Let’s Take a Trip To the Supercar Junkyards of Dubai
When you think of a junkyard, what comes to mind?
For me, it’s some cornucopia of scrap metal on the edge of its life and hidden gems waiting to be found by the most determined hunters — and when I say determined, I mean it.
But the junkyards of Dubai are a different scene. The Dubai Copart Salvage Lots are full of supercars that sputter out to a landfill fate, but these vehicles are by no means worthless. They’re expensive enough for the highest echelon, and still nice n’ shiny under that coat of dust. People hop here from all over to see what they can salvage, snag from auction or simply snap a photo of.
A snapshot into the Copart Salvage Lots
Copart auctions tons of cars online, but where do they come from? For many of them, their home is in Dubai, where Copart Salvage Lots cradle the one-percenters of retired vehicles until someone snags them up for parts, display or even restoration.
But while tons of people bid in Copart’s auction, it’s less common for folks to see where those cars are coming from. Alex Darvall is an Australian YouTuber living in the United Arab Emirates, and she operates under the name Supercar Blondie.
In a recent video, she takes a trip to one of the supercharged junkyards of Dubai itself. Take a peek at her video for evidence of abandoned, confiscated or damaged supercars that end up calling Copart Salvage Lots Dubai their home.
From a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon to a Ferrari California T, bids can start at 75% lower than the average market price for the same used car — or more. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty inviting during this post-pandemic recession. With thousands of vehicles up for bid every day, it’s all about when you can manage to squeeze into a Copart auction.
Why might a car end up in the junkyards of Dubai?
Banks might seize some cars for failure to make payments, and Copart Salvage Lots snags them right up.
Others are products of accidents that leave owners with a burden they want to rid of as soon as possible. Think scrunched-up Rolls Royces with suicide doors that won’t open and hardly a chance of survival.
Owners might abandon their vehicle on the side of the road leaving Dubai swiftly as a result of unpaid debts. In UAE, debts are a criminal matter, which differs from the civil treatment it receives in the United States.
Quite frankly, there’s no shortage of reasons a car might end up in the junkyards of Dubai. But they get there, and many are prime for the pickings.
It’s not just supercars here
Dubai’s Copart Salvage Lots are renowned for their dime-a-dozen finds, but fancy rides aren’t the only thing here. There are also everyday vehicles like Toyota Land Cruisers and Cadillac Escalades.
Basically, this salvage lot is the UAE hub for all things second-chance auto. But because of Dubai’s inherent interest in life’s finer things, it’s only natural that supercars would end up here.
Test your luck at the scrap yard
The junkyards of Dubai are one of the world’s greatest places to get lucky. Sure, you might only find vehicles that are smashed to bits. However, you could also find a supercar that’s worth the investment. If a Dubai local is in the right place at the right time, they may just get a magnificent deal.
What is your reaction?
Dubai always feels weird, like it’s from a dystopian novel. The wealth disparity there is insane. Regardless, this is an interesting article.
Some of those vehicles would only be worth buying if you bought two or three of the same model, so you could swap all the working components to make one vehicle that works. This is why people love places like this. Also, imagine if the US put their citizens in prison for not paying their debt.
Exactly what I was thinking about the debt aspect! Wild
This is definitely interesting. When I think of junk yards, I think of just that; junk. I think of smashed cars that have no use except for a few scrap parts here and there. I would think an abandoned or slightly used car may be at auction for a used car lot. But since, Dubai has a high standard of living, maybe less people are driving around in banged up cars. It is an interesting thought for sure. It changes a lot of my perspective.
This is really cool. I bet you can find some headlights that need replacing in these junkyards!
wild stuff