- Coggy Journal · Field guide
- Japanese dealer auctions
- Grades / Sheets / Codes
Auction grades
Read the grade like a pro.
Every car at a Japanese dealer auction is inspected before the sale and given a grade, plus a sheet that maps every scratch and dent. Here’s how to read one. Or leave it to us: we translate the sheet for every car we find you.
A grade is a guide, not a guarantee. Scales and codes vary a little between auction houses, so the wording here is general. We always read a sheet with its auction in mind.
Every cargradedbefore the sale.
01 · The number
Overall grade
The big number on the sheet. It sums up the car’s outside condition and mileage for its age, from as-new down to cars with serious problems.
- S or 6 As new Usually under a year old with very low mileage. Priced close to new. In our price guide
- 5 Excellent Very low mileage and almost no signs of use. In our price guide
- 4.5 Very good Only very small marks for its age. Generally lower mileage. In our price guide Sweet spot
- 4 Good Light marks or wear in keeping with its age, perhaps a small repair. Often the best value. In our price guide Sweet spot
- 3.5 Fair Visible marks, small dents or wear. May need some cosmetic work. Often higher mileage. In our price guide
- 3 Rough Noticeable wear or damage, or needs work. Usually best avoided unless the price reflects it. Not in our price guide
- 2 or 1 Poor Serious problems: heavy damage, heavy modification or signs of flood or fire damage. Not in our price guide
- R or RA Repaired Has had accident damage repaired. Some auctions use RA for a more minor repair. Not automatically a bad car, but it needs careful checking. Not in our price guide
- *** or 0 Not graded Sold without a grade, often because of damage, a fault or something the inspector couldn’t check. Not in our price guide
General guidance only. Exact definitions differ between auction houses.
02 · The letter
Interior grade
The inside gets its own letter, usually A to E. You’ll often see the two written together: 4 B means a good car with a clean interior.
- Interior grade A: Excellent
- Like new inside.
- Interior grade B: Clean
- Light wear only for its age.
- Interior grade C: Some wear
- Marks, small stains or wear. A good clean usually helps.
- Interior grade D: Worn
- Obvious wear: stains, burns, tears or smells.
- Interior grade E: Poor
- Needs significant work to put right.
03 · The paperwork
The auction sheet
The inspector’s report, filled in on a printed form, partly by hand and mostly in Japanese. This is what’s on it.
- Lot number and auction date Which sale the car is in, and when.
- Year Often written as a Japanese era year: H30 is Heisei 30 (2018), R1 is Reiwa 1 (2019). We convert it.
- Model and chassis code The model code (for example AGH30W for one version of the Toyota Alphard) and the chassis number. The code tells you the exact generation, engine and drive.
- Mileage Shown in kilometres. Sometimes marked if the inspector thinks the reading may not be reliable. We convert it to miles.
- Grades The overall grade and the interior letter. Some auctions add an exterior letter too.
- Engine, gearbox and colour Engine size, fuel, gearbox (FA or AT for automatic, MT or F5 for manual) and the paint colour code.
- Equipment codes Short codes for the car’s kit, such as AC, PS, PW, AW, SR and NAVI (see below).
- Inspector’s notes Handwritten comments in Japanese: anything from “smell of smoke” to “engine noise” or “warning light on”. Often the most important part.
- Damage map A drawing of the car marked with letter-and-number codes for every scratch, dent, repair and rust spot found.
04 · The drawing
The damage map
The sheet includes an outline of the car. The inspector marks it with a letter for the type of damage and a number from 1 to 3 for how bad it is: 1 is minor, 3 is the most serious. So A1 is a small scratch and U3 is a large dent.
What this example says
- A1A small scratch on the front bumper, left-hand side.
- GA stone chip in the windscreen.
- U2A small dent in the driver’s door.
- B2A dent with a scratch in the left rear door.
- W1A faint wave in the right rear quarter panel: probably a past repair.
- S1Light surface rust around the left rear wheel arch.
- XXThe boot lid has been replaced.
- A2A medium scratch on the rear bumper.
Our read: nothing alarming, but the replaced boot lid (XX) and the wave in the rear quarter (W1) suggest a past knock at the back. We’d ask for extra photos of that corner before bidding.
Common codes
| Code | Meaning | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| A | Scratch | A1 small, A2 medium, A3 large |
| U | Dent | U1 small, U2 the size of a thumb, U3 larger |
| B | Dent with a scratch | B1 to B3 |
| W | Wave in the panel: a sign of repair or repainting | W1 hard to see, W3 obvious |
| S | Rust | S1 surface spots, S2 or S3 heavier |
| C | Corrosion | C1 to C3 |
| P | Paint marks or touch-ups | — |
| Y | Crack or hole, often in a bumper or trim | Y1 to Y3 |
| G | Stone chip or crack in the windscreen | — |
| X | Panel needs replacing | — |
| XX | Panel has already been replaced | — |
Codes and letters differ slightly between auction houses. If a code isn’t on this list, we’ll explain it on the sheet we send you.
05 · Our part
How we use grades
You pick the car. We sort out everything else. Reading the sheet is part of that.
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Our prices only count 3.5 and up
Every estimate in our price guide and every car in our shop is based on recent results for cars graded 3.5 or better. Lower grades and repaired cars are left out, so they don’t drag the figures down.
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You set the minimum grade
When you order, you can choose the lowest grade you’re happy with: 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5 or S. We won’t bid on anything below it.
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We translate the whole sheet
Grades, codes, equipment and the handwritten notes, in plain English, with our honest view of what matters and what doesn’t.
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A second look where we can
Where it’s available, we can inspect a shortlisted car in Japan before the auction and send extra photos or video. It isn’t possible for every car or every auction, and we’ll tell you when it isn’t.
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Repaired cars only if you ask
We’ll only suggest an R or RA car if there’s a clear reason, you understand what was repaired, and you say yes.
06 · Questions
Grade questions
Is the grade all I need to look at?
No. The grade is a quick summary from one inspector on one day. Two grade 4 cars can be quite different once you read the damage map and the notes. That’s why we translate the whole sheet rather than quoting the number alone.
Why do grades vary between auctions?
Each auction house trains its own inspectors and words its scale slightly differently. Some are known for being stricter than others, and the letter codes can differ too. Treat this page as a general guide. We read every sheet with the auction it came from in mind.
Does the grade tell me about the engine and gearbox?
Only partly. Inspectors mainly check the bodywork, interior and mileage, with a short look at how the car runs. They will usually note obvious problems such as warning lights or noises, but it isn’t a full mechanical inspection. Where possible we take a closer look ourselves.
Does R mean the car was written off?
Not necessarily. R or RA means the car has had accident damage repaired, often to part of its structure. Some repairs are minor and well done; others aren’t. These cars usually sell for less, but they need careful checking and can be harder to insure or sell on. They aren’t included in our price guide.
Will I see the real auction sheet?
Yes. For every car we shortlist for you, we send the original sheet and the auction photos alongside our English translation, so you can see exactly what we’re reading.
Which grade should I go for?
For most people, 4 or 4.5 is the sweet spot: tidy cars without the premium of a near-new 5 or S. A 3.5 can be good value for an older car or a higher-mileage family car, as long as the damage map and notes are reasonable. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a sensible minimum.
What does a grade like 4.25 in the price guide mean?
It’s an average across many auction results, so it can fall between two grades. A single car always gets one grade from the scale above.
Order a car
You pick the car. We read the sheet.
£30 sourcing deposit, fully refundable and deducted from your final price. You get it back if you cancel within 14 days, or if we can’t find a matching car within the search window we agree with you.
