Abbreviation of Inspection report
Inspection USS
Inspection JU
Inspection AAAI
Inspection TAA
SignA : Replaced
B : Replaced
SignA1 : Scratch (fist size)
B1 : Dent (1cm)
A2 : Scratch (2palm size)
B2 : Dent (larger than B1)
A3 : Scratch (larger than
B3A2)
: Dent (fist size)
C1 : Corrosion
B4 : Dent (larger than
C2 : Corrosion (Hole) 20cm)
E : Tiny Dent
B5 : Dent (throughout)
: Needs Replacing
R : Chap Repaired
C : Corrosion
RX : Chap Repaired Needs
D : removal.
: Replaced
: Sheet Metal
Replacing
P1 : Scratch
S : Rust
P2 : Scratch (larger A : Scratch (Dent)
U1 : Dent (thumb size) thanP1)
Processed/Repainte
B : Needs Sheet Metal
U2 : Dent (palm size) P3 : Scratch (larger Processing
U3 : Dent (larger than U2)
thanP2)
C : Corrosion
W1 : Wavy Panel (fine) P4 : Scratch (larger H : Discoloration
W2 : Wavy Panel
thanP3)
P : Needs Repainting
W3 : Wavy Panel
P5 : Scratch (throughout)
S : Rust
(conspicuous)
S : Rust
X : Needs Replacing
W1 : Wavy Panel (fine) : Dent
XX : Replaced
W2 : Wavy Panel
W : Wavy Panel
Inspection
Sign : Needs
Replacing
: Replaced
A : Scratch
B : Scratch with
Dent
C : Corrosion
G : Stone Chip
H : Hole
P : Repainted
S : Rust
U : Dent
W : Repaired
Y1 : Hole2 Crack (thumb
(conspicuous)
size)
W3 : Wavy Panel (Larger
Y2 : Crack (palm size) than W2)
Y3 : Crack (larger than XX
Y2): Replaced
: Scratch (small)
: Scratch (large)
Auction sheets are an essential part of buying used cars from Japan.
USS Auction sheets are the first point of inspection when selecting your used car for purchase. The Auction
reports are produced by professional inspectors employed by the auction house, independant of us, your
export agent, and the seller of the vehicle in question. They can give us fairly good idea of the condition,
history and market value of specific vehicle before the auction commences with basic information like
If the Vehicle has any crash history
First registration date of the vehicle in Japan (Important when buying a car such as a Mercedes Benz
as the registration date and actual production date may be different)
Any dents or scratches on the vehicle, rated in severity.
Actual chassis number (To be used for conformation of the year of the vehicle and check with
manufacturer of any factory options etc)(Also important to make sure the car you are sold is the car that is
shipped!)
Any rust or corrosion on the vehicle.
Interior condition
Any engine noise or transmission problem
Oil leaks
If the vehicle has been resprayed.
Afte the inspector has checked the vehicle, he(or she) will Grade (Explanation of the grades below) the
interior and exterior of the vehicle, and also give the car a total grade, giving us a clear indication of the
condition and value of the vehicle in the market.
Though the Auction sheets are a great resource, they should not be relied upon 100% and should only be
used as a indication of the condition of the car. In addition to the auction sheets, we always check the car
personally, to get a true picture of the target vehicle. We can actually call you from beside the car at auction
for a more through inspection giving you confidence in what you are purchasing.
Below you will find more specific information on Auction sheet grading and interior grades and also a full
translation of a several different Auction Sheets Very useful information for reading the Japanese Auction
Sheets if you are not fluent in Japanese!. We can help with the translations of the Auction Sheets also.
AUCTION GRADES AND DETAILS
Auction
Grade Detail
S
The car is less than 12 months old from the first registration date and under 10,000km.
As good as new. The exterior and interior are in immaculate condition.
The car is less than 36 months old from the first registration date and under 30,000km.
Basicly a very late model and new new car.
The car is under 50,000km.
The exterior may have some very minor scratches/scrapes and dents. A very difficult grade to
obtain, the unit will be in near perfect condition with very minor imperfections.
4.5
The car is under 100,000km. Again, a very high grade that you can be confident in. The car
may have some very slight imperfections in the body work, but will not need major repair.
