| Auction | City | Who can buy | How the public can buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manheim San Antonio | San Antonio | dealer-only | Wholesale auction. Registration runs through AuctionACCESS. Manheim fees are set by a location-specific fee schedule (no public fee table for this location was found). Vehicle-type list is general Manheim inventory, not |
| Manheim Texas Hobby | Houston | dealer-only | Nearest other Manheim sites outside the corridor (Houston and Dallas area). Manheim Houston: 14450 West Rd, Houston, TX 77041-1103 (Tuesdays). |
| Manheim Dallas | Dallas | dealer-only | Manheim Dallas-Fort Worth is at 12101 Trinity Blvd, Euless, TX 76040 (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays). |
| ADESA San Antonio | San Antonio | dealer-only | The location page lists dealer registration and dealer-oriented sales but does not itself state 'dealer-only'; access label is based on dealer registration requirements (verify with location). Ownership source: |
| OPENLANE (online marketplace) | Online (nationwide) | dealer-only | OPENLANE describes itself as built for licensed automotive dealers (franchise and independent). There is no OPENLANE physical auction in Austin or San Antonio; the San Antonio physical lane is ADESA (Carvana). No ADESA o |
| America's Auto Auction Austin | Buda | dealer-only | Page describes a 'Wholesale auction' with 'dealers in-lane' and lists wholesale and salvage inventory; it does not explicitly state public access rules. The network lists a 'GSA / Public' in |
| Alliance Auto Auction Austin | Hutto | dealer-only | Site serves 'wholesale dealers' with a Registered Dealer Application; no public sales mentioned. Sale day for Austin not stated on the home page (ACV Auctions third-party page lists Thursdays 9:15 a.m. CT: http |
| Metro Auto Auction - Austin | Dale | public | Register online through the 'REGISTER HERE' link on the site, pre-bid or bid during the online public auction; inspect during preview hours. |
| Public Auto Auctions | Kyle | public | Register to bid online; proxy bids allowed before the live auction. Weekly auction is open to dealers, repair shops and the general public. Items sold as-is with no warranty. |
| Copart San Antonio | San Antonio | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Register for a Copart membership online. Without a business license, bid on lots marked 'No License Required' (allowed by the laws of the state where the vehicle sits) or use a Copart-registered licensed broker |
| Copart Austin (TX - Austin yard) | New Braunfels | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Same as Copart San Antonio: online membership; No License Required lots or a registered broker. |
| Copart North Austin | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Same as other Copart yards. | |
| IAA Austin | Dale | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Branch page says 'Open to public buyers'. Register a Public Buyer account on iaai.com (government photo ID); public accounts see only inventory available to the public; other lots require a licensed account or |
| IAA Austin North | Florence | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Branch page says 'Open to public buyers'; same Public Buyer account rules as IAA Austin. |
| IAA San Antonio-South | San Antonio | salvage/insurance - public via broker or membership | Branch page says 'Open to public buyers'; same Public Buyer account rules as IAA Austin. |
| City of Austin surplus vehicles (Fleet Mobility Services) | Austin | public | Bid online at GovDeals (govdeals.com) or Gaston & Sheehan (txauction.com); search 'Austin Fleet' on those sites. |
| Travis County surplus auctions | Austin | public | Through the County's contracted auction houses, René Bates Auctioneers and Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers (some auctions live, some online). |
| Bexar County surplus vehicles | San Antonio | Unverified | UNVERIFIED: no official Bexar County page naming a surplus-vehicle platform was found. Do not publish a platform for Bexar County until confirmed with the Purchasing department. |
| City of San Antonio surplus fleet vehicles | San Antonio | Unverified | UNVERIFIED: current platform for City fleet surplus not confirmed. A 2005 City memo mentions a trial on PublicSurplus.com (https://webapp1.sanantonio.gov/archivedagendas/docsguest/74ki01!.PDF), which is too old to rely o |
| San Antonio Police Department vehicle auctions (City Vehicle Impound Facility) | San Antonio | public | Attend in person, register before the sale starts, pay on sale day by cash or credit card (no American Express); remove vehicle by 4 p.m. Friday of auction week. |
| Austin Police Department impounded/abandoned vehicles | Austin | public | APD page: owner has 20 days to redeem an impounded street vehicle 'before it is sold at public auction'. The page does not state where, on which platform, or how auctions are announced; those fields are null. J |
| Texas State Surplus Property Program (State Surplus Store and online auctions) | Austin | public | Buy priced vehicles at the State Surplus Store (cash or cashier's check payable to the Texas Facilities Commission; test drive in the parking lot only) or bid in TFC online auctions run on Public Surplus and GovDeal |
How auctions work
- Manheim and ADESA/OPENLANE are wholesale marketplaces. OPENLANE states it is built for licensed automotive dealers. Manheim describes itself as a wholesale auction whose primary client is the dealer, and new buyer enrollments go through AuctionACCESS. A consumer without a dealer license cannot buy there directly.
- Manheim requires new individual and dealership buyer enrollments to be completed through AuctionACCESS (or AuctionACCESSmobile); in-person registration needs a photo ID.
- A Manheim Condition Report (CR) grade uses the NAAA 0.0-5.0 scale. The grade is set by the documented damage, not chosen by the inspector. It focuses on cosmetic damage, so mechanical and electrical problems may not be noted. Manheim advises never to buy on the grade alone.
