Before a car enters the hall, an inspector employed by the auction house goes over it and records what is there. The seller does not write this document and cannot edit it.
The grade sits in the top corner of the sheet and sums up condition in a single figure. It is the first filter most buyers use, and the difference between a 4 and a 3.5 is usually visible in the price.
The scale is broadly consistent across the country, though individual halls apply it with their own emphasis. We tell you which hall a lot comes from for exactly that reason.
| Grade | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| S · 6 | Essentially new, delivery mileage |
| 5 | Excellent, very low mileage, nothing to note |
| 4.5 | Very good, minor marks only |
| 4 | Good, normal wear for the age |
| 3.5 | Usable, visible marks or worn parts |
| 3 | Work needed, cosmetic or mechanical |
| R · RA | Repaired after accident damage, regardless of quality |
A separate grade from A down to D covers seats, trim, smell and smoke traces. A car can carry a strong exterior grade and a tired interior, and this is where you find out.
A small drawing of the car with a code at every mark: A for a scratch, U for a dent, W for a repainted or repaired panel, X for a panel that needs replacing, with a number for severity.
Handwritten Japanese in the margin, usually the most useful part of the document: a knocking noise, a warning light, a service book that is missing. We translate it in full, not in summary.
Recorded mileage, whether the odometer reading is corroborated, the roadworthiness expiry, and whether the service record came with the car.
For a car you are serious about, we can arrange extra photographs of a specific panel, a closer look at the underside or a question put to the seller, provided the hall's schedule allows it.