Grade 6,5 and 4.5 are the top grades you could expect for a used car, and as such attract the
top prices in the top 10%.
The car is under 150,000km
The exterior may have some scratches/scrapes and dents. The car is in above average
condition. No Crash history
The interior may have some tears, cigarette burn marks, and/or stains. They will require some
minor repair. The auction sheet will tell us in more detail.
Generally a 4 grade car is a good target and the most popular for export. Price range will be in
the top 30%.
3.5
The exterior has some noticeable large scratches/scrapes and/or large dents. They may
require some minor panel beating work and/or painting.
The interior may have many tears, cigarette burn marks, and/or stains. They will require
repairs. Auction sheet will explain in more detail. The car is in average condition taking in to
consideration the year and ks on the car.
The exterior has many noticeable large scratches/scrapes, paint blemishes, and/or large
dents. They will require major panel beating work and/or painting.
The interior has many tears, cigarette burn marks, and/or stains. They will require many
repairs and/or interior parts will need to be replaced.
The car is in very bad condition PASS
The car which has one or more of the following :
1. An aftermarket turbo
2. An automatic transmission converted to manual transmission
3. Flood damage
4. Fire extinguisher damage
RA
***
The car which has had accident damage which can be ranked MINOR, and has been repaired.
The car has had accident damage and has been [Link] auction definition A car which
has had accident damage is a car that has accident damage to the following area(s) which
parts were repaired or replaced : 1. Lower Tie Bar or Frame 2. Windshield Pillar (A Pillar) 3.
Center Pillar (B Pillar) 4. Rear Pillar (C Pillar) 5. Strut Housing 6. Roof Panel 7. Trunk flooring
Panel 8. Floor Pan. These cars can be good buying, and the repair work can be of top
standard. Thorough inspection at auction and the car can be purchased if the repair is good.
Repair may be invisibleor could be bad! We will be onsite to check and give you our opinion.
The car has had major accident damage, and has NOT been repaired yet. Or a car with an
engine that does not work due to major engine trouble.
Interior Detail
A
Repairs are unnecessary.
New or near new condition.
Minor repairs are not necessary.
The most popular grade for export. Very clean interior.
Repairs are necessary.
The car has some, or all of the following conditions:
1) Tears, cigarette burn marks, worn patches, visible open screw holes, dashboard warping,
and/or dashboard has some small tears.
2) The interior is dirty and needs to be cleaned.
Major repairs are necessary.
The car has some, or all of the following conditions:
1) Several cigarettes burn marks in the interior.
2) Dashboard has a major warp.
3) The interior is dirty and needs to be cleaned. Some dirty patches will remain after
cleaning. Needs work.
Major repairs are necessary.
The car has some, or all of the following conditions:
1) The dashboard has major tears.
2) The interior is very dirty and has some major tears. The interior is flattened.
3) The interior has a bad smell.
Auction Sheet Abbreviations
AC
FA/AT
F5
PS
SR
AW
NAVI
AAC
CA
F6
PW
TV
KAWA
AIRBAGU
E3
U1
U2
U3
Y1
Air conditioner
Automatic transmission
Manual (5-speed) transmission
Power steering
Sunroof
Original alloy wheels
Navigator
Climate control air conditioner
Column automatic transmission
Manual (6-speed) transmission
Power windows
Television
Leather seats
Airbag
Some dents which are barely visible.
A dent which is the size of a thumb.
A dent which is the size of a palm.
A dent which is more than size U2.
A tear which is the size of a thumb.
Y2
Y3
A tear which is the size of a palm.
A tear which is more than size Y2.
W1
A panel which has been repaired slightly, and is in good condition.
W2
A panel which has been repaired slightly, and has a slightly wave.
W3
S1
S2
C1
A panel which has been repaired slightly, and has a conspicuous wave.
Rust which is the size of a fist.
Rust which is more than size S1.
Major rust corrosion which is the size of a fist.
C2
X
XX
Major rust corrosion which is more than size C1.
A panel which needs to be replaced.
A panel which has been replaced.
