VEHICLE AUCTION FAQ

JAPANESE VEHICLE AUCTIONS

What are the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions are auctions that take place within Japan which are only available to the Japanese motor trade. Cars, trucks, buses, motorhomes, construction machinery, material handling machinery and agricultural machinery are offered through these auctions. They are wholesale auctions where vehicles are sold in "as is" condition.

The auctions are located throughought Japan on the islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, though most auctions are on the main island of Honshu. Many of the auctions are operated at multiple venues throughout Japan by groups such as USS Auctions, but some auctions are single venue auctions such as Hanaten.

The auctions are held from Monday to Saturday every week, though may close for the Obon and Oshogatsu holiday periods and public holidays.

The auctions allow in situ bidding where bidders go to the auction venue. However, increasingly internet bidding has become more and more popular and the auction houses have to offer free food and prizes to encourage bidders to attend the auctions in person.

The auctions have their own inspectors who prepare written reports for each vehicle before the vehicle goes to auction.

Bidding is electronic, often by pressing a button. Bidding may go on for 10 seconds. Auctions may operate either a single or two or three simultaneous lanes.

Are Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions conducted by an auctioneer with a gavel?

No. The auctions are fully computerised. There is no "auctioneer".

How many Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions do I get access to with your service?

Our total bidding coverage is currently 177 auction databases. Grades covered include new, used, restored, modified and salvage grades. This is some of the highest coverage provided by any exporter from Japan. More choice means the easier it is to find something exactly matching your needs at the best price.

How many vehicles go through a single auction house in 1 day?

It varies from auction house to auction house but it can run to over 10,000 vehicles going through a single auction house in one day in peak periods.

How long does it take for one vehicle to go through the auction?

It varies from vehicle to vehicle and auction house to auction house, but normally between 10 and 60 seconds.

How can I buy from the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Just follow this simple 7 step process:

1. Get an Information Pack. Contact Us to get access to listings and cost information. This lets you work out the price and availablility of the stock that you're interested in and assess whether importing this stock will be commercially viable for you. The Sales Statistics part of the JP Auction System lets you view sale prices for the models that you're interested in over the last few months. We can also set up a Sandbox for you so you can input the listings of interest to you as they come up each day and later check the sale prices.

How can I get cheap cars from Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Japan is famous for it's high spec, good condition cheap used cars. Here's 6 simple tips for how you can get cheap cars from Japanese Car Auctions:

1. Place Lots Of Bids. Usually the best buys are not the first cars you're bidding on. If you're aiming for the bottom of the buying market for a particular model, then after you've got an idea of previous sale prices from the Sales Statistics then you need to consistently place lots of bids. If you're getting nearly every car you're bidding on, then you're bidding near the top of the market. If you're getting less then one in ten cars then you just need to raise your bid limit a bit to be successful.


2. Kilometres. Once a vehicle gets over around 80,000 kilometres in the Japanese market it can get hard to sell and prices drop. In other world markets these kilometres are normal (and in some markets still quite low).


3. Vehicle Age. Vehicles that are around 6 years old and older will often start to fall in value. If you put in filters into your search you can usually find vehicles that have relatively low kilometres since many vehicles in Japan are not used for daily commuting (they sit at home while the owner commutes by train).


4. Fixable Defects. You might have seen buying advice somewhere that says "Only get vehicles that have no defects". Well, this is OK for amateurs, but professionals know better. Car pros know better than that. Professionals know that vehicles with easily fixable defects are profit opportunities. They know that if you can identify the defect, have an idea of what it costs to fix it then you can have a good buying opportunity since the amateur buyers out there won't be interested in the car and you can pocket the savings.


5. Models Out Of Favour. Some models simply don't have strong buyer support in the Japanese second hand car market. For example, over the last decade sedans have become less popular than high roof vehicles like SUVs and as a consequence often have lower prices for age. In these cases you can pick up clean, mechanically sound cars for much less than the equivalent models that are popular in the Japanese market.


6. Unregistered Vehicles. Unregistered vehicles have less value in the Japanese domestic market since the buyer faces extra costs and inconvenience in getting the vehicle re-registered. These vehicles will usually have lower on-costs charged by the auction house than comparable registered vehicles. A quick way to find unregistered vehicles is to look for the vehicles with no number plates.


7. Timing. Some times will often have favourable buying conditions.
   
   Research, persistance, patience and consistency are usually well rewarded.

When's the best time to buy a car from the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

The short answer is anytime that you see a good deal. However, which auction the vehicle runs through, the position of the vehicle in the auction schedule, tax periods, vacation periods, weather and government incentive programs can all have an affect:

• Which Auction. Some auctions will also attract more buyers than other auctions which can account for price variations between different auctions for similar vehicles. Some Japanese dealers will buy a vehicle at one auction and rather than retailing it put it on another auction where it may sell at a profit. Sometimes it will attract a higher grade at the other auction because of the different assessment and grading criteria between the auction houses. If you follow auction sales prices you will sometimes see the same vehicle sold more than once in a short period from different auctions.


• Position In Auction Schedule. The timing of when a vehicle runs through an auction can also be a factor. Auctions will often run from early morning until late at night. Sometimes vehicles late in an auction can sell for less because bidders at the auction have already spent their budget and have headed home for the day.


• Tax Periods. Seasonal factors can also come into play. The Japanese Financial Year starts on 1 April. That means that fleet owners will dispose of their fleet cars, private owners will relocate and sell their car rather than pay to have it trucked to their new location and a new tax instalment becomes payable if the car is owned into the new financial year. This in turn usually means a flood of cars entering the market between the second half of March and mid April, which in turn usually means a dip down in prices. This applies to most models. However, it's also a time when young, newly licenced drivers enter the market, so demand can spike up for small entry level cars.


• Vacation Periods. The period starting around Christmas Day and up to the second half of January - immediately before and after the winter auction shutdown - can be a great time to get cheap cars at the Japanese auctions. Foreign buyers are distracted at home with their beer and Christmas pudding and Japanese domestic market buyers are in the "Bonenkai" end of year party season just before the end of year shutdown. Auction prices will often temporarily fall just prior to the shutdown and immediately after the re-opening of auctions in January and then pick up again towards the end of January. This doesn't mean that every vehicle will be cheaper during this period, though it's generally a softer market than the rest of the year with fewer buyers around.


• Weather. For salvage vehicles, heavy rains may bring a rush of water damaged vehicles onto the market. Sometimes the water level is only up to vehicle floor level, but this is sufficient to write the vehicle off.


• Government Incentive Programs. Programs like the the "Eco-Car Genzei" Cash For Clunkers Program tend to reduce the prices of older vehicles that are traded in as a consequence of the program. These situations of sudden increases in supply can drive down prices and give good buying opportunities.

Who are the sellers at the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Membership of the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions is restricted to the automotive industry in Japan. These auctions can't be accessed by members of the general public.

The sellers are vehicle dealers, wholesalers, insurance and finance companies.

Can you contact the sellers of vehicles at the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

No. The auction houses don't disclose the identities of the sellers.

Who are the buyers at the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Membership of the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions is restricted to the automotive industry in Japan. These auctions can't be accessed by members of the general public.

The buyers are vehicle dealers and wholesalers who buy for the Japanese domestic market and exporters who buy the vehicles for export.

