How to Read a Japanese Auction Sheet
Most Japanese import cars are bought at auction in Japan, and each one comes with an inspection report called an auction sheet. Once you know how to read one, you can understand a car’s condition, history and equipment before you ever see it in person.
What is an auction sheet?
Before a car goes through a Japanese auction (USS, TAA, CAA, HAA, JU, Arai and Aucnet are some of the big names), an inspector working for the auction checks it and fills in a one-page report. That report is the auction sheet. It records the car’s details, its fitted equipment, a condition grade, and a diagram showing every scratch, dent and repair the inspector found.
What makes the sheet valuable is that the inspector works for the auction house, not for the seller. The sheet is written in Japanese shorthand and every auction house has its own layout, but the grading system is broadly the same everywhere. Learn the basics once and you can read most sheets.
The parts of an auction sheet
Layouts differ between auction houses, but almost every sheet contains the same seven areas.
- Header — the auction house, lot number and auction date.
- Vehicle details — year, model and model code, engine size, kilometres, colour, transmission, chassis number and seats. Check that these match the car you are being offered.
- Overall grade — a single number or letter summarising the car’s condition. This is the first thing most buyers look at.
- Interior and exterior grades — letters (usually A to E) for the cabin and the paint and body.
- Equipment — short codes for fitted options, such as AAC (climate control), PS (power steering), PW (power windows), SR (sunroof), AW (alloy wheels), ナビ (navigation) and 革 (leather).
- Inspector’s notes — handwritten comments about anything the grade alone doesn’t show. Often the most important part of the sheet.
- Body diagram — an outline of the car with codes marking every scratch, dent, repair or replaced panel.
The overall grade
The overall grade is the inspector’s summary of the whole car. Higher is better, and kilometres and age are taken into account. The scale below is typical, but each auction house applies it slightly differently: some are known to grade more strictly than others, so a 3.5 at one auction can look like a 4 at another.
Grades to look out for
- R or RA means the car has a recorded repair history, usually to the structure or frame after an accident. RA is generally used for a minor repair that has been properly fixed. Neither means the car is bad, but the price should reflect it and the repair deserves a closer look.
- A star after the grade (for example 4*) is used by some auctions to warn of a known issue, such as a mechanical fault noted by the inspector.
- *** or 0 means the car wasn’t graded. It may be modified, damaged or simply not inspected, and it is sold as-is.
Interior and exterior grades
Next to the overall grade you’ll usually see one or two letters. The interior letter is the one most buyers notice, because cabin wear is hard to see in photos.
| Letter | Interior | Exterior |
|---|---|---|
| A | Like new, no noticeable wear | Very clean, almost no marks |
| B | Clean, with light wear for its age | Small, minor marks |
| C | Some stains, marks or wear that need cleaning or attention | Several scratches or small dents |
| D | Heavy wear, tears, stains or odours | Obvious damage, rust or corrosion |
| E | Very poor, needs significant work (not used by all auctions) | Heavy damage or corrosion |
Damage codes on the car diagram
The body diagram is where the detail lives. Each mark is a letter for the type of damage and a number for its size, usually from 1 (small) to 3 (large).
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A1 / A2 / A3 | Scratch — small / medium / large |
| U1 / U2 / U3 | Dent — small / medium / large |
| B1 / B2 / B3 | Dent with a scratch |
| W1 / W2 / W3 | Repaired or repainted area, from barely visible to obvious |
| S1 / S2 | Rust / heavy rust |
| C1 / C2 | Corrosion / heavy corrosion |
| E1 / E2 / E3 | Small dimples, for example from hail |
| P | Paint marks or chips |
| H | Faded paint |
| Y1 / Y2 / Y3 | Crack or hole |
| G | Stone chip in the glass |
| X | Panel needs replacing |
| XX | Panel has been replaced |
How to judge it: a handful of A1 and A2 marks is normal for a used car and easy to fix during preparation. Pay more attention to W (repainted panels), XX (replaced panels) and S or C (rust), and to where they are. A replaced bumper is minor; a replaced panel near the car’s structure is worth asking about.
The inspector’s notes
The notes box is where the inspector writes anything important that doesn’t fit into a grade: replaced parts, warning lights, aftermarket modifications, odours, or a recorded repair. Because it is handwritten in Japanese, it is also the part most often skipped by people reading a sheet for the first time. A few words worth recognising:
| Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 修復歴 | Repair history (usually structural) |
| 交換 | Replaced (a panel or part) |
| 錆 / サビ | Rust |
| 社外 | Aftermarket (non-factory) part |
| タバコ臭 | Cigarette smell |
| 要修理 | Needs repair |
If the notes mention a warning light, a noise, a replaced panel or a repair history, it’s worth asking exactly what was found before you commit.
A real example: what “4B” means
Our 2012 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon GT DIT was graded 4B at auction.
The 4 means good overall condition with normal wear for its age and no structural repair recorded. The B is the interior grade: a clean cabin with light wear. For a fourteen-year-old performance wagon with 86,500 km, that is a solid result.
What an auction sheet can’t tell you
An auction sheet is an excellent starting point, but it is a quick inspection done on the day. It doesn’t replace a proper check of the car.
- It is a visual inspection, not a full mechanical one. Engine, gearbox and suspension condition are only noted if something obvious is found.
- It doesn’t show service history. Logbooks, receipts and spare keys are separate.
- Strictness varies between auction houses, so the same car could receive different grades at different auctions.
- It describes the car at the auction. Shipping, storage and time can all change things before the car reaches you.
That’s why every Red Seal vehicle is inspected and prepared in Adelaide before it is offered for sale, with the work we complete listed on each vehicle’s page. You can read more about our process in The Red Seal Standard.
Quick checklist
- Check that the year, model code, chassis number and kilometres match the car you are offered.
- Look at the overall grade, and watch for R, RA, a star or ***.
- Check the interior letter, especially if photos of the cabin are limited.
- Scan the body diagram for W, XX, S and C marks, and note where they are.
- Read, or ask someone to translate, the inspector’s notes.
- Remember the sheet is a starting point. Ask what has been inspected and prepared since the car arrived.
More guides
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