictures are not descriptive and misleading. Item is not as shown.
6. 6.    Parts have been removed purposely and are not associated with sale.
7. 7.    Paperwork proves owner ship of that of a dismantling company.

List of noticeable missing parts or damage not described (There are more then listed)

1. No keys
2. Passenger Rear Door Damage not pictured.
3. Drive Shaft
4. Rear Differential
5. Front Passenger Axel
6. Exhaust Manifold
7. Down Pipes
8. Catalytic Converter
9. Exhaust pipe to muffler
10. Engine Cracked Block Cracked Off
11. Radiator
12. Radiator Support
13. Radiator Fan Shroud
14. AC Condenser
15. Bumper (REBAR)
16. Fuel Rails
17. Fuel Injectors
18. Heater Core
19. ABS System
20. Windshield Wiper Motor
21. Windshield Wiper Transmission Assembly
22. CUT Engine Wire Harness Missing
23. Ballast and headlight wiring
24. Hood Latch and Cable
25. MMI physically damaged
26. Roof Airbags removed  Including passenger side
27. Brake lines and wiring cut

We want a full refund for every dollar we spent on this wrongly advertised, dismantled vehicle, including ALL Fees and shipping.

The Auction was not documented correctly and not advertised properly.