UNDERSTANDING THE JAPANESE
AUCTION SHEET
When viewing cars at auction you may notice that all will have an auction sheet attached, to those of us who
cannot read Japanese these can appear a little daunting but with our simple guide we hope you will be able
to make some sense of what is being mentioned.
The auction inspection system in Japan is extremely thorough and was developed so cars in more remote
parts of Japan could be sold unseen and purchased by buyers who may live hundreds of miles away and
likewise buyers from rural areas could buy in big sales unseen and send a transporter to collect.
This is a system thats been refined and improved over the years and is trusted by Japanese buyers and
international buyers alike. The auction houses are liable for misrepresenting a car and will have to settle a
claim if they have made a mistake. With car auctions in Japan accounting for thousands of car sales each
week the auction sheet has to be accurate and truthful with any faults being clearly specified.
The Japanese auction system is not uniform across all auctions. Some of the symbols vary from auction to
auction but here is a basic guide to what they all mean
But if this all sounds too complicated rest assured we offer a full auction sheet translation
service and physical inspection service to all of our customers with bidding priviledges.
A GUIDE TO BODYWORK
On most auction sheets you will see some of the following marks on the outline of the cars body here is
what they mean:
A: Is a scratch with A1 being a very light scratch, which usually means a light graze that will
polish out. A3 will mean a bad scratch that needs paint, some auction use up to A4 either way
on any Japanese auction sheet the higher the number the worse the damage.
U: Is a dent. A car may have many U1s which are pin dents that may be very small or
unrecognisable U3 will be a proper Knee sized Dent
W: Wavy means showing signs of previous repair W1 means a qualified inspector could identify
a good repair. W2 is a repair that is visible W3 is a bad repair that will probably need to be
redone.
X: Panel is damaged beyond repair and needs replacement
XX: Panel has been replaced.
Y: This means damage to front or rear lights. Y1 can mean a small chip in Headlight glass, Y3
will mean you can put your hand through the hole to replace the bulb.
C/S: You shouldnt see this much because you are not looking to import rust we have enough of
that here already! but depending on the auction company C1-C2 or S1-S2 will mean light rustheavy rust.
X/G: this will mean a chip on the windscreen or worse if any numbers are present. Some
auctions use Kanji to show windscreen marks but any marks pointing to the screen mean chips
or cracks.
The Auction Grade is a representation of the cars overall condition not just the bodywork. It is meant to give
an indication of how much money will require spending on a car to make it trade sale able, so if you are
looking at a car that appears mint but only gets a grade 3 it may have a mechanical issue and will need
further inspection.
The auction grades can run from 2 to 6. However 5 to 3 is the standard in most auctions. The auction grade
is also dependent on age and mileage for example it is very rare for a fifteen year old car to be grade 4, and
in this instance you can consider the car to be exceptional for its year, similarly a one year old car shouldnt
be grade 3.5 unless it has had a hard life.
GRADING SYSTEM
Grade 6 or S: This should be a brand new car but some auction companies allow ex demos with 2000
kms on the clocks into this category either way it should be plastic on the seats fresh.
Grade 5: As new condition
Grade 4.5: Very lightly used condition
Grade 4: Used condition with only the lightest of blemishes
Grade 3.5: Good condition with more noticible blemishes
Grade 3: Average condition marks and possible light damage
Grade 2: Poor condition may have accident damage or corrosion
Grade R or Ra: In newer cars it can mean accident car thats been repaired, or heavily modifed vehicle. In
older cars it can simply mean replacement panels, aftermarket kits, wings etc.
AUCTION SHEET EXAMPLES
Below are examples of the auction sheets used by the main auction houses with the key areas translated into
English
- See more at: [Link]
Auction Sheets Explained
Auction sheets can be confusing to read and understand, but we are here to help you
through the process. This section explains the basics of how the auction sheets are set
out and what to look for when deciding on a used car to buy. Auction sheet layouts do
vary depending on the auction house.
This auction sheet, provided by USS, explains what all those boxes mean. Study it for a
while (click to enlarge) and become familiar with all the detail. Notice the key near the
car diagram - this is a simplified version and a full list is given below.
A - Scratch or Crack; A1 scratch 2-3 cm, A2 < 10 cm, A3 > 10 cm.
