Auction house is a place where Japanese local dealers like a Toyota dealer, Nissan dealer and so on, are buying cars for their retail and selling their trade-in cars. And only car auction house members are allowed to enter auction house.
Your local dealers are also buying car from Japanese car auction through export agent like me.
Idea! why not you buy car from Japanese auction directory like your local car dealers do, so that you are able to save huge money which you will be able to use it somewhere else.
With my assist, you are able to bid used Japanese cars directly and equally against local dealers and other buyers. There is no handy caps buying cars from auction in Japan.
A huge car Auction houseis looked like movie theater as you can see in the picture. Big screens show each car auctioned. The system is completely computerized. I buy auction cars as I see the screen with switch button in my hand.
Every minute auction cars are brought and sold in one after another at auction house in Japan. Depens on location, about 1200-8000 cars are auctioned everyday in Japan.
Those auction cars are inspected by qualified Japanese-inspectors and the result is written in inspection sheet and inputted the information into the computer system. Each auction car is graded from 1-5 or A ( Accident ). higher grading is better auction car.
I am able to check auction car list through my laptop and find your target car one day before car auction start. If I could find your car, I nofify you about it and go to auction to see your target auction car more in details. You will need to find out a biding price with car detailed information which I will report to you from an auction house or a office.
When I buy auction cars, I push a button for a bidding, one push is 3000yen to 6000yen depends on car auctions in Japan. And highest bidder win a car!! It takes about 15seconds for one car to be purchased.
Example of car auction description-sheet
- •Right front fender has a key scratch
- rear bumper corner has minor dented.
- Tyres will need to be replaced to new ones.
- drivers seat has minor tabbaco burnt.
With this information you will need to find out a bid price,!
- how much cost to repair those parts?
- how much cost for shipping?
- how much for custome clearlance?
- Are there any cost other than these?
Here is my experience
when I was working for a big car exporting company, I got to auction about 7:00am and started to checking cars.
I had about 100 targeted auction cars everyday. Normally auction start 9:30. I had to finish checking off by the time( about in 2 hours). So when I checked cars, normally there was only less than 1 minute to check one car.
This is because so many cars has to be inspected in a certain time. 1800-7000cars are auctioned a day and I had to check lots of cars within 2-3hours. It was impossible to check car thoroughly. And it was not nice service for customers. However, my service was going on like that way. Of course, there were lots of complains.
In many cases , further worse, even after purchasing customer`s car,I did not have enough time to re check purchased auction car. Because, auction finish late night and there was no power to check car which I had bought in auction.
So, cars were sent to the port without dubble check like this way. This is why you were realized , when the boat arrived, the car you bought is quite different from your buyer was described.
This was OK for big buyers as they are able to make complain to Japanese exportor. On the other hand, it is just disaster for small companys or private buyers as big exporters do not have time to discuss with you and those powerless customer result in disappointing. This happens everyday.
I believe that for providing a best service, I do not want to check more than 40cars in one auction. With more then 40cars, I have to give up the high quality service.
So now,I am sure that I spend more than 5 minute to inspect your target car so that I am able to provide you more accurate information about your target. I will make sure if the car has no problem for selling.
Auction car sheet or Inspection car sheet.
Japanese auction house provides the details for each auction car. We say this as Auction car-sheets or Inspection car-sheets.
Inspectors write all information into inspection sheet one by one. Not only basic information, the manufacturer, Year, Km, color, options,,,, but also, detail condition, scratch, dent,,,
Some of those conditions are described as a symbol. And position of symbols in a diagrams shows where scratches or dents are.
Symbol examples more details in here
- A : minor scratch
- A1:
- A2
- A3 scratch needs paint
- D: Pin dent
- D2: dents
- •D3: •D4: Dent need panel works
- D: Pin dent •D2: dents •D3: •D4: Dent need panel works
- D: Pin dent
- D2: dents
- D3:
- D4: Dent need panel works
Higher numbers more damaged.
Like this, very easy to know the condition of a car from symbols. Finally, inspectors judge total Auction grade and interior grade ( example shown bellow)
All information is written in Japanese except numbers. Each auction car has a grade generally from 3-5. If a car had been an accident no number is used; It is graded as “A” or “R”. Of course, grade5 is more expensive than grade3.5 generaly. This is very important idea when you make decision on bidding price.
Each auction car has each condition, this is why I will describe your target auction car in detail for you to make a good price decision.
sample of auction car photos and an inspection car-sheet.
Auction car-sheet shows, Kms, Color, year, grading, so on.
In this example, 1995, Skyline, Coup, 77,000km,manual transmission, Factory alloys, Spoiler, Car condition grade is 4, Steering wheel worn, and so on.
I will send the original inspection sheet with shipping document to you after I buy car for you.
Car auction Grade reference
| 5 | you will not spend any, and more expensive |
| 4.5 | Almost you will not spend any, it might be needed small pannel work or small bumper repaire |
| 4 | You will repair 1-2 panels, and 1 bumper. I often buy this grade. most of case very clean |
| 3.5 | most of cars fall in this category (average condition) . you will spend 3-4pannels and 1-2 bumpers need to repaire |
| 3 | you will spend 4-5pannels and 1-2 bumper, or you repair other part. Normally I do not buy unless ordered |
| A or R | Accident Some people do not care this, especially sport type of cars |
In the example of silver skyline, the car auction grade is 4 as you can see Also, interior grade falls on C , which you can see under the number 4 in a picture.
Interior grade
- A: Very clean
- B: It will need cleaning
- C: It might have cigarette burns and some default
- D: Need a work, Normally I do not buy unless ordered
Just one word or symbol like “tobacco burns” this must not enough word for you to make a good decision, This is why I go to car auction and to see myself the extent of burns and describe you this.
Japan trading is registered at National Public Safety Commission Licence No. 542520200900 used car auction -PRE auction car check service
