Unravel the mystery of Japanese car auction inspection reports

Japanese car auctions are a great way for car importers around the world to procure high quality, fuel efficient cars and other used cars at affordable prices.

However, in order to take full advantage of the opportunities these Japanese car auctions give you as a car dealer, you must ensure that you understand the scrutineering report. As a well-informed buyer, you can screen your money and avoid costly mistakes.

In this article, we’ll look together to see who can create these auction inspection reports and find out.

If you are serious about buying a car at a Japanese car auction, you need to read on.

Quick Primer: What are these Japanese car auctions?

There are about 86 auction sites in Japan. These auctions across the country typically sell around 7,000 to over 40,000 used and other vehicles.

A good Japanese car exporter will provide customers with access to all these auctions via an online system. You may be one or two continents away from Japan, but you can still sit in front of your computer and take advantage of this huge number of RHD and LHD cars right away.

Enter bids with the click of a mouse and let the Japanese car exporter do the rest. After a few weeks, the car will arrive at the harbor for you to pick up.

Used car inspection at Japanese car auction

At Japanese car auctions, all vehicles sold by skilled mechanics are inspected. These inspectors work onsite for most auctions and offsite at car dealerships in Aucnet’s exceptional cases.

Auction inspection covers every aspect of the vehicle, from mechanical areas and chassis to external and internal conditions. Car auction inspectors take a thorough approach, but the only caveat is not to drive the car beyond the speed of the parking lot. Obviously, you can’t dismantle a car and check for hard-to-reach places.

Auction Inspector Report

The auction inspector writes a note on the auction sheet. He uses a combination of scoring systems, written instructions, and exterior diagrams to help readers better understand the condition of a used car.

Comprehensive auction grade

In Japanese car auctions, each car participating in the weekly auction is assigned a comprehensive grade.

We do not recommend relying solely on this grade when considering whether to bid. You should also check the other details that the inspector wrote on the auction sheet.

(A good Japanese car exporter can provide a professional translation of these details.)

That said, the overall auction grade helps narrow down the areas of potential bidders. Below is an overview of the different grades.

Grade 7, 8, 9 or S -These refer to new cars with mileage only.

Grade 6 -This grade may be equivalent to the above grades, but this auction grade car is usually more than just mileage.

Grade 5 -These are vehicles in excellent condition, very close to brand new standards, but odometers are thousands of kilometers.

Grade 4.5 -The car is in good condition but has a clock of tens of thousands of kilometers.

Grade 4 -A good, sturdy car, usually with a watch mileage of less than 100,000 km.

Grade 3.5 -Vehicles with long mileage or vehicles that require work to clean up.

Grade 3 -Either a car with a very long mileage or a car that is generally rough.

Grade 2 -Usually very rough vehicles with corroded holes are the reason for this low grade.

Grade 1 -Majorly modified cars that are usually fitted with a different engine or transmission or have an aftermarket turbocharger. Another possibility is a used car with flood or fire extinguisher damage.

Grade R, RA, A and 0 (zero) -It’s a car that has been repaired in some way. At one end of the scale, the repair will be a single panel replaced due to a dent in a small parking lot, but in other extreme cases, almost all panels must have rolled in a replaced accident. There is a vehicle.

Vehicles without grade -These are sold as-is by auction with little or no information about their condition. Therefore, it is very dangerous and can add additional costs if you cannot drive or move.

Some of these grades are more common than others. For example, grade 3.5 and 4 used cars make up about 50% of auctions on a particular day, but only a handful of grade 1 cars on the same day.

Interior and exterior grades

Japanese car auction inspectors assign letters to indicate the internal and (possibly) external conditions of the car. Again, these are very broad designations as well as the overall auction rating, and it is very important to read the details of the inspector’s comments to get a complete picture of the condition.

Basically, “B” is considered “average condition considering the age and mileage of the car”. Therefore, the internal grading of “A” means that the inside is above average, and the case of “C” is below average.

“Car map”

This is a picture of the exterior of the car, usually in the lower right corner of the auction sheet.

The auction inspector marks this with a combination of letters and numbers to indicate damage to the outside of the vehicle.

Here are some basic specifications:

A = scratch

U = dent

S = rust (from Japanese rust)

C = Corrosion

W = Panel unevenness (usually caused by tapping the panel)

These letters are usually followed by a number indicating the severity. Therefore, “1” is the least severe and “4” is the most severe. In reality, the Japanese are so careful about these things that something like “A1”, which means the least scratches, is actually barely visible.

Comments from Japanese car auction inspectors

In addition to the above, the inspector also writes comments about used cars when he reviews it. Obviously, the higher the grade of the car, the less likely it is that additional information will be written. Therefore, grade 3 cars have more comments than grade 5 cars.

An exception to this could be a car with a number of modifications and aftermarket parts that the inspector lists on the auction sheet.

Overall grades, interior and exterior grades, and car maps may appear to provide enough information to bid, but before making the final decision, we have professionally translated these comments. We strongly recommend that you ask for it. bid.

Grade 5 and above cars may not come as a surprise, but below that, the inspector may have written something that could influence the decision to proceed with the bid. Therefore, it is very important to find a Japanese car exporter who offers professional quality translations of auction sheets.

in conclusion

At Japanese car auctions, we have a large selection of used cars that can be procured at reasonable prices. The auction inspection system gives you a detailed picture of the condition of any vehicle before bidding.

Buying a used car from the middle of the world may seem daunting, but these Japanese car auction inspection reports make the process of finding a good car easier and more reliable. ..