C - Corrosion (bad rust).
S - Rust.
U - Dent; U1 Dimple, U2 < 10 cm, U3 >10 cm. B is sometimes used instead of U.
AU - Scratch and Dent; again can be combined with numbers.
W1 - Repainted as good as new condition.
W2 - Repaired & repainted in good condition.
W3 - Repaired but the surface finish is bad.
Y - Crack; Y1 crack 2-5 cm, Y2 <10 cm, Y3 >10cm.
X - Part exchange required.
XX - Part exchange history
Auction Grades
The following tables outline the basic condition of the used car and options it may
include. The first table relates to the exterior condition, the second the interior, the third
to options. It's important to note that these are general guides and the specific auction
sheets contain substantially more information regarding condition as we will see further
down the page.
Grade Description
The vehicle is less than 12 months old from the first registration date and travelled less
than 10,000 km.
The vehicle is in immaculate as new condition.
The vehicle is less than 36 months old from the first registration date and travelled less
than 30,000 km.
The vehicle is in immaculate as new condition.
The vehicle has travelled less than 50,000 km.
The exterior may have some minor scratches and marks.
4.5
3.5
The vehicle has travelled less than 100,000 km.
The exterior generally has more minor scratches and marks than grade 5.
The vehicle has travelled less than 150,000 km.
The exterior has some scratches/scrapes and possibly minor dents.
The exterior has some noticeable scratches/scrapes and/or dents, may contain rust or
corrosion. This grade will require some repairs.
The exterior has more noticeable large scratches/scrapes, paint blemishes, and/or large
dents. This grade will generally require more repairs than a 3.5 grade.
Very poor condition, save up for something better.
1. Substantial engine or body damage 3. Flood damage 4. Fire extinguisher damage
RA
***
Minor accident vehicle to which the damage has been repaired.
More substantial accident vehicle to which the damage has been repaired.
Accident car or "As it is condition"; Engine may no longer work.
Interior Description
The vehicle interior is as new.
The vehicle interior is in excellent condition, may contain minor wear marks, may require
light cleaning.
The vehicle interior is in average condition and may contain cigarette burns, torn
upholstery, screw holes, cracked dash, glue. Interior will require cleaning.
The vehicle interior is in poor condition, worse than 3 and will require repair and heavy
cleaning. Interior may smell.
The vehicle interior is in very poor condition and will require extensive repair. Interior
may smell.
Options
Description
AC / AAC
Air conditioner / Climate control air conditioner
FA / AT / CA
Automatic transmission / Column automatic transmission
F5 / F6
5 Speed Manual trasmission / 6 Speed Manual trasmission
PS / PW
Power steering / Power windows
SR
Sunroof
TV
Television
Navigator
Leather Interior
AW / AW
Airbags
Genuine alloy wheels / Alloy wheels
Fees Structure - for Japan Car Auctions
When you buy a car from auction in Japan with Smile JV, you get professional service and
competitive prices!
The buying service fee covers all auction buying costs, de-registration and export
documentation, taxes, our commission as well as other expenses that we incur.
Our genuine price commitments are:
1. You pay only the winning bid price. This is the actual price (and only price) we
charge you for the car!
2. We do not add local consumption taxes to the bid price and hide this as the "cost
of the car from auction". Some auto auction agents on Japan do charge you this (without
telling you)! Consumption taxes are for local sales only and exports should be exempt.
3. You can see the sold price for the car you bid on and you can search for the price
for any used car sold in Japan car auctions!
... it's all about transparency and quality service - this is why Smile JV's customers
give us outstanding reviews and keep coming back.
Guidelines:
Units are measured over a 12 month period from the first purchase
Purchases over 2,000,000 yen are arranged by negotiation
Platinum members must purchase a minimum of 3 units per month (average over 3
months)
Gold members must purchase a minimum of 2 units per month (average over 3 months)
Silver members must purchase a minimum of 1 units per month (average over 3 months)
Clients who do not purchase for 3 months will go back one membership level
Clients paying collect shipping incur additional fees (see below in shipping)
Clients must cover bank fees and provide evidence of payment immediately following
auction purchase, for units to be counted
Conditons apply for Gold, Silver and Platinum members
If you're are currently buying a large number of units from another car auction agent in
Japan at rates you think are favourable, please contact us as we are happy to talk to you
about a competitive and immediate pricing structure.
