Term |
Explanation |
|---|---|
| A | Scratches on car map |
| Aftermarket | See “AM”. |
| AM | This is an abbreviation of “aftermarket”. This refers to a non-standard part that has been added to the vehicle. |
| AT / FAT | Automatic transmission / fully automatic transmission. |
| Auction grade | The overall grading given to a car by the auction inspector. Grades are often numbers but are sometimes also letters. The grade gives you a general idea of the overall state of the vehicle. |
| Auction house | This is the name of the auction company. Some examples are USS, JU, TAA and Bayauc. |
| Auction inspection report | See “auction sheet” |
| Auction inspector | The person employed by the auction to assess the car and write his comments on the auction sheet. |
| Auction location | The name of the place where the auction is being held. For example, HAA Kobe is in the city of Kobe. |
| Auction number | This is the number of a particular vehicle in a particular auction. For example, “USS Tokyo 76574” is an auction number. |
| Auction price | This is the price of the car at auction and does not include any other costs or shipping. |
| Auction sheet | The document including details about the car, the seller’s comments and the auction inspector’s assessment. |
| B | Dent with scratch on car map |
| Bid groups | You can put bids on cars into a group. By doing this, you can then designate how many cars you want us to get from that one group. For example, you might have ten cars in one group, and tell us you want us to buy max 2 of them. |
| C | Corrosion on car map |
| Car map | The diagram showing the exterior condition of the vehicle at the bottom right of most auction sheets |
| Container shipping | This is a less-popular method of shipping in which cars are loaded in containers for shipping. |
| Corrosion | Metal that has turned orange and flaked away. |
| CVT | Continually variable transmission |
| E | Dimple on car map |
| Emissions code | This is the 2 or 3-digit code that indicates which Japanese emissions rules the vehicle complies with. This is especially important for New Zealand buyers. |
| FOB price | This is the price of the car including all Japan-side costs. This does not include ocean freight or import costs. |
| Gray import vehicles | These are vehicles that have been imported into Japan by private individuals or unofficial import companies. |
| IAT / DAT | In-dash automatic transmission / dashboard automatic transmission |
| Interior grade | This is a letter that tells you the auction inspector’s general impression of the general condition of the interior. A is the best and F the worst. |
| Internal tranport | The process of trucking bought vehicles from the auction location to the port from where they will be exported. |
| JEVIC inspection | This is an inspection required by a small number of countries. For these countries, the inspection certificate must be submitted as part of the import process. Integrity Exports will arrange this if required. |
| Live bidding | Integrity Exports’ staff bid in real-time using the Japanese auctions’ online bidding systems by clicking a mouse or pressing buttons on a controller. |
| MT / F5 / F6 | Manual transmission / 5-speed manual / 6-speed manual |
| Negotiation | This is what happens when a car fails to meet its reserve and we contact the auction directly to ask them to make an offer to the seller. |
| Official import vehicle | These are vehicles imported into Japan by the officially designated importer. |
| Options | These are the equipment items on the car. Things like airbags, navigation systems, alloy wheels etc. |
| P | Paintwork damage on car map |
| Passed | This means that the car failed to sell in live bidding as it did not reach its reserve. |
| Proxy bid | Customers of Integrity Exports enter a proxy bid in the online auction system on our website. This tells us the maximum amount to bid up to in the actual auction bidding. |
| QISJ inspection | This is an inspection required by Kenya. This inspection certificate must be submitted as part of the import process. Integrity Exports will arrange this if required. |
| R | Repaired windscreen crack on car map |
| Removed | This means that a car was withdrawn from the auction by the seller prior to live bidding starting. |
| RORO shipping | This is the most common shipping method that uses ships that are like car ferries, with the cars being driven on and off. |
| Rust | Orange discoloration on metal. |
| Sales points | These are the positive points about the car that the seller writes on the auction sheet. They are usually written in the top left area of the auction sheet. |
| Service books | These are the log books in which the service records for the car are kept. |
| Service history | This is the written record of the work done on the car. The auction sheen will often note dates or numbers of pages. |
| Shaken | This is the roadworthiness test that is administered 3 years after the car is bought new, and then every two years after that. This is pronounced shah-ken. |
| Start price | This is the price from which bidding starts. In other words, you cannot buy the car for less than this minimum price. |
| Teisei | This is a Japanese word meaning “amendment”. This refers to when there is a last-minute change in the information about the car. |
| Ungraded vehicles | These are vehicles which have substantial, unrepaired damage. These are also referred to as salvage cars. |
| X | Shows item needs replacing on car map |
| XX | Shows item has been replaced on car map |
| Year of registration | This is the year the car was registered. This may not be the same as the year it was manufactured. |
We find that the most successful importers really understand how it all works - from the auction to the ship and beyond. Don't get left behind!