What's the best vehicle auction in Japan?

There's no "best" auction. You can find good vehicles at good prices at any auction. However, there can be different stock commonly available in different locations. For example there can be more kei mini trucks available at rural area auctions. There are typically more imported luxury vehicles in Japan's large city auctions. Auctions in areas with a lot of snow such as Hokkaido may have a greater incidence of body rust. Over time you're likely to find auction houses with a good range of what you're looking for and where the transport rates to the nearest international port are reasonable.

Are there any Japanese vehicle auctions that I should avoid?

Generally, no. However, if you're wanting to import cars for road registration (not parts) then the only auctions you may want to avoid are the auctions in Hokkaido, Japan's most northern island. Hokkaido has up to 5 months of snow each year and salt is used on the roads which results in body corrosion in vehicles. This usually makes Hokkaido vehicles risky if you're wanting a rust free vehicle to put on the road.

Wholesale vehicle auctions in Hokkaido include Honda Hokkaido, JU Sapporo, Sapporo AA, SMAP Sapporo, TAA Hokkaido, USS Sapporo and Zero Car Selection Hokkaido. Salvage grade vehicles can also be sourced in Hokkaido through TAU and Hanamaru. Vehicles from both private sellers and dealers in Hokkaido can be sourced from the Yahoo! Japan Auction and from Hokkaido dealers from Goonet.

Conversely, rust affected vehicles from Hokkaido can sometimes be good value as parts cars, particularly if they have a lot of high value after-market parts.

Do you have your own auction memberships?

Yes. We currently have membership to 141 Wholesale Vehicle Auctions. These memberships are held by our company. We don't need to rely on other auction members and we settle accounts directly with the auction houses.

Some exporters who cannot meet the membership requirements of the auction houses will use the membership of another company to source cars. This is not recommended for 4 reasons:

1. Communication. It adds another layer in the communication chain. Auctions happen quickly and you need to have direct communication with the person placing the bids. This may not be possible if the exporter does not have their own auction memberships and is reliant on another company.


2. Cost. It adds an additional cost. On top of paying your exporter, you now have to pay another company on top of this.


3. Reliability. If the exporter does not control this aspect of their service then the service may be unreliable. If the exporters arrangements with the other company suddenly fall through (payment problems are common) then all of a sudden you lose auction bidding access.


4. Credibility and Trustworthiness. The auction houses run financial checks on companies who apply for membership. They require the company to have substantial assets and guarantors to avoid the possibility of payment default. Not being able to satisfy the membership requirements of the auction houses says something about the financial capacity and credibility of the company that was denied membership.

Are you a member of the USS Auto Auction?

Yes. Clients with funded Trading Accounts can view listings and place buy orders which we enter into the USS Auto Auction bidding portal on your behalf.

How can I view the USS Auction photos and inspection sheets?

If you give us the URLs of the listings you're interested in we can put the photos and inspection sheets directly into your Bid Tracker together with the translations of the inspection sheets.

Can I get direct membership of Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

No. Membership of Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions is restricted to companies based in Japan. Companies need to be properly registered, licensed, have assets within Japan and be involved in the automotive sector. The application process varies from auction house to auction house but can include the need for financial and property assets, referees and guarantors within Japan. You would need to have native or near native proficiency in the Japanese language. You would also need to have a visa that lets you and your foreign staff live and operate a business in Japan, such as a relevant work visa, permanent residency or Japanese citizenship.

However, you can view listings and place bids through the JP Auction System which aggregates all of Japan's Wholesale Vehicle Auctions into a single database. You're getting access to the same listings that can normally only be accessed by members of the motor industry within Japan.

Why can't I see the current price of listings in Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

For online auctions like the Yahoo! Japan Auction the auctions will typically run for a week and you can view the process of bidding as it happens. The listings are held by sellers throughout Japan and the units are not transported to a physical auction house.

The Wholesale Vehicle Auctions are different. They are auctions conducted at an auction house where all the units are located at that auction house. The auction of each unit is scheduled to take place at a certain time on the auction day. The auction system operated by the auction house combines the live bids at the auction house with bids that are placed online to work out the winner of the auction. The whole process is fast and typically lasts between 10 and 20 seconds. Some auctions operate multiple lanes simultaneously. The auction result is available immediately at the auction house and sometime after that online. By clicking on the listing link in the JP Auction System you can view the sale price after it has been uploaded.

JP AUCTION SYSTEM

What's the JP Auction System?

The JP Auction System brings together over 120 Japanese wholesale vehicle auctions into one system. There's typically between 50,000 and 70,000 vehicles available daily.

You can source cars, trucks and even forklifts through the system. Listings start appearing a few days before the day of auction. You can view the upcoming listings, request translations and place bids on these vehicles.

After the auction you can view the result of the auction with the sale price. You can also view several months of recent sales to get an idea of the price and availability of the models that you're interested in.

Do I have to pay to use the JP Auction System?

No. The JP Auction System is a FREE system:

• Free in that there's no charge for using the system. This is the same auction database that's available on the internet for $80 per year, except that we've improved it.


• Free in that there's no access barrier to offshore based importers from Japan. Self registration usually takes less then a minute. There are no time restrictions and you don't have to beg someone for access.

Do I have to pay to view photos not displaying in the JP Auction System?

No. For clients with funded Trading Accounts we upload any available photos that aren't publicly displaying directly into your Bid Tracker.

Guests that don't yet have a funded Trading Account with us can buy photos directly from the data supplier for the listings they're interested in.

What are the One Price listings in the JP Auction System?

The One Price listings are vehicles held by Japanese car dealers. Normally if the vehicles are available then we can source them and ship them to you. Sometimes the dealers who have the vehicles will have extra fees and charges that aren't included in the base price. Once you have an account with us (free to set up) we can get further information from the seller and you can decide whether or not you wish to go ahead.

Some listings might be marked "Domestic Only", though if the vehicles are still available we can usually still source these and export them to you.

It's normally cheaper to source directly through the wholesale vehicle auctions (where the dealers usually get their cars) than through retail dealers.

How often does the JP Auction System update?

The JP Auction System automatically updates every few hours. The updates will show new listings that have become available and the results of auctions that have finished. During the update you won't be able to view the listings. If this happens then go back and retry in a few minutes.

How long do the listings stay in the JP Auction System?

The listings are held on the servers for up to 3 months. Prior to auction they will appear in the JP LISTINGS section. After the auction they will transition to the JP STATISTICS section. If you require a permanent copy of an auction house inspection report it's best to download it immediately before or after the auction has taken place.

AUCTION SCHEDULE

On what days do Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions operate?

Auctions typically operate from Monday to Saturday, though are often cancelled on Public Holidays. Typically each auction venue holds its auction on the same day of the week.

On the days leading up to auction day the auction house is busy processing listings and uploading inspection reports and photographs of each vehicle. You will see listings start to appear in the JP Auction System a few days prior to the day of auction. By the evening before the day of auction most if not all listings are viewable.

In the days after auction they process payments, organise documentation and administer collection of the vehicles by trucking companies.

What hours do the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions operate?

Auctions will start running in the morning from around 8 or 9 am and will keep running until all units have gone to auction, which can sometimes be into the evening.

