Japanese Auction Sheet Grade Guide
How to read every grade, damage mark, and auction-house code on a Japanese used-car auction sheet — written for Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Kenya importers.
If you are importing a Japanese used car to Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, or any right-hand-drive market, the auction sheet is the single most important document the seller can show you. It is written by an independent inspector at the auction house — not the seller — and it records the car's exact condition the moment it sold in Japan. This guide explains every grade, letter, and damage code you will see on that sheet.
What is a Japanese auction sheet?
A Japanese auction sheet (nyusatsu-sho) is a one-page condition report produced by a licensed inspector at one of Japan's car auction houses (USS, JU, TAA, HAA, CAA, Aucnet, Arai). Every used car sold through these auctions — over five million vehicles a year — has a sheet. The sheet records:
- Overall grade — the exterior condition (S, 6, 5, 4.5, 4, etc.)
- Interior grade — a letter from A (excellent) to D (heavy wear)
- Damage map — a diagram with codes (A1, P1, U2, X, XX) marking every dent, scratch, paint repair, or rust spot
- Mileage — the recorded odometer reading at auction
- Chassis number, model, year, color, engine, transmission
- Inspector's free-text remarks in Japanese
The sheet is the seller's word on the car's condition, certified by an independent third party. If a seller cannot or will not produce it, walk away.
Exterior grades — what S, 6, 5, 4.5, 4, R, RA mean
| Grade | Condition | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| S | New / under 1 year | Brand new condition. Almost never seen at auction — typically demo / unregistered cars. |
| 6 | Like-new, < 30,000 km | Exceptional condition. Very low km, no damage anywhere, original paint everywhere. |
| 5 | Excellent | Minimal wear, very minor cosmetic issues at most. Premium pick. |
| 4.5 | Above average | Very good. Light dings or scratches, may have minor paint repair. Sweet spot for most importers. |
| 4 | Average — most common | Honest used car. Some scratches, small dents, one or two panels repainted is normal. |
| 3.5 | Below average | More wear and tear. Multiple paint repairs, larger dents, interior wear. Lower price. |
| 3 | Heavy use | Significant wear, dents, scratches. May need bodywork. Cheap but pre-budget repairs. |
| 2 | Rough | Heavily worn or corroded. Often a project car or parts donor. |
| 1 | Modified | Heavily modified vehicle — turbos, body kits, lowered suspension, etc. Stock condition is gone. |
| R / R1 | Repaired accident | Critical: car has had structural / accident repair. Frame, chassis, or major panel was repaired. Many countries (including Bangladesh) restrict import of R-grade vehicles. |
| RA | Minor repaired accident | Light repaired accident — typically minor frame or rear-section repair. Still flagged. |
| 0 / * | Not graded | Inspector did not assign a grade. Often very old vehicles or auction-house policy. Use caution. |
Interior grades — A, B, C, D
| Grade | Interior condition |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent. Clean, no stains, no cracks, very low wear. |
| B | Good. Light wear, possibly small stains or smoker residue. |
| C | Worn. Visible stains, tears in upholstery, panel wear. |
| D | Heavy wear. Major stains, cuts, broken trim, requires reupholstery. |
The interior grade letter usually appears next to the exterior grade — e.g.
4.5 B means a 4.5 exterior with grade-B interior.
Damage marks — A1, A2, A3, B, U, P, X, XX, W explained
The damage map on an auction sheet is a top-down line drawing of the car. Letters and numbers are placed where the inspector found an issue. The letter tells you the type of damage, the number tells you the size.
Damage type letters
| Code | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Scratch (kizu) | Surface scratch. A1 = small (~10cm), A2 = medium, A3 = long / deep, A4 = very long. |
| B | Dent with scratch | Combined dent + scratch. B1–B4 size scale. |
| U | Dent (no scratch) | Pure dent, paint not broken. U1 = small dimple, U3+ = larger. |
| W | Wave / repaired panel | Panel has been straightened — there is a wave / unevenness from prior bodywork. W1 = barely visible, W3 = very visible. |
| P | Paint imperfection / repair | Panel has been repainted, or has color mismatch / faded clear coat. P1 = minor, P3 = obvious. |
| X | Panel needs replacement | Serious: inspector says this panel should be replaced, not repaired. |
| XX | Panel has been replaced | Serious: this panel is not original. Common after collision repair. |
| S | Rust | Surface rust. S1 = light, S3 = heavy / structural. |
| C | Corrosion | Heavier than rust. Often underbody — flagged on used cars from snowy regions. |
| Y | Crack / tear (typically plastic) | Cracked bumper, lens, trim, etc. |
| G | Stone chip on glass | Windshield damage. |
| R | Repair mark (in body section) | Distinct from R-grade. Indicates a body repair was made at that point. |
Size numbers
The number after the letter tells you the severity:
- 1 — small (~10 cm or coin-size)
- 2 — medium (palm-size)
- 3 — large (forearm-size)
- 4 — very large (panel-spanning)
So A1 is a tiny scratch; A4 is a long, deep scratch across a
whole panel. P1 is a near-invisible paint touch-up; P3 is an
obvious respray with color mismatch.
