Understanding auction sheet fields

A Japanese auction sheet packs a lot of information into a small space, usually in a mix of Japanese characters, numeric grades, and single-letter damage codes. This article explains what each part of the extracted data means so you can review with confidence.

Grade

The overall exterior grade the auction inspector assigned. Higher is better. Common values:

R, RA, R1, R2: repaired or accident-history vehicle. Worth checking the inspector notes carefully.
1, 2: heavy wear or substantial damage. Often project or parts cars.
3, 3.5, 4: average to above-average, most stock is in this range.
4.5, 5: very clean, minor wear at most.
6, S: near-new condition.

Grades aren't perfectly standardised across auction houses, so use the damage codes and inspector notes to fill in the picture.

Interior grade

A single letter describing the interior, rated separately from the exterior:

A: excellent
B: normal wear for age
C: significant wear or damage
D: very poor

Damage codes

These are the single-letter (sometimes two-letter) codes plotted on the body diagram, each pointing at a specific panel or area.

Severity colours in the UI

Every damage code chip is colour-coded by how serious the inspector rated it:

Red: serious. Includes X, XX, and H.
Amber: moderate. Includes U, E, W, P, B, S, C, R, T, G.
Muted: minor, or an unrecognised code.

What the letters mean

Each code is a shorthand for a type of issue. The most common:

A1, A2, A3: scratch, with the number indicating size (A1 small, A3 large).
U1, U2, U3: dent, with the number indicating size.
W1, W2, W3: wave (panel misalignment), number indicates size.
S1, S2: rust (S1 small, S2 large).
C1, C2: corrosion.
B1, B2: small dent (like hail damage).
R: repair mark. Something has been fixed.
RX: replaced part. An outer panel has been swapped.
X: needs repair or replacement.
XX: replaced.
P: paint flaw.
E: dimple.

These codes come with a location on the sheet, so you'll see chips like Right rear fender - U1. The chip colour signals severity at a glance while the text tells you where and what.

Inspector notes

Two versions of the same notes appear in the Condition tab:

The English translation, listed in order.
The Japanese original shown directly underneath each translated line so you can verify nothing was lost in translation.

Inspector notes are where you find the context that the damage codes don't capture: smells, odd behaviour during the inspection, dealer-fitted accessories, repair quality, and so on. Always worth a read before buying.

Equipment vs Modifications

Two separate tabs, two different things.

Equipment: factory-fitted options. Sunroof, satnav, leather trim, heated seats, that sort of thing.
Modifications: aftermarket parts, performance upgrades, and anything non-factory. Brembo brakes, coilovers, body kit, turbo upgrade.

The extraction splits these automatically. Check both tabs when the vehicle is a modified car; factory options sometimes get miscategorised as mods, and vice versa.

Sales points

Short highlights from the seller, pulled from the "セールスポイント" section of the sheet and translated. Things like "Full service history", "One owner", "V6 Turbo 440PS, 0 to 100 in 5.1 seconds". Useful context, but remember these are the seller's pitch, not the inspector's assessment.

Warnings

ImportOps raises a warning when the extraction notices something that needs your attention: a likely accident or repair history, a missing critical field, a low-confidence read on an important value. Warnings appear in a red-bordered box in the Warnings tab. Always worth reading.

Auction house, Lot number, Auction date

Reference details:

Auction house: the venue.
Lot number: the lot's ID at that auction.
Auction date: the date the vehicle ran through the auction.

Useful later if you need to reference the vehicle's original listing.

Make, Model, Year, VIN, Mileage, Colour, Transmission, Fuel

Straight vehicle identity fields. Japanese colour names are translated to English where ImportOps recognises them. Always double-check the VIN and mileage before approving.