Sometimes over 5,000 vehicles will go to auction and auction houses typically operate more than one auction line. Auctions are computerised and typically last for between 5 and 20 seconds. Bidding can be done live at the venue, but now a lot of bids are placed remotely.

How soon before the day of auction do the listings appear?

It can vary with individual vehicles and different auction houses,but between 5 days prior up until the day of auction is common.

How do I know when the vehicle I'm interested in is going to auction?

Looking at the vehicle listing in the JP Auction System you'll see under the "Auction date" heading the day month and year the vehicle is going to auction.

The current Japanese time will usually display just above this and the time the vehicle is due to go to auction just below this. The auction time will often change up to and including the day of auction.

The auctions are automated and only run for several seconds. Around 10 seconds is common. Some can go a bit longer if there is a low start price and prolonged bidding. The results are available some time after this, depending on the auction and will appear in the next update in the JP System after they have been released.

Vehicles that were passed in (didn't sell) will often be re-run at the same auction the same day of the following week.

Why does the time a vehicle goes to auction keep changing?

As vehicles are registered for sale with the auction house in the days before auction the vehicle is inspected, photographed and given an indicative time that it will go to auction.

Early in the morning of the day of auction these times are updated to take account of the vehicles that were processed in the previous day. During the day of auction delays in running cars through auction can also mean changes to the expected time of auction.

Why can I see a vehicle in the JP Auction System which is showing as available but has actually been sold?

Japanese wholesale vehicle auctions take place every second from Monday to Saturday from the time the time the auctions start in the morning until the time they finish in the late afternoon or evening.

The JP Auction System collects data from the auctions in batches for each auction. The data is correct at the time the batch is uploaded, but will not be up to date again until another batch is uploaded several hours later.

AUCTION VEHICLES

How can I work out the specs of a car at the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Get the chassis number of the vehicle from the auction inspection sheet (let us know if you can't locate it and we'll help you). Enter the chassis number into the VIN decoders to get more information about the build date and specification.

We can also do a translation of the specification information from the inspection sheet. If it's still unclear we can also have the auction inspectors do a special inspection.

How can I tell the real colour of the vehicle?

Sometimes vehicle colours won't display accurately in the photographs with the listing. This can be a combination of the photos being taken in photo booths under strong lights, colour variations that naturally occur with photographs and the settings on the device that you're viewing the listing on.

To get a better idea of the real colour of a vehicle you can check the paint colour with an internet search. To do this you need the paint colour code. It's typically 3 characters with either numbers or letters or both. You can find this on the vehicle auction inspection sheet. If you can't locate it we can assist you.

Once you have the code you can do an internet search with that code. Run a search such as "Toyota paint color 070" and you'll see results which show the colour and the manufacturers name for that colour.

Do the vehicles at auction have current Shaken?

Normally those vehicles that are currently registered will have current Shaken and those not registered will not.

Does Shaken affect the price of a vehicle?

Yes. Having a long Shaken period can increase the value of a vehicle in the Japanese domestic market since it defers the cost of getting the next Shaken inspection. This means if you're purchasing the vehicle for export buying de-registered vehicles with no Shaken can be a bit cheaper than buying an equivalent vehicle with long Shaken.

Why do some vehicles at auction have number plates and others don't?

Normally cars being put to auction without number plates have either been de-registered or are in the process of being de-registered. Sometimes the owners will deregister a car so they don't have to pay the next instalment of vehicle taxes. Vehicles need to be de-registered before they can be exported.

How do I search for specific body types of vehicles?

The Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions organise listings by Manufacter and Model and usually don't have a field for body type in their digital databases. However, there is a way to locate vehicles with specific body types such as Mobility Vehicles for the disabled, Motorhomes, Crane Trucks, Refrigerated and Freezer Trucks etc.

This is the process:
Select Make > Select Model > Refine your search with Year, Mileage, Engine Capacity, Chassis ID, Condition, Auction, Colour and Transmission. > Press SEARCH.

Then scroll the thumbnail images for units that match the body type that you're looking for and click on the Lot Numbers of the trucks of interest to view the listings.

Sometimes we're able to create filters that can show just the results for certain body types. We've developed this technology internally and the filters we create are unique to TS EXPORT^®.

How do I find Dump or Tipper Trucks in the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

If the model that you're looking for doesn't have a special chassis code for the dump or tipper variant that you're interested in then you need to do a visual search through the listings.

You can do this by looking at the photo of the rear of the vehicle. The dump or tipper variant is normally different to the standard model because of the tilt mechanism under the tray. Also look for the word ダンプ (dump) in the vehicle auction sheets.

If you're looking for a 4WD dump or tipper variant, then select the chassis code for 4WD first and then do the visual search for 4WD dump or tippper trucks.

You can also view Dump or Tipper Truck Wholesale Vehicle Auction listings along with listings from other databases on those pages of our website.

Does the auction lot number uniquely identify a vehicle?

No. The auction lot number is assigned to each vehicle by the auction house it is listed with. We cover 141 Wholesale Vehicle Auctions and each of them have their own auction numbering system. There are duplicate vehicles with the same auction numbers between the auction houses and even with the same auction house. If you search the auction sales statistics by auction number you will usually see multiple vehicles with the same auction number. The best way to identify individual listings is with the URL.

Does the auction lot number of a unit stay the same if it doesn't sell and is run again the following week?

No. The unit is given a fresh lot number each times it goes to auction, even if it is the same auction house.

INSPECTIONS

How do they do inspections at the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Inspections are done at the auction house where the vehicle is being auctioned. The vehicle is driven through the photo booth in the days prior to auction and the vehicle is inspected by one of the trained auction house inspectors.

The inspections are in situ inspections. That is the vehicle is done at the auction house and there is no road test or workshop inspection. The auction inspectors check for body condition, engine bay, interior condition, and any abnormal mechanical issue such as soft pedals, strange noises, etc.You can request a personalised inspection of the vehicle after viewing the inspection report if there's something that you require more information on.

While the inspections are generally quite good you should allow a contingency with every vehicle in case it requires works when it arrives. In many cases it won't but there could be some cases where you need to do some works. Minimum works for every vehicle are usually new fluids and filters.

What's covered in the Wholesale Vehicle Auction inspection reports for modified vehicles?

Inspections for modified vehicles will cover general mechanical and body issues which apply to all vehicles. However, they generally don't cover the modifications. e.g. The living areas of motorhomes, or for trucks, the condition of the dump mechanism, sliding bed,compaction mechanism, cranes, tanks etc.

For this reason we recommend that in addition to a contingency you hold for works that may be necessary for any vehicle prior to road registration in your country you make an allowance for possible works that could be required to the modifications.

Do you physically go to the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Because of full internet coverage of all the major Japanese vehicle auctions and a network of on-site inspectors we no longer attend auctions in person.

There are 3 reasons for this:

1. Choice. Back in the pre-internet days physically going to one or two auctions in person was normal. However, the internet has changed all that. In one week there will typically be hundreds of thousands of vehicles go through the Japanese car auctions. If you restrict yourself to just one or two auctions then you're only get access to a fraction of the available vehicles. You may not get the model, colour, condition that you want and if you restrict your choice you probably won't get the best deals.


2. Inspections. In addition to the auction house appraisers inspection sheet (which we translate for free for you) we can also have on-site indepedent inspectors personally check over any particular items you want checked on the morning of the auction.


