Understand Japanese vehicle auction grades, interior scores, repair-history marks and inspector notes before importing a car to Sri Lanka.
Higher grades generally indicate newer or better-presented vehicles, while R or RA commonly signals repaired accident history. Auction houses do not all grade identically, so the grade must be read together with the diagram, notes, mileage and photos.
The cabin score is separate from the overall vehicle grade. Check for stains, tears, odours, dashboard damage, pet hair, cigarette burns and missing trim, especially when replacement parts are difficult to source locally.
Auction diagrams use letters and numbers to mark scratches, dents, paint waves, corrosion, replacement panels and other defects. The severity scale and notation can differ by auction house; obtain a translation for the exact sheet.
A repaired vehicle is not automatically unsafe, but its history, repair quality, chassis alignment and price must be evaluated carefully. Buyers should not accept a repaired-history lot being presented as an ordinary grade vehicle.
Match the chassis number and model code, confirm first registration and mileage records, translate every inspector note, review underbody and interior photos, verify options, and ask for a physical inspection when the sheet leaves material questions unanswered.
Rules, rates and procedures can change. Confirm the current official requirements for the exact vehicle before making a financial commitment.
Concise answers based on the guide above.
Do not rely on the number alone. Review the repair-history field, panel notation, diagram and inspector comments, because grading practices vary between auction houses.
It commonly indicates a vehicle with repaired accident history or replaced structural panels. The exact meaning and severity must be confirmed from that auction house’s notation and the full inspection record.
Verification can include matching the chassis and lot details, obtaining the original report, checking mileage records and arranging an independent physical or pre-export inspection.
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