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Understand the marks. Ask the right questions.
Three different things sit on an auction sheet: an overall grade, an interior grade and a diagram of exterior marks, with repair history noted separately. This reference explains the widely used scales and letter codes so you can scan a sheet and know what to ask about.
Before you read the tables
Every auction house sets its own grading rules, and inspectors apply them on the day. The meanings below are the ones most houses share, but a grade 4 at one house is not the same car as a grade 4 at another, and two inspectors at the same house can disagree on a borderline car. Use the grade to filter, then read the diagram, the interior grade and the comments before deciding anything. When a sheet carries its own key, that key wins.
Overall grade
One number (or letter) summarising the car as a whole, mostly driven by the exterior and by whether there is repair history.
| Grade | Widely used meaning |
|---|---|
| S | New or nearly new, typically very low mileage. Not used by every house. |
| 6 | Near new with very little use. Not every house uses this step. |
| 5 | Excellent used condition with minimal wear. |
| 4.5 | Very good condition with only light marks. |
| 4 | Good condition; some visible wear or small marks. A common grade for well-kept used cars. |
| 3.5 | Average condition; noticeable marks, wear or a repaired panel. Read the diagram and comments closely. |
| 3 | Below average; several marks or more significant wear. Often reflects age or use rather than one fault. |
| 2 | Poor condition or a specific major issue; the comments explain which. |
| 1 | Heavily worn, modified or with significant problems. Some houses also use 1 for extensively modified cars. |
| R / RA | Repair history: the body structure has been repaired or replaced. RA is often used where the repair is considered minor. Condition can still be good; the comments say what was done. |
| 0 / *** / blank | Not graded, or sold without a normal inspection. Treat as unknown until the comments and photographs say otherwise. |
Interior grade
A separate letter for the cabin: seats, carpets, trim, headlining, controls and odours. Some houses give a single letter for interior and exterior together, and a few use numbers instead.
| Grade | Widely used meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent: clean, no notable wear. |
| B | Good: light wear or small marks consistent with age. |
| C | Average: visible wear, marks or minor damage to seats or trim. |
| D | Poor: significant wear, damage, stains or odours. |
| E | Very poor or in need of repair. Not every house uses this step. |
Exterior marks on the diagram
Letter codes placed on an outline of the car, usually with a number from 1 (small) to 3 (large). The position tells you which panel; the letter tells you what; the number tells you how much.
| Code | Meaning | What to note |
|---|---|---|
| A | Scratch | A1 is small and shallow; A3 is large or down to the metal. |
| U | Dent | U1 small to U3 large. Some houses use E for a small dimple. |
| B | Dent with a scratch | Used by some houses where the two coincide. |
| W | Repair or repaint (wave) | The panel has been repaired or repainted. W1 is well done; W3 is obvious or poor. |
| S | Rust | Surface rust on the panel. Size numbers may apply. |
| C | Corrosion | Rust that has eaten into the metal. More serious than S; location matters. |
| X | Replaced panel | The panel has been replaced. Ask why, and whether it links to a repair history note. |
| XX | Panel needs replacing | Damage the inspector considers beyond repair. |
| P | Paint fade or blemish | Faded, peeling or poorly matched paint. |
| Y | Crack or tear | Typically on bumpers, trim or lights. |
| G | Stone chip or crack in glass | Usually the windscreen. Check whether it would fail an inspection in your country. |
Repair history and structural notation
This is the distinction that matters most, and it is easy to confuse with cosmetic marks. A W on a door means that panel has been repaired or repainted; it says nothing about the structure underneath. Repair history, shown as grade R or RA and often as a separate tick box or note, is widely understood to mean that structural members of the body have been repaired or replaced. A car can carry several W marks and no repair history, and a car with repair history can have been repaired well. In both cases the comments and, where available, a further check are what tell you how good the work is.
- Exterior marks describe the surface: where, what and how large.
- Interior grade describes the cabin on its own scale.
- Repair history describes the structure, and changes how a car is valued regardless of how clean it looks.
Questions worth asking
- Where exactly are the W or X marks, and does the comment explain the work?
- Is there repair history, and what do the comments say was repaired?
- Does the mileage carry a mark suggesting it cannot be verified?
- Does the interior grade match the photographs?
- Would a mark that is cosmetic in Japan matter for an inspection or approval in your country?
- Is a further check or an inspection available for this lot before the sale?
You do not have to answer these alone. The sheet-reading guide shows where each answer sits on the page, and Our Checks & Inspections explains what we can look at beyond it. Ask us about any lot you are considering.
A mark you are not sure about?
Send us the lot and we will explain every mark on the sheet for that house and pursue further checks where they are available.