3. Cost. Leveraging the power of the internet and the network of full-time onsite auction inspectors means you are getting a full auction service at wholesale prices.

How many photos do the auction houses provide for each vehicle?

It varies a lot from auction house to auction house and from vehicle to vehicle. It can be as few as 2. USS Auction often has the most number of photos available, with sometimes as many as 10 or more photos available.

Do the auction houses provide underbody photos?

Most auction houses currently don't. However some of the USS Auction venues provide underbody photos using UVeye technology. This is only available to vehicles photographed in the photo booth. If the exterior photographs were not taken in the photo booth, i.e. in the open, then underbody photographs normally aren't available. These are normally large or non-drivable vehicles.

How can I get more photos of vehicles in the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

Listings in the wholesale vehicle auctions that you can view in the JP Auction System typically have a vehicle inspection sheet and 2 or 3 photos.

There are 6 ways you can get extra photos:

1. Bidding Portal. Sometimes extra photos are available from our Bidding Portal which don't appear in the JP Auction System. In these cases we can upload them directly into your Bid Tracker so you can view them before you place a bid.


2. Auction House. For vehicles at USS Auto Auction venues you can request extra photos of areas of the vehicle you're interested in, such as interiors, features or possible problem areas. This needs to be requested as early as possible. We would then book the photos with the auction house and upload them to your Bid Tracker as soon as they're available.


3. Personal Inspection. You can learn more about the condition of the vehicles you're interested in from translations of the inspection sheets (we do this for you) and getting an extra personalised inspection on the key points that you're concerned about from the auction house inspector. This needs to be requested on the day before auction and the report back from the inspector is available early in the morning on the day of auction. While personal inspections normally provide you with written descriptions, for vehicles at JAA auction houses you can request videos of the areas of the vehicle that you'd like to see in more detail.


4. Port. We can arrange for professional photos to be taken on the dock prior to shipping. This can be combined with a pre-export inspection. Lower quality photos are sometimes available for free, though the availability of this varies from vehicle to vehicle, shipment to shipment.


5. Export Centre. If the vehicles are coming to our Export Centre we can take extra photos for you.


6. Containerisation. If the vehicles are being containerised we can get a photo set of the vehicles inside the container.

Can the inspectors provide information from the vehicle's registration papers?

Normally this is not possible since the auction house generally doesn't receive the papers until the vehicle has been sold.

How can I get a vehicle personally inspected at one of Japan’s wholesale vehicle auctions?

The wholesale vehicle auctions give you inspection reports done by the full-time professional inspectors employed by the auction house. We can translate the key points of these for you for free and put the information in your Bid Tracker, ready for you to go through and place a buy order.

But what do you do if there's something that you want further information on that's not fully covered by the auction house inspection report?

In these cases you can request a special inspection on the points that you want further information on. The auction house inspectors will personally check over any particular items you want checked on the morning of the auction. This is how it works:

1. Request a translation of the inspectors comments of the auction house inspection sheet on the day before the vehicle goes to auction in Japan.


2. We do the translation and enter it into your Bid Tracker.


3. If you want further information let us know and if it isn't available from the inspection sheet we can request a personal inspection. This often needs to be done before close of businesses on the day before the vehicle goes to auction.


4. On the morning of the auction we get the results of the personal inspection and then enter the information into your Bid Tracker.


5. You let us know if you want to go ahead and give us your bid limit. We place the bid limit as usual, and later that day the result of the auction is available through your Bid Tracker.

When are the personal inspections conducted?

Normally they're conducted on the morning of the auction day. They're done in the order that the vehicles go to auction. We receive the result from the inspector by phone while the inspector is still looking at the vehicle. Sometimes the inspections at Arai and USS Auctions are done the day before the auction day, though this is the exception not the norm.

Can I get photos or videos when the vehicle is personally inspected?

While personal inspections normally provide you with written descriptions, for vehicles at JAA auction houses you can request videos of the areas of the vehicle that you'd like to see in more detail.

INSPECTION REPORTS

Who writes the auction inspection sheets?

The procedure can vary between auction houses, but generally the seller will complete the top of the sheet which provides information on the vehicle model and grade and the "sales points" of the vehicle. The auction house inspectors will complete the balance of the sheet including assigning condition grades, noting defects and completing the damage diagram.

The auction inspection sheets are all in Japanese. How can I understand them?

Japan's wholesale vehicle auctions give you inspection reports done by full-time professional inspectors employed by the auction house. These are in the Japanese language and use lots of codes and abbreviatons. Our simple guide lets you crack the codes and understand the abbreviations. You can also get human translations of the inspectors comments done by a native Japanese speaker.

Can you tell the dimensions of a vehicle from the auction inspection report?

Sometimes the vehicle dimensions are on the auction inspection report and sometimes they aren't. This is case by case. The vehicle dimensions will be on the Registration Certificate or Deregistration Certificate which we receive from the auction house after purchase and will also be on the Export Certificate. The dimensions of non-modified vehicles can usually be found in the JP Catalog.

Can you tell the weight of a vehicle from the auction inspection report?

Normally the weight of the vehicle is not on the inspection report. The weight of the vehicle is on the Registration Certificate or Deregistration Certificate, but the auction house normally doesn't receive this until the vehicle has been sold.

If you need to know the weight of the vehicle prior to buying you normally need to source through sellers who hold the vehicle documents, such as private sellers and dealers on databases such as Yahoo!, Goonet, Kakaku, Response, Car Sensor, Car Sensor Lab, Carview, Kuruma Erabi etc.

What's the difference between rust and corrosion on the inspection reports?

Rust refers to the presence of rust whereas corrosion refers to the deterioration of the steel, such as holes or thinning.

The inspection report says the vehicle has a flat battery. Can the vehicle still be transported to port and accepted for RO-RO shipping?

If the vehicle is located in the Kanto area e.g.Tokyo, Yokohama etc.we can normally organise for the trucking company to replace the battery. So long as there are no other defects with the vehicle that would prevent it being shipped by Roll-On Roll-Off shipping the storage yard at the port will normally accept it. Conversely, should the vehicle be a non-standard vehicle or not located in the Kanto area it's not usually possible.

What does it mean if the report says “no claim accepted”?

The exact interpretation can very from auction house to auction house but basically it means that the auction house will not accept any responsibility for defects with the vehicle. It's a common condition for auction houses to place on old vehicles.

What is a correction to an inspection report?

It means that the auction house found an error in the auction inspection report. In this case bidding will only be available to bidders physically at the auction house where they can personally inspect the vehicle. If the vehicle doesn't sell it's likely to be offered by the same auction house next week with an updated inspection report.

GRADES

What do the different vehicle grades mean?

To simplify the process of finding suitable vehicles the auction houses give each vehicle an overall grade and grades for the interior and exterior condition. Vehicle Grades can be expressed as both numbers and letters. It's important to remember that while grades can be used as a rough filter for selecting suitable vehicles the best guide to the condition of individual vehicles are the inspectors comments on the inspection sheet.

What grade does a new vehicle have?

