Non-D Salvage Auction - mechanical damage questions

[Dangermouse]

While searching for a DD for my kid, I came across a Volvo that looked nice. The ad had the VIN noted but no Carfax. When I googled the VIN, one of the results showed the car at a coparts type place

https://carsfromwest.com/en/auction/lot/30120786

What does it mean when such a listing says "Mechanical" as the Primary Damage?

The CL ad claims 78k miles and "new timing belt and water pump". Reading between the lines, I assume that this means that the car suffered a timing belt failure (fixed by the current seller/broker/dealer probably with a new engine) but why/how would such a failure result in the car being at a salvage auction and not simply listed on-line as "needs new engine/mechanical special".

I'm not going to buy this car now, but I am curious. Any knowledgeable people out there with used-car dealer knowledge??


edit - here is the CL ad, where the broker put on a UGA Tag to make it seem like a local car

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/ctd/5800536922.html

[DMCVegas]

Copart deals in bulk cars, so a quick catchall label of "MECHANICAL" to describe damage works much better for them. A quick search of their glossary of terms from their foreign site lists the definition of mechanical damage as this:

Damage to engine and gearbox to include: knocking/noisy engine; smokey engine; gears not engaging; oil leaks; cracks/holes in engine or gearbox, including sump. In the comment box of the Copart collection sheet, the relevant BUYN notes are to be added.

So there should have been an accompanying sheet to list what specifically the damage to the vehicle was. That's what would help the buyer determine what needed repairing. That's what would determine the difference between a quick repair, and a catastrophic failure for what's simply a viable mechanic's special. A bad timing belt already means bent valves on an interference engine like the S40, and rebuilding the cylinder head.

As for why it ended up at Copart instead of Mannheim's TRA in Houston, who knows. Maybe Copart was cheaper? Maybe it's a repo, and selling it as salvage without that stigma could have brought it a higher price at auction? Especially since I'm pressure sure Copart doesn't require a dealer's licence. A big dealership or finance company could take the car in on trade, and then just send it out to dump it at auction instead of repairing it themselves. The body damage and mechanical damage might not be too bad for a curb stoner or Buy here, Pay here dealer that works at their own pace and boosts profits by not paying the labor on repairs since they DIY recondition cars. But for a large dealership with techs being paid by the hour, it depletes the profit margin substantially.

[Dangermouse]

Interesting.

I looked at a "live" one on their site, with a similar "mechanical" damage, thinking perhaps the sheet gets deleted after the auction ends, but it was not to be found. Perhaps it's only available for live attendees.

https://carsfromwest.com/en/auction/lot/30547556

I presume there is no Insurance Company involvement here, as there is no accident to either, so would these cars end up with a Salvage title because they went trough a salvage yard?