Japanese Auction Records will show the true condition of the vehicle BEFORE it was purchased by the current seller.
The auction report, grade & pictures* often reveal MAJOR condition issues and tell you everything you need to know at a glance.
Common condition faults of Japanese auction vehicles include the following, with many of these present even with quite new cars where they have not been well kept by their owners:
fading & acid rain damage to paintwork
scrapes, scratches & dents to body, wheels
rust (many areas of Japan have snow for part of the year and roads are “salted”)
staining, odor & burns from cigarette smoking
dirty, scratched, worn & torn interior
warped & cracked interior panels & trims due to overheating in the sun
Vehicles with condition faults like these are much cheaper to buy, they then undergo a refresh to repair or hide the faults before being offered for sale.
Auction reports will often be digitally altered – like this example below of a 2004 Nissan Skyline sedan where the grade has been changed from “repair medium” (RB) to grade 4.5 (very clean with no repair history). Negative comments are also commonly erased from the auction report such as the left rear panel replacements (XX) and repaint (W2), and km falsified – 55,000 km windback in this case.
Would you know the difference ?
Together these things could allow a dishonest seller to more than DOUBLE their sale price while leaving the buyer with increased maintenance and other costs down the road.
Without independently obtaining the auction records, the average buyer has NO WAY TO TELL they are being tricked.
We find this activity is worst in USA, UK, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UAE, Caribbean, Africa, Singapore, Pakistan, Bangladesh & India.
The great majority of Japanese imports in these countries have accident or other damage concealed when sold.
The only way to check the real km is to obtain the auction records – for just 40 USD our Basic Report can SAVE YOU BIG TIME.
The auction records can no only identify a mismatch in mileage right away, they can also highlight other areas of concern that the seller may be trying to hide – allowing you to make an informed choice.
This can save you from a very expensive mistake OR if you still want the vehicle you can use this information to negotiate a fair price which more than pays for our Report – which you can then keep on file to support the history & aid future resale.
Protect yourself from buying a Japanese import in poor condition
Basic Report data typically includes auction location, date, condition grade, pictures* & sale price**. Detailed auction inspector notes (in Japanese) may state extras fitted, odometer replacements & total kms, extent & details of past repairs, repaint, rust, dents, scratches, interior & body condition. Seller sales points may note positive features & options.
Of course, we can always upgrade to a FULL Check later if you would like further information (such as past registration dates & km readings) to provide a more complete picture of the vehicle’s Japanese history.
We have access to auction records covering most cars auctioned in Japan since 2007 and can match past auction records for your vehicle using the Japanese chassis code (VIN).
