When deciding to bid for a car on a Japanese auction site, an auction sheet is a very important document to rely on. Every car up for auction has one. It is created by inspectors and it offers unbiased complete information on the car. The inspectors check for mechanical soundness of the car, its interior and exterior. They then use that information to fill an auction sheet.
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Understanding auction grade
Based on the information in the auction sheet, a car is awarded a grade by the auction site that is meant to tell you the general condition of the car. The grading may consist of two parts:
- Overall grade, usually a number indicating the mechanical and exterior conditions of the car
- Interior grade, usually a letter indicating the interior condition of the car such as dashboard, seats and roof
Overall grade
- GRADE 6/7/8/S: New cars.
- GRADE 5: As good as new. Very low mileage. Hard to get.
- GRADE 4.5: Slightly used but in great condition, sometimes as good as new.
- GRADE 4: Slightly used with the tiniest of issues.
- GRADE 3.5: Still in good condition. Has visible flaws like scratches and dents. Might need some minor repair work.
- GRADE 3: Average condition with issues that will need to be fixed.
- GRADE 2: Very poor condition, with significant damages but its functional.
- GRADE *: The car is not running, needs a forklift to be moved.
- GRADE R or O: Accident history or major modifications.
- GRADE RA: Minor accident fully repaired.
- GRADE RB: Heavy repair.
- GRADE RC: Pillar or frame has been changed/repaired.
- GRADE R2: Accident history and mostly rust or corrosion issues.
Interior grading
- A – Excellent interior condition, as good as new.
- B – Good condition with some imperfections.
- C – Average condition with imperfections.
- D – Bad interior condition.
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