How to read a Japanese auction sheet

An auction sheet records a vehicle inspection at a specific auction site. Its grade must be read together with the defect diagram, mileage and inspector comments.

Example auction sheet

An original Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sheet with translated fields and marks. Select an area to understand its meaning.

⌖ Hover over or select a highlighted field to see its explanation.

Auction-sheet fieldSelect a field or markLot and first registrationModel and trimEngine and body typeOverall grade 4.5Exterior B / interior BMileage: 29,020 kmTransmission and climate controlColour and interiorFirst auction appearanceDocuments and spare keyEquipmentChassis number and dimensionsInspector commentsA1 — front bumperA1 — side panelsA1 — right-side panelB1 — rear bumper

Lot and first registrationModel and trimEngine and body typeOverall grade 4.5Exterior B / interior BMileage: 29,020 kmTransmission and climate controlColour and interiorFirst auction appearanceDocuments and spare keyEquipmentChassis number and dimensionsInspector commentsA1 — front bumperA1 — side panelsA1 — right-side panelB1 — rear bumper

All explanations in text

Lot and first registration

Lot 14. First registration: January 2017 (Heisei 29). This is the registration date and may differ from the production date.

Model and trim

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, TX L Package, four-wheel drive. 5W indicates a five-door body.

Engine and body type

Petrol engine, 2,700 cm³. Chassis model designation: CBA-TRJ150W.

Overall grade 4.5

The overall auction grade is 4.5. It describes the general condition under that auction’s rules and must be read together with the comments and diagram.

Exterior B / interior B

外装 means exterior condition and 内装 means interior. Both are graded B on this sheet. Check the auction’s own criteria for letter grades.

Mileage: 29,020 km

The sheet states 29,020 km. The figure alone does not replace checking the documents and any additional mileage annotations.

Transmission and climate control

FAT means an automatic transmission with a floor selector. AAC means automatic air conditioning (climate control).

Colour and interior

Body colour: pearl, code 070. Interior: beige. Five seats are listed.

First auction appearance

オークションデビュー means the vehicle’s first auction appearance. It is a seller-field note and does not mean the vehicle is new or has never been repaired.

Documents and spare key

保証書 means warranty booklet; 車両取説 means owner’s manual; 予備キー means spare key. The field refers to items sent later.

Equipment

ナビ means navigation; SR means sunroof; カワ means leather upholstery; ABS means anti-lock brakes; エアB means airbags; アルミ means alloy wheels; PS means power steering; PW means power windows.

Chassis number and dimensions

The chassis-number field shows 0071676. Length: 476 cm; width: 188 cm; height: 185 cm. Verify the identifier against the lot documents.

Inspector comments

シートしわ小 means minor seat creasing; 外装小傷有り means small scratches on the exterior; シフトノブ傷 means scratches on the gear-selector knob.

A1 — front bumper

A means a scratch. The number 1 gives its severity on the auction’s scale. Here, A1 marks appear on both sides of the front bumper.

A1 — side panels

The A1 marks on the side panels indicate small scratches under this sheet’s scale. Check the photos and inspection to confirm their exact locations and severity.

A1 — right-side panel

The right side of the diagram also has an A1 scratch mark. Match the side and panel against the diagram and vehicle photos.

B1 — rear bumper

B usually indicates a scratch with a dent; 1 is the severity on the auction’s scale. Here the mark is on the rear bumper. Always confirm the meaning against the auction legend.

What the grade means

The overall grade, interior grade and diagram marks describe different aspects of condition. A grade alone does not confirm mileage or guarantee that the vehicle has never been repaired.

The scale and criteria must be checked against the rules of the specific auction. USS, for example, uses its own inspection criteria and a ten-point scale. USS inspection process ↗

How to read the damage diagram

The diagram shows the location of defects and repair traces. The same symbol can have a different meaning outside the diagram. Typical marks are explained below; the auction site's own legend takes priority.

A number next to a letter usually indicates severity on the site's scale. Do not automatically interpret it as centimetres without the auction's legend.

Equipment and abbreviations

Equipment abbreviations depend on the model and production year. AFS means an adaptive front-lighting system, not an air purifier. Verify equipment against the catalog and vehicle photographs. Toyota's AFS explanation ↗

Before bidding

1. Match the chassis number, model, year and specification to the selected lot.
2. Check the mileage and any separate marks concerning its reliability.
3. Read all inspector comments, including notes about repairs and faults.
4. Agree acceptable defects and whether an additional inspection is required.
5. Confirm costs and delivery feasibility before bidding.