The grades given to new and near new vehicles can vary from auction house to auction house. The easiest way to find them is not by grade but by the odometer reading. Select the Model you are interested in, select Mileage from 0 to 1 then click SEARCH to show new vehicles. These are usually vehicles offered by Japanese dealers. Typically they'll be grades like:

10 - "New Vehicle" and never been driven on the road, or

9 or S - "Used Vehicle" of the highest grade. e.g. for USS Auctions less than 10,000 km., or within 1 year of first registration etc. Dealer demonstrator vehicles are typically in this category.

What does an R grade mean?

Again, use of the R grade can vary from auction house to auction house. Grades RA or R are used for a "Repaired Damaged Vehicle". This typically means that the vehicle has had accident damage and has been repaired.

However, the amount of "damage" can vary a lot from auction house to auction house and from car to car. For example, it could be a vehicle that was involved in an accident, had damage to the body and was repaired. Or it could be a vehicle that had some damage to a bolt on part, such as a a fender, door, tailgate or bumper and that part was replaced. Or it could be a vehicle that was modified and had screws placed into the body in the engine bay.

What are non-graded vehicles?

There are sometimes vehicles that don't fit any of the overall grade categories. These are classed as "Ungraded Vehicle". The auction sheet will often have "invalid" over the vehicle description shown with the kanji characters "無効".

The most common Ungraded Vehicles are defective vehicles. This includes vehicles with severe crash damage, significant body or mechanical problems. Another class of vehicles that might be ungraded are very old or unusual vehicles. This can include replica and classic cars.

While ungraded vehicles will often be defective, the ungraded category doesn't by itself mean that the vehicle is defective. You can sometimes have key points about the vehicle clarified by a personal inspection of the vehicle on the morning of the auction.

TRANSLATIONS

How can I get a translation of the auction inspection sheet?

Japan's wholesale vehicle auctions give you inspection reports done by full-time professional inspectors employed by the auction house.

However, these are in the Japanese language. While some of the information like the vehicle grade, model code, chassis number, odometer reading and location of body damage can be worked out without knowing Japanese, other information (particularly the comments of the inspector) requires human translation. We can do this for you.

This is the 3 Step Process:

1. Request Translation. Request a translation of the key points of the auction house inspection sheet on the day before the vehicle goes to auction in Japan.


2. Do Translation. We do the translation and enter it into your Bid Tracker.


3. Place Bid. You let us know if you want to go ahead and give us your bid limit. We place the bid limit before the cutoff time, and after the vehicle has gone through auction the result is available through your Bid Tracker.

During what hours can I request a translation?

You can request a translation of an inspection report 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Translations are normally done between the hours of 7am and 7pm Japan time 7 days a week. Translation requests for vehicles going to auction the same day should be submitted no later than 7am on the day the vehicle is going to auction.

Are the translations you do machine or human translations?

Human translations. There are 4 reasons for this:

1. Handwriting. The notes are made by handwriting on a clipboard and are often messy and difficult to read.


2. Abbreviations. Inspectors will use abbreviations such as "P" for paint, "F" for front, "R" for rear, "C" for corrosion and "S" for side or rust depending on the context.


3. Jargon. Inspectors will use specialised jargon such as "ekimani" for exhaust manifold, "rsus" for rear suspension "shakucho" for dampers.


4. Human Error. Sometimes the inspector will make writing mistakes.

Who translates the auction inspection sheets?

Translations are done by a native Japanese speaker experienced in vehicles and translation. We believe that work should always be done by a native speaker of the target language.

However, being a Japanese native speaker alone is not enough since the inspection sheets have car slang and abbreviations which are uninteligble to the average Japanese native speaker without automotive experience. Our translator has over 2 decades of practical experience in the automotive sector in Japan.

Similarly, when you communicate with us you're communicating with a native English speaker to avoid frustrations and misunderstandings.

How much does it cost to get a translation of the auction inspection sheet?

Nothing. It's free. You just need to have a funded account with us.

Can I get translations before I fund my account?

We provide translations so you can have the auction inspectors comments before you place your bid. In some cases you may not want to go ahead with a bid after viewing the comments. In other cases you may want to adjust your bid limit up or down based on what you learn from the inspectors comments.

It may take a couple of days or more before the funds that you send to your account are received by the receiving bank in Japan. Since most of the available listings in the JP Auction System are of vehicles that will go to auction in the next couple of days in many cases the vehicles that you were thinking about would have run through auction by the time the funds arrive. There's also no guarantee that you'd be successful on any particular vehicle even if the funds were available.

The best way is to look at the sales statistics for the vehicles that you're interested in, work out an approximate budget, fund your account and then keep placing bids until you're successful. If you want an idea of what information is typically provided by inspectors we can put some recent translated inspection reports in your Bid Tracker as examples.

Are there limits to how many translations I can request?

Translations are done so you have better information about the units you're wanting to import through our service. You need to have a funded account with us and be in a position to place buy orders on the units that you're requesting translations for.

There are no fixed limits as to how many translations you can request. However there is a "fair use" limit that if the units that are translated meet your requirements you'll go ahead and place buy orders for those units.

Using the translations in conjunction with another service, selling the translations or requesting translations on behalf of others is against our terms of service.

Can you translate the vehicle manuals and log books?

Under our service we translate inspection reports and the documents required for export and import such as the Registration, Deregistration and Export Certificates. For logbooks, service manuals, catalogs etc. you can use one of the commercial translation services.

What does 'Shaken still left' in the translation of the auction inspection sheets mean?

Shaken is the name of the compulsory vehicle inspections in Japan. At the end of the Shaken inspection the owner of the vehicle pays the Shaken workshop a fee which is transferred to the government covering the future period, e.g. 2 years that the vehicle has a valid inspection for. If the vehicle is sold while it still holds Shaken the Shaken period is pro-rated. i.e. the seller of the vehicle pays the Shaken up to the day of sale and the buyer of the vehicle pays the seller for the remaining Shaken remaining on the vehicle. In the case of sales by auction the auction houses calculate the amount and debit the buyer and credit the seller.

This vehicle has a high condition grade. Do I still need to check the inspection sheet?

Yes. It's impossible to know the true condition of the vehicle without reading the translated Inspection Sheet, and if necessary arranging for a personal inspection of the vehicle.

BIDDING

What's the Bid Tracker?

Your Bid Tracker puts all your auction bids, vehicle details. auction sheet translations, questions and answers, bid price, sale price, auction times in one place. It gives you an ongoing record of all your translations and bidding.

When do you know the time the vehicles go to auction?

Auction times are available early in the morning of the day of auction. They typically start appearing between 5am and 8am. It varies from auction house to auction house.

How do I place a bid in the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

First view the listings through the JP Auction System. Once you have a funded account with us you can start requesting translations and placing bids up to the value of the funds held in your account.

There are 2 ways you can do this:

1. By Skype. Put the link to the vehicle you want to bid on and your bid limit into Skype chat. Please let us know if you'd like a translation before we place your bid. We then upload details of the buy order straight into your Bid Tracker.
   
   Click Here to learn how to copy and paste a link


2. By Sandbox. If you're requiring a lot of translations and placing bids on many vehicles each day you can so this by using your Sandbox. Just put the link to the vehicles for that day in your Sandbox, alert us on Skype and we can put the listings straight into your Bid Tracker and action the translations and bids.

How soon before the auction time should I place my bid?