Inland Transport
The average Inland transport amount from most auction houses is approximately 10,000
yen. Distant auction houses may incur additional charges which are available for review
prior to purchase. Damaged / non running vehicles, trucks, and low down vehicles do
incur extra fees so please ask prior to bidding on these cars.
Marine Insurance
Normal marine insurance is 8,500 yen, however extra damage insurance is available by
request.
Shipping rates
Clients who log into Smile JV's auction system can view shipping estimates based on the
car selected. Shipping prices fluctuate depending on exchange rates, oil prices, etc., and
an actual shipping price is provided when purchasing. See our shipping page for time
estimates.
Clients are welcome to pay shipping in their own country (and are charged "FOB origin").
In this situation we add JPY 20,000 to the invoice to cover Japan side shipping charges
(Port, customs, radiation and freight agent charges).
Deposits
A deposit is required before we perform work for you (translations or vehicle inspections)
and before we can accept bids from you. The deposit is not a fee, it simply acts as
security to ensure that clients pay for vehicles that they win a bid on and it is subtracted
from the final invoice amount.
The amount depends on your maximum bid price as follows:
150,000 deposit for a maximum bid of 1,000,000
20% deposit for for a maximum bid between 1,000,000 to 2,000,000
30% deposit for a maximum bid between 2,000,000 to 4,000,000
Negotiated deposit for a vehicle with a bid price over 4,000,000
The deposit is refundable for any reason prior to us securing a used vehicle on your
behalf, less any bank fees or associated costs. Smile JV Ltd. reserves the right to charge
a reasonable fee if work and/or effort has gone into securing a used car, truck or bus on
your behalf prior to a refund being requested.
To make a deposit please contact us or see the payment options here.
Mandatory Inspection
Some countries may require inspection before export, for example EAA, Intertek/MOZ,
JAAI, or JEVIC. The price for these types of inspections Japan is around $300 (depending
on exchange rates) and clients are responsible for these costs.
Sales within Japan
For local sales we are required to charge 8% consumption tax and recyle fees to the
invoice. The recycle fee is written on the auction sheet.
Smile JV Shipping Process
Importing a Japanese Used Vehicle
To import a Japanese used car you should be familiar with the Importing rules,
regulations and associated costs. These will vary by country and regularly change, but
you can find some information and links to relevant sources in this section. Smile JV
cannot know all the relevant and current information for every country so please ensure
that you are well aware of all vehicle importing regulations before you purchase a
Japanese Vehicle.
Many regulations require either the date of manufacture or the date of first registration
in Japan to be known and documented. It's important that you are aware of the difference
between these two dates. Most, if not all of the Japanese documents list that date of first
registration in Japan and not the date of first manufacture.
When you import a used Japanese car, some other things you may need to consider are;
Which makes and models are allowed to be imported to you country
Condtion or grade of vehicle acceptable for import
Engine size and relevant import taxes, duties and customs costs and procedures
If your vehicle will require a mandatory inspection in Japan before being shipped.
C&F PRICE
How is the C&F (Cost & Freight) Calculated?
JAPANESE AUCTION SCHEUDLE
MONDAY
Tokyo
JU
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Arai
Bay Auction
Arai
Arai Bayside
Sendai
BCN
Fukuoka
JU Chiba
CAA Gifu
Arai Oyama
CAA Chubu
JU Fukuoka
CAA Tokyo
Hanaten
Hero Auto
JU Miyagi
CAA
Osaka
Auction
JU Niigata
HU Aichi
Tohoku
JU Ishikawa
JU Okayama
JU Mie
JU
JU Sapporo
LAA
JU Saitama
Fukushima
KCAA
JU Tochigi
JU Gunma
JU
Ebino
KCAA
JU
Shizuoka
LAA Shikoku
Yamaguchi
JU
ORIX Nagoya Hiroshima
JU
Yamaguchi
ORIX
Kanagawa
KCAA
Auction
ZIP Tokyo
Fukuoka
LAA Kansai
SAA
Hamamatsu
* An additional fee of US$50 applies to auctions marked with a red diamond ().
