Japanese Car Auction Grades
Every car at a Japanese auction is given an overall grade, and usually a letter each for the exterior and the interior. Here is what each one means, and the trap that catches most first-time importers.
Last updated
In short
- S and 6 are as new and near new, 5 is excellent, 4.5 very good, 4 good and 3.5 fair. 3, 2 and 1 are below average, poor, or a special condition such as flood or fire damage.
- R and RA mean part of the body frame has been repaired or replaced. RA is the lighter repair.
- The letters A to E grade the exterior and the interior separately, from like new to heavy wear.
- The trim on a listing, such as "G Package", is not the auction grade.
- Each auction house uses its own inspectors, so the same car can be graded half a point apart at two of them.
The trap: grade is not trim
Car listings use the word "grade" for two completely different things. The manufacturer's trim level — "EX BLACK EDITION", "4D X", "G Package" — describes how the car was specified when it was built. The auction grade is a single grade an inspector assigned after walking around that specific car on that specific day. Only the second one tells you anything about condition.
If a listing shows "Grade: EX BLACK ED", that is the trim. The number you want is the 4.5, and it is on the auction sheet.
Overall grades
The overall grade sums up the whole car in one number or letter, from S for a car that is as new down to 1, with R and RA for repair history.
| Grade | In a word | What it means |
|---|---|---|
S |
As new | Usually under a year old and under about 10,000 km, with no marks inside or out. |
6 |
Near new | Usually under about three years old and 30,000 km, with only the smallest marks. |
5 |
Excellent | Typically under about 50,000 km, with a few very light marks. |
4.5 |
Very good | Typically under about 100,000 km. Some light scratches or small dents, clean overall. |
4 |
Good | Typically under about 150,000 km. Visible scratches or small dents, or a repaired panel, in line with its age. |
3.5 |
Fair | Several visible scratches, dents or repaired panels, and some wear inside. Usually needs work before resale. |
3 |
Below average | Wear and damage across many panels. |
2 |
Poor | Large dents and scratches, heavy rust or holes. |
1 |
Special condition | Flood or fire damage, heavy modification, or another reason the car cannot be graded normally. |
R |
Repair history | Part of the body frame has been repaired or replaced. See "R and RA" below. |
RA |
Minor repair history | A lighter repair to the body frame than R. |
0 / *** |
No normal grade | Often a car that does not run, is badly damaged, or is sold as it is. The inspector's notes say why. |
The ages and distances are what is typical for each grade, not rules: each auction house sets its own limits, and condition comes first. A low-mileage car with damage is graded down; a clean car with high mileage can still score well.
Grades 4 and 4.5 are what most well-kept used cars receive, and neither should be read as a warning. Neither means the body frame was repaired: that is shown only as R or RA.
The overall grade is one verdict on the whole car. The marks behind it, panel by panel, are explained in Explanation of Japanese Car Auction Sheet Symbols and Marks.
Exterior and interior grades
Beside the overall grade, the exterior and the interior are each given a letter from A to E. They are separate from the overall grade and from each other: a car can score 4.5 overall with a C for its interior. Some sheets print the overall grade and a letter together, as in "4.5 B": read them as two grades, not one.
| Letter | What it means |
|---|---|
A |
Like new. Nothing worth noting. |
B |
Clean. A few small marks. |
C |
Wear in line with the car's age: visible marks, stains or small burns. |
D |
Clear wear or damage that needs repair or cleaning. |
E |
Heavy wear or damage. Parts need replacing or seats re-covering. |
Not every auction house prints both letters, and some stop at D.
R and RA
R means repair history: part of the car's body frame has been repaired or replaced, usually after an accident. RA means a lighter repair to the frame than R. Neither is automatically disqualifying — a properly repaired car can be a good buy — but both change what the car is worth, so both are worth checking before you buy.
The body frame, for this purpose, is these parts:
- Frame (side members)
- Cross members
- Inside panels
- Pillars
- Dash panel
- Roof panel
- Floor and boot floor
- Radiator core support, where it is welded on
A crash that damaged only bolt-on panels — doors, wings, the bonnet, the
boot lid or the bumpers — does not make a car R, even when those panels
were replaced. They appear on the diagram as XX (replaced)
or W (repaired) instead.
Grades differ between auction houses
The grade scale is broadly the same at every major auction house, but each uses its own inspectors, and the same car can be graded half a point apart at two of them. Some houses are known for stricter inspection than others, so compare a grade with other cars sold at the same house.
A grade is a guide, not a guarantee. The diagram, the inspector's notes and the photographs say what the grade cannot.
Questions people ask
What does auction grade 4.5 mean?
Grade 4.5 means very good condition: typically under about 100,000 km, with some light scratches or small dents but clean overall. Grades 4 and 4.5 are what most well-kept used cars receive.
Is grade 4 a bad auction grade?
No. Grade 4 means good condition: typically under about 150,000 km, with visible scratches or small dents, or a repaired panel, in line with its age. It does not mean the body frame was repaired: that is shown only as R or RA.
What do grades S and 6 mean?
S means as new: usually under a year old and under about 10,000 km, with no marks inside or out. 6 means near new: usually under about three years old and 30,000 km, with only the smallest marks. Each auction house sets its own limits.
What is the difference between R and RA grade?
Both mean repair history: part of the car's body frame, such as a pillar, the floor or a side member, has been repaired or replaced. RA is a lighter frame repair than R. A car whose doors, wings or bumpers were replaced is not R. Neither is automatically disqualifying, but both affect what the car is worth.
What does auction grade 0 or *** mean?
It means the car was not given a normal grade. It is often a car that does not run, is badly damaged, or is sold as it is, and the inspector's notes on the sheet say why.
What are the exterior and interior grades on an auction sheet?
Beside the overall grade, the exterior and the interior are each given a letter from A, like new, to E, heavy wear or damage. They are separate from the overall grade: a car can score 4.5 overall with a C for its interior.
Is the auction grade the same as the car grade or trim?
No. The manufacturer trim, such as EX BLACK EDITION or G Package, describes how the car was specified when built. The auction grade is a grade an inspector assigned to that specific car. Only the auction grade describes condition.
Is a grade the same at every auction house?
The scale is broadly the same, but each house uses its own inspectors, and the same car can be graded half a point apart at two of them. Compare a grade with other cars sold at the same house.
Check the real grade for a car
The Auto Prime Auction Sheet Verification Service looks a car up by its chassis number and shows you what the Japanese auction record holds. The search is free; the inspection score is on the sheet.