It's best to let us know your bid limits on the day before auction if possible. Bidding access starts cutting off around 2 hours before the auction time. It varies from auction house to auction house. Generally all bids are placed between 7am and 9am on the day of auction.

Do the other bidders know my bid limit?

No. The wholesale vehicle auctions have blind bidding. That is, the other bidders don't know what bid limit you've set. Bidding is automated by the auction house computer and if you're successful it will often be for less than the bid limit that you've set.

How many bids will I need to place before I'm successful?

How many bids it takes on different vehicles before you're succesful on your first vehicle depends on how high your bid limit is, the reserve prices that the seller has set on the vehicles you're bidding on and the bid limits of the other bidders competing with you.

Usually you won't be successful on your first bid. If you're successful then you may be at the top of the market or have over-paid for the vehicle. Around 5 or 7 bids on different vehicle to get one vehicle is common.

If you've bid on more than around 10 vehicles and have been unsuccessful with all of them then you may need to increase your bid limits a bit to be successful.

Can I make offers on vehicles before they go to auction?

No. Once an auction house accepts a vehicle for auction it goes to auction at the day and time set by the auction house, unless the seller withdraws the vehicle from auction beforehand.

If the vehicle doesn't reach the seller's reserve price the auction house will usually have a negotiation period immediately after the close of auction where you can submit offers.

Can I place a bid limit below the start price?

No. The auction house bidding portal won't acccept the bid.

Do all of the vehicles in the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions have a reserve price?

No. Some vehicles will have a reserve price and others won't. There's no way to know whether the vehicle has a reserve price or not by looking at individual vehicle listings.

Sometimes an auction house will put vehicles with no reserve prices into a "Must Sell" area of their carpark for current listings, similarly to what they might do for say, buses, motorhomes or machinery.

If after the auction the vehicle status is "Unsold", then it has passed in because the reserve price wasn't reached. This at least will tell you that the seller was looking for a sale above the price of the highest bid.

Conversely, if the vehicle sells at auction then either the vehicle didn't have a reserve price or the reserve price was exceeded.

Can you contact the seller and find out the their reserve price?

No. The auction houses do not disclose the identity of the sellers and sellers normally won't disclose their reserve prices.

What's the difference between Bidding Auctions and Tender Auctions?

Nearly all of the wholesale vehicle auctions use hidden bidding where you place a bid or bid limit which is not seen by competing bidders. If you're successful you're successful at one increment over the highest competing limit, which is often less than the limit you set.

However, just a few of the wholesale vehicle auctions - like NAA and SMAP - use a tender system where the buyer is the one who submits the highest price. In these cases, if you're successful you pay the amount that you set, plus the fees and charges set by the auction house.

If I place a bid limit and the vehicle sells for less how much do I pay?

You pay only what the auction house charges us, which is usually less than your bid limit. For example, if you put a bid limit in of Y200,000 and the next highest bid limit was Y150,000 then you'd be successful at Y153,000 (if bidding increments were Y3,000). The auction house will add its fees and costs on top of the successful bid amount.

The JP Auction System lets you verify the sale price after sale. This will show in the first update after the end of the auction.

Why do vehicles sometimes pass in at a bit less than my bid limit?

Sometimes you'll see vehicles pass in (go to auction but not sell) for less than the bid limit that you set. This is because the wholesale vehicle auctions process bids and bid limits in increments.

For example, if the bid increments were Y3,000 and you set a bid limit of Y105,000 it may only register as Y103,000 if this was the highest step before the next step of Y106,000. In this case you might see the vehicle pass in for Y103,000, even though you set a higher limit of Y105,000.

Why do vehicles sometimes sell for less than my bid limit?

Sometimes a vehicle will sell for less than the bid limit you've set. This is because the wholesale vehicle auctions process bids and bid limits in increments.

For example, if the bid increments were Y3,000 and you set a bid limit of Y105,000 it may only register as Y103,000 if this was the highest step before the next step of Y106,000. In this case if another bidder placed a bid of Y106,000 or more then they would be successful at Y103,000.

Some auction houses have terms where in cases like this they'll automatically increase your bid limit - for example USS Auto Auction - but other auction houses don't do this.

Why does TS EXPORT^® place auction buy orders in advance?

There are 4 reasons:

1. Prevent Overbidding. The "live bidding" (repeatedly pressing the button) option doesn't allow us to accurately specify a bid limit. While this bidding option displays the current price before the button is pressed, with other bidders pressing their buttons at around the same time it's never clear what price your bid increment was added to. This means you can easily end up paying more than your limit. Even seasoned professional buyers get it wrong with this old system.


2. Prevent Technology Failure. While technology has improved dramatically over the last decade there can still be issues with real-time connections not being stable, dropouts, power failure etc. making real-time bidding less reliable than bidding in advance.


3. Prevent Human Error. With a busy office and the possibility of several auctions taking place at once there's always the chance of human error at the crucial moment the bid needs to be placed with real-time bidding.


4. Allow For Changes In Auction Schedules. While the auction houses estimate what time the vehicle will go to auction in reality the schedule will often change continually throughout the day and we don't know exactly when the vehicle will go to auction until it actually happens.

I'm only wanting one car. Can I place multiple bids?

Yes. But because you're only wanting one car only one bid can be active at any one time, otherwise you might be successful on more than one vehicle. In these instances you can give us buy orders on multiple vehicles, we then put them in your Bid Tracker, enter the estimated time the vehicle goes to auction, then place the listings in chronological order starting from the first vehicle to go to auction to the last.

This is what the process looks likes:

You then tell us the vehicles that you want to bid on and give us your bid limits.

We then enter a bid for the first vehicle that you want to bid on and monitor the result which will normally appear between 10 and 20 minutes after the auction has finished.

If you're successful we organise trucking to port and shipping for the vehicle and place no further bids.

If you're unsuccessful we place the bid on the next vehicle you've nominated and repeat the process.

Sometimes it's not possible to place bids on all of the vehicles that you've nominated because the result of the previous auction isn't known before the start of the next auction.

The auction schedules often change throughout the day of auction, so if there's one vehicle that you want to give priority to we can place the bid on this vehicle first and then if you're unsuccessful on this vehicle then place bids on the other vehicles you're interested in sequentially after this.

Could you only place bids for me on the cars with nothing wrong with them?

Sorry. All used cars usually have some defects. If you're buying from Japan's wholesale vehicle auctions you can view the inspector's report which gives the defects reported by the inspector.

You can ask for a human translation of the key points of the inspector's report. You can also request a personal inspection on any points you'd like further clarification on.

Could you place a bid for me before I view the translated auction inspection report?

For salvage grade vehicles, yes. For new and used grade vehicles, no. It's impossible to know the condition of a vehicle without the comments of the auction house inspector. There may be issues with the vehicle that would make it unsuitable for your requirements and there could be issues - such as fluid leaks - that could prevent it being shipped.

How do I cancel my bid?

To cancel a buy order let us know by Skype as soon as possible. Please use the identifying information from your Bid Tracker so we can be sure of the buy order that you wish to cancel. If we receive the cancellation in time we will action it, though there may be times when the auction has already taken place or the auction house has closed bidding and modifications to buy orders.

The auction houses will often charge a non-refundable fee for placing a buy order, so it's best that you make sure that you actually want to bid before going ahead.