SATURDAY
Arai
Oyama VT
HAA Kobe
JU Gifu
JU Nara
IMPORTANT NOTICE
1. Deadline for regular bids is 9:30am JST.
2. All bids (including additional bids) must be placed at least 20 minutes before starting time.
3. Bid price cannot be lowered before 1 hour of the starting time.
4. All bids must be placed no later than 18:00 JST. ( 17:00 JST on Saturday. )
5. Bid price is the maximum price, but we may exceed the price by up to 10,000 when necessary.
6. A cancellation, a change of the price, and other reports are accepted only in the auction system.
We can check and translate auction sheets.
We can check rules and regulations of your country, year of manufacture, year of registration, engine
size, etc.
We do not supply non-running cars and cars with technical problems.
The deadline for bid application is the midnight before auction date.
In case you wish to cancel your order for reasons of your own AFTER your car has been bought, we
may claim a portion of the deposit as compensation.
Japanese Auction Sheet Codes Explained
Every auction uses a grading sheet or Japanese auction sheet which lists the details of the
vehicle plus information about the vehicle condition.
Each auction house is a little different in the reporting format but the basic information
remains the same.
Vehicles are given from 0 to 6 for the overall grade (6 is the best) with A to D used for
interior grade (A is the best).
Some auctions will add an extra A to D grade for body condition, so you may see a 4 B B for
example.
Interiors graded A should be virtually as new. B is also considered extremely clean, and C is
often used for average condition. For some auctions a C is still very good, while at others it will
mean the interior is dirty, has cigarette burns, or obvious wear and tear. C for a vehicle older
than 10 years is generally expected, but would be cause for concern on a 2-year old vehicle. D
usually means very untidy, dirty, smoke-affected, or stripped out for racing.
Grade 3 or 3.5 can also be the result of a minor accident repair.
Repairs are usually denoted with XX on the affected panels, but can be hidden in the
auction sheet notes sectionwritten in Japanese.
Very minor repairs to front panels may be considered where its obvious that only bumpers or
front panels have been repainted and any parts replacement has not affected the front
structure. If there is any doubt about this we will avoid the vehicle as it is simply not worth
the risk of rejection by your compliance workshop.
We generally source only vehicles graded 4 and higher on the Japanese auction sheet.
Occasionally a lower grade vehicle might be worth considering, e.g. some large scrapes and
scratches on the bodykit / bumpers could result in a 3.5 grade for what is otherwise a nice
vehicle. This cosmetic damage may be easy to fix yet result in significant savings on newer
vehicles.
Grade 2 indicates very poor condition or water damage.
Grade 1 is a sign of significant modifications, this could be performance upgrades such as
larger turbos, a transmission change from auto to manual, an engine change, or prepared for
racing.
It is therefore a matter of reviewing the Japanese auction sheet and pictures for any vehicles of
interest with an open mind to determine those worth further inspection.
Any that look promising will be physically inspected by our agent at auction to confirm
actual condition and more pictures will be taken.
We then contact you to discuss condition and your budget.
See What We Do for more detail on the auction inspection and bidding process.
Overall grade
6
New
As new with no condition faults
4.5
Very clean, one panel affected by minor paint blemish
More than one panel affected by minor paint blemishes
3.5
Some attention to panel and paint is required
Rough overall condition
Serious panel damage, rusty or water damaged
Significant performance upgrades or mechanical changes
A, 0, R
Accident damage and repair
A, 0, R and variations (RS, R0, RA, A1) are all used to denote repaired vehicles, with RA, A1,
R1 being minor repairs. Repairs in the rear or any dents in structural members like chassis rails
are exclusions for Australia under SEVS so we immediately avoid any of those vehicles for
SEVS import.
***
Serious mechanical or body fault, e.g. engine problems, existing accident damage,
fire
Interior
A
As new with no condition faults
Very clean and nice
Average / clean for age including expected wear and tear
Cigarette burns / smell, rips, tears, or other damage to interior, significant wear and
tear
Options
SR
Sunroof
AW
Alloy Wheels
PS
Power Steering
PW
Power Windows
AB
Airbag
Vehicle Diagram
XX
Panels have been replaced due to repairs and / or painted.