- Auction buyer fees exist on top of the winning bid. Manheim's public terms say buyer fees, late fees, title fees and storage fees follow the current fee schedule of each auction location. No single public Manheim fee table applies to every site.
- Buying on Manheim Simulcast (online bidding into a live lane) adds a Simulcast buyer fee on top of the normal buyer fee of the selling Manheim auction; Manheim's FAQ cites a standard $50 Simulcast buyer fee.
- Manheim arbitration windows: for in-lane purchases, claims must be filed by close of business on sale day; for Simulcast and Timed Sale (OVE) purchases, buyers have 10 calendar days from the sale date (sale date counts as day one).
- Salvage auctions such as IAA and Copart admit some public buyers, but rules depend on the state and on each vehicle. At IAA, a Public Buyer account sees only inventory available to the public, and a branch being open to the public does not mean every vehicle is. Other lots require a licensed account or a broker.
- Copart's 'No License Required' lots can be bought by the general public without a business or dealer license, as allowed by the laws of the state where the vehicle is located. For other lots, Copart can connect buyers with a licensed broker.
- In Texas, a salvage vehicle must be rebuilt and inspected before it can be driven on public roads again. Until then it can only carry a salvage title, a nonrepairable title, or authority to dispose of it.
- After a Texas salvage vehicle is repaired and passes inspection, it is retitled with a 'Rebuilt Salvage' brand that stays on the title (source summarized via search; re-check exact wording in the current TxDMV manual).
- A Texas Nonrepairable Vehicle Title means the vehicle is only good for parts or scrap. A 2003-or-later nonrepairable vehicle may not be repaired, rebuilt, retitled with a regular title, registered or operated in Texas.
- Government surplus in Texas reaches the public after other agencies pass on it. TxDOT surplus goes only to eligible Texas entities for the first 10 business days, then the public may buy at auction. Items are sold as-is with no warranty, and sales are final.
- Police impound auctions in San Antonio are announced in SAPD News Releases and on the SAPD Facebook page. They are held at the City Vehicle Impound Facility, 3625 Growdon Road, and require same-day payment by cash or credit card.
- In Austin, an impounded street vehicle's owner has 20 days to redeem it before it is sold at public auction.
Auction guides
Auctions
Can the Public Buy at Manheim? What Texas Buyers Should Know
Can the public buy at Manheim? No. Why Manheim, ADESA and OPENLANE are dealer-only, why paid access offers break Texas law, and where to buy instead.
Auctions
Dealer-Only vs Public Car Auctions in Texas Explained
How dealer-only auctions like Manheim and ADESA differ from public car auctions near Austin and San Antonio, and why a license gap cannot be bought.
Auctions
How Car Auctions Work in Texas: Types, Rules and Risks
How car auctions work in Texas: the four auction types near Austin and San Antonio, who can bid, title and fee rules, and the risks to check first.
Subastas
¿Puede el público comprar en Manheim? Guía para Texas
¿Puede el público comprar en Manheim? No. Por qué Manheim, ADESA y OPENLANE son solo para dealers, por qué pagar por acceso viola la ley y dónde comprar.
Subastas
Subastas de carros solo para dealers vs públicas en Texas
En qué se diferencian las subastas solo para dealers, como Manheim y ADESA, de las subastas públicas de carros cerca de Austin y San Antonio.
Subastas
Subasta de carros en Texas: tipos, reglas y riesgos
Cómo funciona una subasta de carros en Texas: los cuatro tipos cerca de Austin y San Antonio, quién puede pujar, reglas de título, cargos y riesgos.
Sources
- Manheim San Antonio
- ADESA San Antonio
- OPENLANE (online marketplace)
- America's Auto Auction Austin
- Alliance Auto Auction Austin
- Metro Auto Auction - Austin
- Public Auto Auctions
- Copart San Antonio
- Copart Austin (TX - Austin yard)
- Copart North Austin
- IAA Austin
- IAA Austin North
- IAA San Antonio-South
- City of Austin surplus vehicles (Fleet Mobility Services)
- Travis County surplus auctions
- Bexar County surplus vehicles
- City of San Antonio surplus fleet vehicles
- San Antonio Police Department vehicle auctions (City Vehicle Impound Facility)
- Austin Police Department impounded/abandoned vehicles
- Texas State Surplus Property Program (State Surplus Store and online auctions)
- https://site.manheim.com/en/location-registration.html
- https://site.manheim.com/en/help/new-dealer-registration/new-dealer-buyer.html
- https://site.manheim.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/OAA-Public-Signature.pdf
- https://site.manheim.com/en/help/simulcast.html
- https://site.manheim.com/en/marketplace-policies/us-policies/arbitration-process-timelines.html
- https://www.iaai.com/us/Articles/online-car-auctions-who-can-buy
- https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/title-check-look-before-you-buy/salvage-brands
- https://www.txdmv.gov/sites/default/files/body-files/Salvage_Nonrepairable_Manual.pdf
- https://www.txdot.gov/business/surplus-and-salvage-of-state-property.html
Educational content. Anthony does not sell, broker or arrange vehicle sales in Texas. Confirm fees and rules with the office named in each source before you pay anything.