How long after the auction time do I know the result?

This can vary from vehicle to vehicle and auction house to auction house. The soonest we know the result is a few minutes after the close of auction. The longest is an hour or so after the close of auction.

The JP Auction System updates several times each day to show new listings and the sales results of listings for that day. The sales results can appear any time from an hour or so after the close of auction. If there's a particular vehicle that you're interested in that doesn't yet show in the JP Auction System we can manually check the result in the Bidding Portal.

The auction time has passed for the vehicle I bid on. Why can't a see the result?

There are 4 possible reasons:

1. Delay. The auction may have been delayed.


2. Negotiation. The vehicle may have passed in (not sold at auction) and in the process of negotiation.


3. Pending JP System Update. The JP Auction System has not yet updated the results for that auction venue.


4. Result Not Available. The vehicle may have passed in (not sold at auction) and it's at an auction house that doesn't post a result for vehicles not sold.

NEGOTIATION

When should I go into negotiation on a vehicle?

When the vehicle has some rare or unique qualities that you won't find in another vehicle. Examples might be some of the European exotics or a prime example of a limited edition vehicle.

You need to have bid on the vehicle before you can go into negotiation on it. With usually at least 50,000 vehicles available on any day, there is plenty of choice available from the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions and it's normally not necessary to go into negotiation. There are some significant downsides to going into negotiation:

• If you're willing to pay more for a vehicle then it's simpler and cheaper to place a higher bid limit before the vehicle goes to auction than it is to enter into negotiation where you have to pay an additional negotiation fee. Remember, the negotiation price will almost certainly be higher than highest bid that was placed. The seller usually has the option of putting the vehicle back on auction and having another try to get their reserve price. Sellers in this situation will sometimes run the vehicle through auction after auction until they're successful. If the seller's price target is way above yours then you've wasted the fee you've paid to the auction house to participate in the negotiation.
  
  
• The timelines for going into negotiation are very fine. There may only be a short time available after we're notified of the result ot the negotiation. We then need to notify the auction immediately. If you're unavailable at this time or on a timezone where this is in the middle of the night then the negotiaton process may not be practical.

How do I enter into negotiation after a vehicle is passed in at auction?

Procedures vary from auction house to auction house but entering into negotiation after a vehicle is passed in (not sold) at auction normally requires:

• Prior Bidding. You usually need to have placed a bid on the vehicle to participate in the negotiation process if it's passed in.


• Negotiation Fee. Payment of a non-refundable fee to the auction house is normally required to participate in the negotiaton process. This payment is normally required whether or not you're successful in the negotition process.


• Time Limit. The application for negotiation needs to be lodged soon after the close of auction (usually within 1 to 2 hours). This can be difficult with internet bidding since there are often delays with the result of the auction being available and differences in time zones between the bidders time zone and Japan.

Can I find out the sale price of vehicles sold by negotiation?

Normally the auction houses only disclose the sale price of vehicles sold by negotiation to the buyer and the seller. You may sometimes see a price on listings sold by negotiation. This is usually the highest bid price prior to the vehicle going into negotiation. However, a few auctions will disclose the final negotiated price.

UNSOLD VEHICLES

Why do some vehicles show as not sold?

Sellers will often place a reserve price on their vehicle. This reserve price is hidden from bidders and only known by the seller and the auction house. If bidding doesn't reach the reserve price then the result will show as "not sold".

Why doesn't the result of an auction sometimes not show in my Bid Tracker?

Sometimes you'll see the message "Result not available in auction house bidding portal" in your Bid Tracker.

Typically this means one of 3 things:

1. Seller withdrew the vehicle. In these cases the seller lists the unit for sale with the auction house but some time after this and before the scheduled auction time the seller asks the auction house to withdraw the vehicle from sale. it's possible that the seller sold the vehicle privately outside of auction.


2. Vehicle didn't reach reserve price. In these cases the bidding didn't reach the reserve price the seller placed on the vehicle. In these cases some auction houses don't disclose the highest price reached. The vehicle will often be run at the same auction house in the following week.


3. Negotiation. The vehicle didn't sell at auction, went into negotiation and then was sold by negotiation.

What happens when a vehicle doesn't sell at auction?

Either of 3 possibilities:

1. Negotiation. Immediately after the auction the auction house allows a short period to go into negotiation with the seller in a process controlled by the auction house.


2. Relisting. This is where the vehicle is stored at the auction and put to auction again in the following week. This is quite common.


3. Removal. This is where the seller removes the vehicle from auction. In these cases the seller may seek buyers elsewhere or sometimes list it at another auction.

Why has the same vehicle come back on the Japanese Wholesale Vehicle Auctions?

There are several reasons why a car may re-appear at a Japanese vehicle auction soon after being offered:

• Not Sold. That is, the vehicle was passed in at the previous auction for not reaching the reserve price and is simply being re-run, usually a week later at the same auction. This is the most common reason that a vehicle will re-appear at an auction.


• Non Completion. That is, the vehicle might have showed as being "Sold" at auction, but the buyer didn't complete. This may have been because the buyer simply didn't pay for the vehicle within the required time (this normally incurrs a large fine from the auction house), or because the auction house description of the vehicle was in same way incorrect (rare but it can happen).


• Buyers Remorse. There can be several scenarios. A Japanese dealer might have bought a vehicle thinking they had a sale on it, but the sale doesn't go ahead. Or the dealer runs short of funds and needs some quick money and elects to resell. The dealer buys the vehicle but finds a defect. The dealer overpays for the vehicle by accident (easy to do with push-button bidding) and elects to resell it at auction rather than trying to retail it. Or the dealer simply changes their mind.


• Flipping. Some Japanese domestic market dealers will buy a vehicle cheaply at one auction and then look to resell it immediately (normally at another auction) for a quick profit.

How do I know if the same vehicle has come back on auction?

There are 3 options:

1. Manually. If it's a vehicle that you haven't yet requested a translation on you can check the results of recent auctions to see if the vehicle has been run before. Use the filters to narrow your search to just the vehicles that match your target vehicle.


2. Bid Tracker. If you're wanting to match vehicles that are already in your Bid Tracker you can use the vehicle identifier for that vehicle. This identifier tells you the auction house, model, colour and chassis number of the vehicle. This is an identifier which is unique to just this vehicle. With this information you can easily tell if the same vehicle has come back on auction, even if it has come back at a different auction venue.


3. Custom Filter. We can build a custom filter based on the unique characteristics of that vehicle.

How can I buy a vehicle that didn’t sell at auction?

You need to set up a Trading Account, fund the account and then place a bid once the vehicle or similar vehicles are relisted and available for bidding.

SOLD VEHICLES

How do I know if I'm successful on a vehicle?

Once we know the result of the auction we put the sale price into your Bid Tracker. If it appears that you're the highest bidder but haven't yet received a confirmation from the auction house we'll put "Successful ?" until we receive the confirmation from the auction house.

You can also find out the sale price by clicking the link to the listing in the JP Auction System.

What do you do if I'm successful on a vehicle?

There are 5 things we typically do:

1. Transport to Port. The auction houses impose penalty fees if the vehicles are not removed from the auction house quickly. We look to get them out of the auction house within 24 hours. The transport companies will either take them directly to the port or to their depot where they will be re-loaded onto a multi vehicle carrier for trucking to port.


