Japanese Auction Grades - Explanation Needed!!!

[bing]

As per title, can anyone help with this...

I have seen a new shape Integra and it's got full Japanese history etc including an auction grade of 4.

Is 4 a good grade? I have no ideas as i've neer bought an import before??? Also how does the grading system work?

thanks

folks....

bing!!!!!

[andy mac]

A website said said:

So Zero, R or A will mean the car has had an accident repair. It might still be a good car of course, and the report shows each panel replaced and lists repairs done. Grades 1, 2 and 3 are perhaps worse than these as they will have damage (scratches and dents) which have not been repaired. Grade 4 is a good, clean straight used car, with Grade 5 meaning "as new". Grade 4A or 4.5 is therefore "excellent", while 4B is worthy of a grade 4 but does have some blemishes, usually filler

[Dakkon]

Also a car older than ten year will only get a 4 even if its in perfect condition, has to be younger than 10 years to get a grade of 5.

[tuttle]

The Japanese Auctions are graded as to quality, they are:
1. Severely damaged
2. Damaged and repaired
3. Average
4. Good
5. Mint
There are half grades as well, but you get the picture. The auction house tests very vehicle before the selling begins and assigns a grade to the car. The reputation of the auction house depends on how good it is at this process.
Good luck
Matt

[hookster]

heavily modified cars can be graded a 1 as there can be no true way of telling their condition if it differs too much from factory spec - i.e bodykits.

[tuttle]

Bing, I have a few of Japanese auction house grade sheet copies some where, including a fairly dodgy *tampered with* looking one.P.M me, if you want to have squint to check out things to look out for.

[canam-tt]

There is also a grade 6: My RX7 came over with that stamp!

[canam-tt]

it was a 3 year old model, in blue

I bought it in 2003, took 8 weeks to bring it over from Japan, then 6 weeks later lost the back end due to a diesel patch on a wet roundabout and decided to change the styling. It was no longer of the grade 6 variety then!

[Jay GTi]

Don't read that much into the grades though. Each auction house will grade their cars differently (i.e. it's not standardised) and some have been known to grade cars higher than they actually are, as they know that UK buyers pay a lot of attention to the grade of the car.

[canam-tt]

Gazboy said:

canam-tt said: it was a 3 year old model, in blue I bought it in 2003, took 8 weeks to bring it over from Japan, then 6 weeks later lost the back end due to a diesel patch on a wet roundabout and decided to change the styling. It was no longer of the grade 6 variety then! Oh no! Much damag?

Enough for the insurance company to payout for a new car

Still I have another one now, and this one isnt as lively at the back end plus more power