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Cars from the UK or the US: Weighing the Pros and Cons

Cars from the UK or the US: Weighing the Pros and Cons

More and more people decide to purchase a vehicle at an insurance auction abroad. Firstly, many are looking for "rich" editions with numerous features without overpaying for it. Secondly, people prefer vehicles with a recorded history and mileage done on good roads. Thirdly, they simply do not want to deal with unscrupulous dealers in Georgia.

Of course, the choice of countries where you can buy a used car is not limited to the United States and the United Kingdom. A suitable car can be found in Germany, Korea, France, or Georgia. But first, let us use the help of Columbus consultants and compare the opportunities for the Anglo-Saxons on different continents - in America and Europe.

Where to look for used cars in the UK?


There are not too many ways to find a used car in the United Kingdom. It’s either an authorized dealership or a private dealer. In the first case, you are guaranteed legal security. There will be less paperwork with the latter but the chance of running into an unscrupulous seller increases several fold.

You can also buy a car in vehicle supermarkets, but they set higher prices, offering to conclude agreements in their financial favor. This option is more suitable for the Brits rather than foreigners.

The most reasonable thing to do is to look for a car at a reasonable price on specialized sites, especially car auctions. Here is a list of some of them:

  • autotrader.co.uk is a popular resource with 40 years of history. It specializes in the sale of new and used vehicles (usually undamaged), including those from private sellers and major dealers. Listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  • ebay.co.uk is the British version of the world famous online auction. Here you can find car lots with minimal damage.

  • british-car-auctions.co.uk is one of the most reputable auction sites for the sale of used cars in England. Over a million of vehicles are sold every year through BCA.

  • raw2k.co.uk is another well-known British online car auction with thousands of used, accident condition and confiscated cars up for bidding on their website. The online catalog also includes motorcycles and scooters.

Despite the impressive sales figures, British auctions really lag behind the American ones in these terms. For example, 8,764,093 vehicles have been submitted at Copart's auction since January 2019 (excluding the Asian division). IAAI had 6,530,924 since September 2019. That is 8-10 times more than the largest auction in the United Kingdom!

Cars at British auctions are often sold at a fixed price, while at American auctions there is a reward system for dealers.

For example, an "A" (top) dealer pays a commission of 4% on a lot that ranges from $15 to $20,000, while a "C" dealer pays as much as 7%. If the buyer pays for the car using the so-called insecure methods, for example by credit card transfer, then the commission can be as much as 12% of the car price.

And don’t think that this system scares off regular customers. For example, Columbus allows its clients to purchase cars significantly cheaper by using the company's category "A" dealer account.

The delivery from American auctions is better organized as well. Copart, for instance, offers to entrust it to authorized representatives, transportation companies, and lounge areas (sites) located in different countries.

The most popular auction sites in the US


Copart. With 50,000 vehicles updated daily, the site is an excellent choice, and the low commission make this platform the most popular in the world. You won’t find a variety of car models like that in the UK.

Manheim. The auction has over 100 sites in the United States. It offers a huge selection of cars, damaged and new, each of them carefully checked before the bidding starts.

IAAI is the largest network of insurance auctions throughout the country. And it is not only for trading cars, but also motorcycles, ATVs, water transport, and even recreational vehicles.

Buying a car from the UK


For those who do not want to wait a long time for the delivery of their lot by sea, the choice of a car from Britain seems obvious. Under the right conditions you can get a car delivered much sooner - in just 1.5 weeks instead of 1.5-2 months if you delivered it from the US.

A big plus in favor of the Brits is that you can find a rare car in good condition on the local market. Jaguars, Land Rovers, Bentleys, and Minis with minor damage are often available at the UK auctions. And their prices are not as exorbitant as in our country.

At the same time, there is a significant disadvantage of buying a car from the foggy Albion. Most of the available lots are right-hand drive. For most drivers, this creates an inconvenience. Moreover, it can be dangerous, especially in cities with heavy traffic like Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, as it limits your vision.

So what to choose?

For Columbus experts, the answer is obvious - the US and Canadian car market with thousands of lucrative offers. For most of our clients, the North American region is a priority. However, the British Isles should not be discarded either.

At the request of the customer, we can bring the vehicle from anywhere. In addition, a car from England can be viewed as a donor whose parts can be used to repair another car. It is quite profitable, for example, to purchase spare parts from the warehouses of SYNETIQ, a company specializing in dismantling and recycling cars in the UK.

Dismantling cars for parts is also common in the US, but delivering an undamaged (or minimally damaged) vehicle from overseas is, of course, more profitable.

All sedans, hatchbacks, and crossovers from overseas are checked against Columbus checklists and databases of specialized American online resources, and have confirmed mileage and service history.

Our managers will only help to purchase cars in the US and have them delivered to Georgia if they truly deserve the attention of our customers!


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