Wavy
Can mean the affected panel has been painted, and the paint is not as smooth as the original
factory paint. However, in some cases even when marked with a W it is impossible to tell with
the naked eye whether paintwork has been done. Auction staff can make mistakes also, and
mark panels W when they are uncertain. W or W1, W2 and W3 are used, with 1 being least
noticeable.
A
Scratch
A1 is a tiny scratch, and generally you would expect this to buff out or be an easy touch up
A2 is a medium scratch through the top layer of paint, and wont easily be hidden
A3 is a deep scratch such as a serious scrape or intentional key mark, and will definitely require
paintwork if you want to fully address it.
U
Pin dent
Only a small dent such as you would pick up in the carpark
U1 to U4 are used to denote the size of the dent, with 1 being the smallest
B
Larger dents
These are more serious than pin dents. They are quite noticeable dents and range from B1 to
B4.
Y
Cracks
Y1 to Y4. Usually in bodykits or lights and often not a major issue as repair or replacement is
fairly simple.
P
Paint damage
P1 to P4. Fading, scratches or discolouration from sun damage, polishing, peeling, crazing or
poor paintwork.
S/C
Rust / Corrosion
S and C1 to C4 are generally used.
An S or C1 on the body can mean a small stone chip has some surface rust or there is a spot of
rust on the edge of a sunroof which might be easily addressed. In other cases S noted in the
negative comments section could indicate extensive underbody rust. C indicated on the wheel
arches is a sign there is serious corrosion due to use in snowy areas.
Physical inspections are undertaken for rust regardless of whether it is noted on the
Japanese auction sheet, as even grade 4.5 vehicles can be rusty.
The Best Auctions
While Japan has more than 70 auctions each week and many agents claim coverage of them
all, in reality most vehicles are sourced from a smaller number of major auctions and these are
the main auctions attended weekly by reliable auction inspection agents.
Several small auctions are held on Monday but most are online only such as AUCNET
and NPS Tokyo Nyusatsu which dont enable physical inspections as there is no centralised
auction location.
Other auctions are so small that it is not viable to have an agent there to inspect vehicles.
For the best selection of vehicles, condition and prices our favourite 14 auctions are
in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe:
Tuesday
USS Yokohama, JU Saitama, CAA Tokyo, CAA Gifu
Wednesday
JAA, CAA Chubu, BAYAUC, BCN Saitama
Thursday
USS Tokyo, Hanaten Osaka
Friday
USS Nagoya, USS Osaka
Saturday
HAA Kobe, JU Gifu
Auctions We Avoid
We specifically avoid all Sapporo auctions due to rust issues.
Sapporo is on the island of Hokkaido in the far north of Japan very near Russia, they have
about 7 months of snow each year and salt the roads. That means nearly all vehicles there are
affected by rust.
We also avoid auctions in Gunma on Thursday and Saturday, as like Sapporo this is a heavy
snow area.
BCN Saitama auction on Wednesday has been renamed MiRIVE and is located in Fukuya City,
Saitama prefecture. It is only a small outback style auction.
Arai Oyama auction on Thursday is not very good for the type of vehicles we source. In our
experience they have loose auction gradings as it is a very backwoods primarily truck / 4WD
vehicle auction. As the area is a very mountainous one, the vehicles generally tend to be
quite rusty. It is also about a 3 hour drive from Tokyo, and very expensive for transport to the
port.
Fukuoka in the south of Japan has several auctions each week but prices tend to be higher and
additional transport is needed prior to shipping. It is difficult to find reliable agents in this area to
inspect vehicles in person.
Reading a Japanese Auction Sheet Example 1
This vehicle was a 2007 Nissan Skyline V36 370GT coupe, base model.
Graded 3.5 due to a rear repair. Note XX in the notes section, but not
shown on the vehicle diagram in this case. Body and interior were
graded C and B.
Reading a Japanese Auction Sheet Example 2
Here is another example for a 2006 V35 Skyline Premium coupe in a
slightly different handwritten format for USS auctions. The same
information is there.
