I've watched hundreds of first-timers walk into Copart, Manheim, or their local dealer auction and get wrecked. Not because they picked a bad car — because they didn't understand how the game works before they showed up.

Here are the three that hurt the most:

1. Bidding on the wrong kind of damage

Hail damage and minor collision are usually fine to flip. Frame damage, flood, and fire? Those words should stop you cold unless you really know what you're doing. The auction listing tells you the damage type — read it. Most people don't.

2. Not understanding the fee stack

Auction houses charge buyer fees, gate fees, title fees, and sometimes storage. On a $4,000 car, you can easily be looking at $1,000+ in fees before you ever touch it. Always calculate your total acquisition cost — not just the hammer price.

3. Overbidding because they fell in love with the car

The market doesn't care what you want to pay. Pull the Manheim Market Report or a clean retail comp before you ever go to the lane. Set your max bid. Then subtract fees, transport, and repair estimate. Whatever's left is your number. Go to that number and not a dollar more.

This is the stuff no one teaches you until you've already burned through cash learning it.

If you're trying to get into the auction game — whether for personal buying or flipping — I'm happy to answer questions below.

— BidLane