Auto Auctions

Japan's automobile auctions run 6 days a week. There are many different auctions everyday of the week. However, each auction only operates once a week. The auctions are live auctions. Bidding only takes place on the day of the auction.

Every auction house has their own "Member Only" web site. The web sites provide information about vehicles available at auction.
The information about the available vehicle consists of a small front and rear picture of the vehicle and a auction sheet.
The auction sheet provides information about the vehicle such as Model, Year, Options, Vehicle Condition and a note section for noteable aspects of the vehicle. A very important part of the Auction sheet is the vehicles auction grade. "Auction Grade" is a little tricky, I will do my best to explain. Here is a list of typical auction grades and a short explanation as to what they mean.

Exterior Grading:
S = brand new
6 = Like new (someone bought a new car and perhaps didn't like the color or realised they can't really afford it and returned it)
5 = Barely used (this would be a car that you could barely tell it was used, good enough to put on the show room floor)
4.5 = Just starting to be used looking
4 = Average used car
3.5 = A few more dents, scratches and perhaps the mileage is higher than average
3  = degrading from previous
1  = (this one is weird) hail damage, flood damage.  OR a modified car.  Fenders being rolled makes it a "Grade 1", for example a "Grade 1" if it wasn't moddified could be any other grade.  So a car that is a Grade 4 that has a big aftermarket turbo becomes a "Grade 1" OR a car that is a "Grade R" with a big aftermarket turbo could be a "Grade 1" (make sense?)
R = Repaired car
RA = Repaired accident car.

Inerior Grading:
A = best
B = little worse
C = degrading from previous
D = pretty bad.

Grading is of course dependent on the inspector, some inspectors are very paticular and will not miss a thing and of course humans are humans so the level of inspection degrades from the first example. So what I am saying is, a car that is a Grade 4 could be a Grade 3.5 to someone else and of course vice versa.

The reason I explain all this is when you contact us and tell us you are looking for a paticular car, we will look through the auction listings, save the pictures, email them to you and explain about the car. Unfortunately, if you are paticularly interested in a vehicle we are only able to view it on the day of the auction. So what we do is: call you on the day of the auction after the vehicle has been checked over by us. We do this so you will have a even better idea of the condition of the vehicle. With this information you will be able to accurately decide your bidding budget for the vehicle.

Bidding

If you've researched about purchasing a vehicle from Japan I'm sure you've noticed a few of these abreviations: FOB, CIF, C+F, C+I
Here is what they mean:

FOB = (Free on board) This means the total cost of the vehicle loaded onto a Car Carrier Vessel.

CIF = (Cost, Insurance and Freight) Cost = FOB, Insurance refers to shipping insurance and Ocean Freight (this is basically the total cost to get the vehicle to your local port.)

C+F = Same as CIF but just no insurance

C+I = Cost and Insurance (A term used by people who have the ability to pay for the freight collect when the vehicle arrives at their local port)

Typically, customers tell us their maximum FOB price. When we know your maximum FOB bidding price, we calculate and subtract from your FOB price all the costs of getting the vehicle onto a boat Then we know exactly how much we can bid up to when trying to purchase a vehicle from an Auction.

I hope this information helps you with your decision to import a vehicle from Japan. If there is any questions on your mind (as I might have forgotten to explain something), Please feel free to contact us and ask! Or if you just want to talk cars send us an email anyway!!!

Our email is:
Info@meiyuservice.com

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