The seven major Japanese auction houses
Not all auction sheets look the same — each auction house has its own format and grading nuance. The seven you will see most often:
- USS — Used Car System Solutions. The largest network in Japan, ~150,000 cars / week across 19 locations. The "industry standard" for sheet quality.
- JU — Japan Used Car Dealers Association. Local-dealer network, ~30,000 cars / week. Sheets are simpler but reliable.
- TAA — Toyota Auto Auction. Toyota Group's auction network — excellent for Toyota / Lexus / Daihatsu.
- HAA — Honda Auto Auction (now Honda Kobe). Honda Group network.
- CAA — Central Auto Auction. Independent, ~20,000 cars / week.
- Aucnet — fully digital photo-auction. No physical inspection lane; cars are sold from high-resolution photos at the dealer's lot.
- Arai — premium / luxury and large commercial vehicles.
All seven use the S–1 + R grading scale, and all use the A–D interior scale. The damage codes are nearly identical across houses.
Mileage authenticity & odometer marks
The auction sheet records the odometer reading at the moment of inspection. Two flags to watch for:
- * next to the kilometer reading — odometer authenticity could not be confirmed. Treat the mileage as indicative only.
- 不明 (fumei, "unknown") — inspector could not read the odometer. Rare, but a major red flag.
- The sheet is dated. If the sheet is 3 years old and the seller says "30,000 km", you should expect more — the car has been driven since the auction.
Carlinks Verify compares the chassis number across all available auction records and flags any rollback (older record with higher mileage than newer record). See our verify tool.
How Carlinks Verify checks a chassis
You enter the chassis number (e.g. ZSU60-0168381). We do not show you the
seller's claimed sheet — we look up the original auction record:
- We verify the chassis exists in the Japanese auction archive.
- We pull the free preview: model, year, grade, color, sold status.
- If you pay ৳800 BDT (or equivalent), we deliver the full inspector sheet — accident map, mileage, repair marks, condition notes.
- We compare every record we have for that chassis and flag rollbacks, R-grade history, or repaired-accident notes the seller might be hiding.
The full report is delivered instantly on screen + by email. Payment is processed by SSLCommerz (BB-licensed). See our About for company details and Refund Policy for the 24-hour delivery guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a good grade for a Japanese used car?
- Grade 4.5 is the sweet spot for most importers — above average condition with only minor cosmetic flaws. Grade 4 is the most common honest used-car grade. Avoid R / R1 grade if your country restricts repaired-accident imports.
- Is grade R the same as a salvage title?
- Not exactly. Grade R means the car has had structural repair (frame, chassis, or major panel). It is not necessarily totaled, but many countries — including Bangladesh — restrict or ban R-grade imports. Always check your country's customs rules.
- What does A1 mean on a Japanese auction sheet?
- A1 means a small scratch (about 10 cm or coin-size) somewhere on the body. The letter A = scratch; the number 1 = small. A4 would be a very large scratch across a whole panel.
- What is the difference between P1 and P3?
- Both are paint imperfections. P1 means a barely visible, minor paint touch-up. P3 means an obvious respray with color mismatch or panel-wide repaint. P3 often signals a prior bodywork incident.
- What is XX on an auction sheet?
- XX means the panel has been completely replaced — not original. This is a major flag, typically appearing after a collision repair. Combined with R or RA grade, it strongly suggests an accident history.
- Can the seller fake an auction sheet?
- Yes — fake sheets are common in the used-import market. The only way to verify is to look up the chassis number in the original auction archive directly. That is what Carlinks Verify does.
- What auction houses does Carlinks Verify check?
- All seven major Japanese auction houses: USS, JU, TAA, HAA, CAA, Aucnet, and Arai. If a chassis sold at any of them in the last 10 years, we will find it.
- How much does the full auction sheet cost?
- ৳800 BDT per chassis (Bangladesh Taka), payable by Visa / Mastercard / AMEX / bKash / Nagad / Rocket / Upay or online bank transfer via SSLCommerz. The free preview costs nothing.
- How long does delivery take?
- Instant. The full report appears on your screen within seconds of payment confirmation and is emailed to you within 5 minutes. If delivery fails within 24 hours, you are entitled to a full refund.
- Is Carlinks Verify available outside Bangladesh?
- Yes. We primarily serve Bangladesh but the service works worldwide. Importers in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius, and other right-hand-drive markets use Carlinks Verify regularly.
Enter any Japanese chassis number. Free preview in 2 seconds. Full inspector report for ৳800 BDT — delivered instantly.
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