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Japanese Auction Sheet Grades Explained: What Do 4.5, 4, 3.5 Mean?

A Japanese auction sheet serves as a vehicle’s résumé. Inspectors record mileage, service stamps, paint depth, panel gaps, cabin wear, engine sound, and frame alignment. Every detail lands on a single A4 page, with grade symbols and tiny remarks in katakana. The sheet travels with the car through bidding, export, and customs, acting as proof of condition long before a buyer touches the steering wheel.

Why It’s Important When Importing a Car

Import buyers face distance, language, and time zones. An accurate sheet bridges every gap. Bidders thousands of kilometres away gain clarity on scratches, oil seepage, odours, or past repairs. Insurance firms, customs officers, and finance partners lean on the same data—a clean, high-grade sheet shields budgets from hidden paintwork or structural surprises after arrival.

Who Provides the Auction Sheet?

Certified inspectors from auction houses such as USS, TAA, JU, and CAA compile the report. The process follows strict national guidelines, and inspectors rotate between venues to keep standards tight. Skyery Auto’s direct membership grants instant access to digital PDFs and physical copies minutes after inspection. Website Content Draft S….

How Japanese Car Grading Works

Inspectors assign two core indicators:

• Overall numeric grade from 0 to 6, with six reserved for showroom-fresh mileage.
• Interior and exterior letters from A to E, where A signals factory-clean trim, and E signals heavy wear.

Accident history earns grade R (repaired) or grade RA (minor repair). Mileage extremes receive grade 0, marking parts-only value.

What Each Grade Represents in Condition

Grade numbers translate to real-world visual and mechanical standards. The jump between 3.5 and 4 feels small on paper yet reveals stark contrasts under workshop lamps—time to zoom in.

• Age under seven years.
• Mileage under sixty thousand kilometres.
• Paint retains high gloss, and the panels sit dent-free.
• Interior surfaces remain stain-free, and plastics keep their factory texture.
• Engine bay shows zero seep; belts, mounts, and hoses stay pliable.

Auction Grade 4.5

Buyers seeking a near-new appearance gravitate here. Retailers in Dubai and Riyadh often list grade 4.5 cars as “import zero re-spray.”

Auction Grade 4.0

• Age is often under ten years.
• Mileage hovers under one hundred thousand kilometres.
• Light scratches or door dings appear yet measure under two centimetres.
• Seat bolsters may show mild creasing, but are still tear-free.
• Engine components run crisp; minor gasket mist can surface, yet no leak reaches the floor.

Grade 4 suits family drivers wanting value without sacrificing the pride of ownership.

Auction Grade 3.5

• Age stretches past a decade.
• Mileage may cross one hundred forty thousand kilometres.
• Multiple scratches wider than a thumb show on the bumpers.
• Cabin fabric may carry discoloration on high-traffic spots.
• Mechanical state remains roadworthy, yet future maintenance looms sooner.

Entrepreneurs flipping stock for ride-hail fleets pick grade 3.5 units to hit aggressive price points.

How to Read the Full Auction Sheet

1. Top section – Vehicle data: chassis code, model series, drive layout, fuel type, colour, and factory options.
2. Center grid – Damage map: letters mark positions (A = scratch, U = dent, P = paint fade), with numbers for size.
3. Numeric grade – Left margin: overall judge.
4. Interior/exterior letters – Right margin: cabin and body surface ratings.
5. Inspector remarks – Lower box: handwritten notes on tyre tread, smell, aftermarket parts, or service records.
6. Odometer reading – Stamped digits: certified mileage at inspection.

Japanese shorthand feels daunting yet grows intuitive after a few sheets. Skyery Auto supplies bilingual translations plus phone walk-throughs for first-time bidders.

Tips for Choosing the Right Grade When Importing

• Define end use. A grade 4.5 sports hatch suits private owners who love pristine paint. A grade 3.5 van fits delivery firms chasing rapid payback.
• Match climate. Gulf heat rewards low-kilometre engines paired with fresh radiators, usually grade 4 upward.
• Plan resale horizon. High grades preserve value longer, shaving depreciation over three to four years.
• Balance the transport cost. Freight charges remain identical for any grade, so premium quality spreads over the same shipping bill—economics tilt toward better grades.
• Read interior letters. A grade 4 car with interior letter B often trumps a grade 4.5 paired with letter C when buyers hate cigarette scent.

Why Trust Skyery Auto for Grade Verified Imports

Skyery Auto’s Tokyo inspectors cross-check every sheet against physical reality before bidding Website Content Draft S. Paint depth meters confirm factory finish, borescopes peek under chassis rails, and OBD scans capture live data. Any mismatch triggers an instant veto. Buyers receive high-resolution photos, translated sheets, and repair forecasts within hours.

Direct USS membership cuts brokers out, so reports land unaltered. Dubai staff handle customs, VAT math, and RTA testing, handing keys to owners within four days of port discharge.

Skyery Auto. Auction truth in your driveway.