How to Read a Japanese Car Auction Sheet (Grades and Damage Codes Explained)
An auction sheet is the inspector's report on a Japanese used car. Learn what the overall grade, interior grade and damage codes like A2, U1 and W2 really mean before you buy.
Most Japanese used cars for export are bought at large dealer auctions. Before a car goes under the hammer, an independent inspector checks it and writes an auction sheet: a one-page report with grades, mileage, equipment and a drawing of the car marked with every scratch and dent.
If you are buying a car you cannot see in person, the auction sheet is one of the most useful documents you can ask for. Here is how to read one.
What is on an auction sheet?
Layouts differ from one auction house to another, but almost every sheet includes:
- Lot number, make, model and model code (for example NZT260 for a Toyota Allion)
- Year of first registration and mileage in kilometres
- Engine size, transmission and fuel type
- Overall grade and interior grade
- Equipment: air conditioning, power steering, navigation, sunroof, leather and so on
- The car diagram, marked with damage codes
- Inspector's notes, usually handwritten in Japanese
The overall grade
The overall grade is a quick summary of the car's condition. The most common grades are:
- S or 6: brand new or almost new, very low mileage
- 5: excellent, close to new condition
- 4.5: very good, only very minor marks
- 4: good, some small scratches or dents that are normal for its age
- 3.5: fair, more visible wear or small repairs needed
- 3: rough, noticeable damage or high mileage
- R or RA: the car has had an accident repair to its frame or structure (RA usually means a minor, well-repaired one)
- 0 (sometimes shown as stars): sold as it is, often flood-damaged, not running or modified
For everyday export cars, grade 4 and 4.5 are the sweet spot: good condition without the premium price of a grade 5. Grade 3.5 cars can be good value if you accept some cosmetic work.
An R grade is not automatically bad. Many repaired cars drive perfectly. But the price should reflect the repair, and you should know about it before you pay.
The interior grade
The interior is graded with a letter:
- A: excellent, like new
- B: good, light wear
- C: average, some stains, wear or small burns
- D: poor, heavy wear or damage
- E: very poor
A car graded 4 / B is a typical clean family car.
Damage codes on the car diagram
The diagram shows where each mark is. Each mark is a letter for the type of damage and a number for its size (1 is small, 3 is large):
- A: scratch (A1 small, A2 medium, A3 large)
- U: dent (U1 small, U2 medium, U3 large)
- W: wave or uneven panel, usually a sign of a past repair (W1 to W3)
- S: rust
- C: corrosion
- P: paint marks or paint damage
- Y: crack or hole
- B: dent with a scratch
- X: panel needs replacing
- XX: panel has already been replaced
- G: stone chip on the glass, often with a size
So a door marked A1 U1 has a small scratch and a small dent, which is normal on a car that is ten years old.
What to look for
- Does the mileage match the listing? It should.
- Is the grade consistent with the photos? A grade 4.5 car should look clean in the pictures.
- Many W or XX marks on one side can mean an accident on that side, even if the grade is not R.
- S and C marks underneath matter more for cars going to wet or salty climates.
- Inspector notes often mention things like a warning light, engine noise or a non-working air conditioner. Ask for a translation if you can't read them.
How we use auction sheets
When we buy a car at auction for our stock or for a customer, we check its auction sheet together with the photos before we buy. If you are interested in one of our cars, ask us for its auction sheet where one is available, and we will explain anything on it you are unsure about.
You can also ask us to find a specific car at auction for you: tell us the model, year range, grade and budget you want.