How to understand the Japanese Auction Sheet
An auction sheet is a document filled by a vehicle inspector as they inspect a car in a Japanese auction.
The document describes in detail the condition of the car, its options, accessories and any defects.
The auction sheet is therefore a very important document and greatly determines the cost of the vehicle.
Japanese auction inspection officers are very objective in their reporting on the car condition so as to uphold high trust and credibility for the dealers/auctions system.
What is the grading system used at Japanese auction houses?
Different auctions may have their own, individual car assessment systems but most auction houses have adopted below condition ratings:
|
Rating |
BREAKDOWN |
|
S |
Brand new vehicle. Mileage usually less than 10 Kms. |
|
6 |
Similar to condition "S" but has higher delivery mileage ranging from approx. 50 Kms - 5000 Kms. |
|
5 |
Vehicle with excellent (perfect) condition and very exceptionally low mileage usually below 40,000 Kms. Will most likely be less than 3 years old. |
|
4.5 |
Vehicle that is in very good condition. Might have minor scratches. It can be same as condition 5 but slightly higher mileage. |
|
4 |
Good solid car. Has few scratches and dents due to normal wear and tear as you would expect to get with a normally aged vehicle. |
|
3.5 |
Same as condition 4 but has more noticeable scratches or dents hence will need some paint or panel work. |
|
3 |
Usually for a car that has either serious paint and panel problems or it has had a panel replacement somewhere. Grade 3 cars can also be basically grade 3.5 in terms of condition, but with very high mileage. |
|
2 |
Poor condition vehicle. Will require major repair work. May have corrosion, holes in body etc |
|
1 |
Very poor condition car e.g. as a result of flood damage. This rating can also be given to car that has undergone modifications e.g. -An aftermarket turbo / engine modification (some serious modification to the original vehicle) -Car with transmission changed from auto to manual. |
|
RA |
The car which has had accident damage which can be ranked MINOR, and has been repaired. |
|
R |
A vehicle which has been in an accident where some parts have been repaired or replaced. |
|
*** |
A car which has had accident damage and has NOT been repaired. Or a car with an engine that does not work/ has major engine trouble. |
In addition, auction house inspectors can evaluate separately the exterior and interior condition of the car using below ratings:
|
Rating |
Interior |
|
A |
Excellent condition - The vehicle is in immaculate condition |
|
B |
Good Condition - Clean / very slightly dirty. |
|
C |
Average condition - Slightly dirty, and/or has a few stains or cigarette burns |
|
D |
Below average condition -Dirty, stinky, big tear on seats etc |
|
E |
Very bad condition - Interior is very dirty, has a strong odor etc. Needs significant repairs. |
N/B. Most auction houses will not report the exterior separately as the exterior defects are already shown in the "car map" section of the auction sheet .
