Guide
How to read a Japanese auction sheet
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Every car sold at a Japanese auction gets an inspection sheet (出品票). An inspector walks around the car, draws marks on a diagram, grades it and writes short notes, often by hand. The sheet is the most honest description of the car you will get, but it is written in shorthand Japanese.
Overall grades
| S | Brand new or nearly new. Under about 12 months old with very low mileage and no defects.Rare at auction. Expect to pay close to new-car money. |
| 5 | Excellent condition. Very low mileage, no notable damage, no repair history.Top of the used market. Verify mileage against the sheet and service book. |
| 4.5 | Very good condition with only minor cosmetic marks. Well cared for.A strong buy for an enthusiast who wants a clean example. |
| 4 | Good condition. Some small scratches or dents that a normal used car would have. May have minor repairs.The sweet spot for value. Read the damage map to see what 'minor' means here. |
| 3.5 | Average condition. Visible wear, several scratches or dents, possibly some panel repairs. Higher mileage is common.Budget for paint or bodywork. Fine as a project or daily, weak as a show car. |
| 3 | Below average. Noticeable damage, possibly rust or corrosion, may need mechanical attention.Only buy with a clear repair budget. Ask the exporter for extra photos. |
| 2 | Poor condition. Significant rust, corrosion or damage. Often not roadworthy without work.Parts car or full restoration territory. |
| 1 | Very poor, heavily modified, or has flood/fire damage. Sometimes used for cars with major aftermarket changes.Walk away unless you know exactly why it is graded 1. |
| R | Accident history. R means repaired accident damage; RA is a lighter repair. The car can still be excellent, but it has been in a crash.Check the notes for which panels or structural parts were replaced. Compliance may need extra scrutiny. |
| *** / none | The inspector did not assign a grade. Common for older, modified, or non-running cars.Treat as unknown. Get a third-party inspection before bidding. |
Interior grades
- A: Like new. Clean, no wear, no smells.
- B: Good. Light wear on seats or wheel, perhaps a small mark.
- C: Average. Visible wear, marks, possibly small burns or stains.
- D: Poor. Heavy wear, tears, stains or damage that needs repair.
- E: Very poor. Interior needs major work.
Damage codes
A letter says what kind of damage it is; a number says how big: 1 = small (about the size of a coin, a few cm), 2 = medium (hand-sized), 3 = large (bigger than a hand, clearly visible). So U2 is a hand-sized dent and A1 a small scratch.
| A | Scratch 傷 | A surface scratch in the paint. A3 or many A2 marks mean a respray of that panel to look right. |
| U | Dent へこみ | A dent in the panel. U2 and U3 dents usually need a panel beater. Check whether the paint is cracked. |
| B | Dent with scratch へこみ傷 | A dent that also has scratched paint. Needs both filling and painting. |
| W | Repair wave 板金 | The panel has been repaired or repainted and a wave is visible in the finish. W2 or W3 means the repair is obvious. Ask why the panel was repaired. |
| S | Rust 錆 | Surface rust. Rust spreads. Underbody rust is far worse than a bubble on a panel edge. |
| C | Corrosion 腐食 | Corrosion that has eaten into the metal, worse than surface rust. Structural corrosion can fail compliance or a roadworthy inspection. |
| X | Needs replacement 要交換 | The panel or part is damaged enough that it should be replaced. Price the replacement panel before bidding. |
| XX | Replaced 交換済 | The panel or part has already been replaced. Replaced panels often mean a past collision on that side. |
| P | Paint fault 塗装 | Paint has been redone or has a defect such as peeling, mismatch or overspray. Check colour match in daylight photos. |
| H | Paint fade 塗装劣化 | Paint is faded or dull, usually from sun. Common on red and dark Japanese cars parked outside. |
| Y | Tear or hole ひび・穴 | A crack, tear or hole, often in bumpers, trim or the interior. Plastic bumpers with Y3 are usually replaced, not repaired. |
| E | Dimples えくぼ | Small dimples, often hail or many tiny dents. Hail damage can be across the whole roof and bonnet. |
| G | Stone chip (glass) 飛び石 | A stone chip, usually in the windscreen. A chip in the driver's view can fail a roadworthy check. Budget for a new screen. |
| R | Repaired crack 修理跡 | A crack or damage that has been repaired, often glass. Repaired windscreen cracks can spread. |
| RX | Repaired, needs replacing 要交換(修理済) | Was repaired but still needs replacing. Treat as X. |
| K | Chip 欠け | A small chip in paint or trim. Touch-up only, unless there are many. |
| M | Modified 改造 | The car has aftermarket modifications. Modifications can affect compliance and insurance. Check the notes for what was changed. |
| T | Trim / other その他 | Other damage noted by the inspector. Read the notes. |
Dates on the sheet
Years are often in Japanese eras. Heisei (H or 平) year N is 1988 + N, so H9 is 1997. Reiwa (R or 令) year N is 2018 + N. Mileage is usually written in thousands of kilometres.
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