2. Notify Freight Forwarder. We let our freight forwarder know of the vehicle so they can make preliminary arrangements for storage at the port and shipping.


3. Pay Auction House. Normally the auction house will send us the account for the vehicle soon after you're successful. We pay the account and put a digital version into the documents folder for the shipment. This means you have validation of what we paid out on your behalf.


4. Update Trading Account. We put indicative costs for the shipment into the pending part of your Trading Account so you have a rough idea of the balance of funds remaining in your account after the shipment. As the actual costs come in we move the cost line into the main part of your Trading Account.


5. Shipping Status Page. We prepare an online Shipping Status page for the shipment, so you can follow the progress. The page contains a link to all of the documents for the shipment which are held in a folder.

The vehicle sold for just above my bid limit. Does this mean that if I'd set a bid limit a bit higher I would have been successful?

It's impossible to know. The successful bidder may have set a bid limit substantially higher than the price they were successful at.

How do I know the Sold Prices of vehicles at Japanese Vehicle Auctions?

You can check past sales to get some idea what other similar vehicles have sold for here through our JP Auction System. You can use the NEO Interface, CLASSIC Interface or the MOBI Interface.

Go to SALES STATISTICS for sale prices from previous auctions. Click on the British Union Jack flag on the top right hand side for English. These auctions are for the Japanese used vehicle industry only (private buyers and sellers can't participate directly) and prices are wholesale prices.

If there are specific listings that you're following prior to auction and you'd like to see what the vehicles sold for at auction just click on the link (URL) for that listing after the time of auction. The listing will appear with the result of the auction. In the "Sold for" field at the top of the listing you'll see the highest price that the vehicle reached at auction. In the Status field to the right of Sold for you'll see either "sold" or "not sold" (went to auction but didn't reach the sellers reserve price).

The results start appearing in the JP Auction System from about an hour after the time of auction, depending on the refresh cycle of information from that auction house. Sometimes the results won't show until the next day. For active clients with pending bids we enter the sold prices directly into your Bid Tracker next to your bid.

After one or two days from the close of auction the results are archived from the current listings part of the JP Auction System into "Sales Statistics". If you use the same URL that you viewed the listing from prior to going to auction you'll be prompted to click through to the Sales Statistics section where the listing will automatically appear.

Often the vehicles that were not sold at auction will be relisted at the same auction the following week and will re-appear on a different URL.

What happens if I'm successful on a vehicle and then change my mind?

The process is different depending on whether you change your mind before or after we've paid the auction house:

1. Before Auction House Payment. We pay the auction house a cancellation fee and the vehicle remains at the auction house and normally goes to auction again in the following week.


2. After Auction House Payment. We pay for the vehicle and start arranging trucking and shipping as soon as the auction house notifies us that you're successful on a vehicle. If you change your mind and decide that you want the vehicle put back to auction rather than exported you need to pay the auction house selling fees, the auction house listing fee and then a fee to the auction house each time that the vehicle runs through auction. You also need to pay trucking fees if the vehicle has already been trucked out of the auction venue and double service fees - once for the work done in sourcing the vehicle and another for the work done in disposing of the vehicle. Storage fees at the port could also apply if the vehicle has been stored at the port prior to being trucked back to the auction venue.

PRICES

What's the Average Price I see on listings?

The average price that's displayed in the top right hand corner of listing pages is the average sale price for similar vehicles sold in Japan's wholesale vehicle auctions over the last 3 months. It's based on chassis code, year of first registration, odometer reading and condition grade.

It's useful as part of the research process, but in reality the same vehicle can sell for different prices on different days or at different auction venues. Also, in reality no two used vehicles are exactly the same. The best way to get an idea of the price range for the models that your interested in is to view the Sales Statistics.

Do the vehicles have reserve prices?

They usually do, but some don't. Setting a reserve price is optional.

How can I find out the reserve price?

The only ones who know the reserve prices are are the auction houses and the sellers, and they won't disclose this information. For the vehicles that have been to auction before then the price that they passed in at can give a clue to the reserve price the seller has set. You can check Sales Statistics using filters, for brand, model, year, colour etc. to locate the vehicle at previous auctions.

Will vehicles with the lowest auction start price be cheaper?

Not necessarily. The seller can set any start and reserve price that they want. Some sellers might set a low start price "to get the bidding started". However, the sale price will be determined by the reserve price that the seller sets and the demand for the vehicle by other bidders.

How much will this vehicle sell for?

The sale price of vehicles at Japan's Wholesale Vehicle Auctions is determined by the auction process. It will depend on the seller's reserve price and who is bidding against you. The same vehicle can sell for different prices on different days or at different auction venues.

There's no way to know what bid limits the other bidders on the vehicle will set and what an individual vehicle will sell for until the auction result is announced after the auction.

However, you can check past sales to get some idea what other similar vehicles have sold for over the last few months at Japan's Wholesale Vehicle Auctions through our JP Auction System. You can view JP SALES STATISTICS through either of 3 interfaces. Click on the British Union Jack flag on the top right hand side for English.

Why did the auction house charge me more for the vehicle than my bid limit?

Some of the auction houses have it in their terms of service that they're allowed to adjust the bid limit upwards in the case of multiple bids around the same level. This is most often seen with USS Auctions. USS works in bid increments of Y3,000. If you find that you were successful above your bid limit it's likely that the bid limit you set was between the increments the auction house was using and the auction house bumped it up.

Normally this will be to the highest next bid increment, though sometimes it will be more than this. The auction houses won't disclose their algorithm or the other competing bids, so there's no way to know exactly how the bidding played out on a specific vehicle.

If you're in this situation where you've been successful above your bid limit, the only way to get out of purchase is to pay a large cancellation fee to the auction house. Because the auction houses are free to set their own terms of service, unfortunately there's no way to avoid these situations. Fortunately they're relatively rare.

Why did the vehicle sell at my bid limit but I wasn't successful?

It's likely that the competing bidder had set a higher bid limit and because of that was awarded the vehicle.

How do auction houses handle the remaining Shaken on a vehicle?

Cars in Japan are subject to periodic roadworthy inspections called Shaken. Once the vehicle has been inspected and approved as roadworthy at an approved workshop the owner of the vehicle is required to pay a fee to cover use of the vehicle on public roads for the period up to the next Shaken inspection. When the vehicle is sold the auction house adjusts for the remaining period of Shaken on the vehicle by debiting the buyer for the remaining period of Shaken and crediting the seller for the same amount.

There's a listing with a start price of ¥77,777,000. What does this mean?

It normally means that the listing has been withdrawn from auction. i.e. The auction for this listing has been cancelled.

Will I get cheaper vehicles if I just bid on the auctions with the cheapest fees?

Normally not. There's usually a big difference in sale prices for similar vehicles at different auctions on different days. The difference in auction fees charged by the different auction houses is a relatively small part of the total landed cost of a vehicle.

There will be cases where cheaper vehicles will come from auctions with slightly higher fees. You need to consider the total landed costs of a vehicle, not just the cost of auction house fees.

CURRENCY

How do I view prices in the JP Auction System in different currencies?

To view listings in different currencies just select your preferred currency on the Currency Selector on the top right hand side. You can select either EUR RUB USD or JPY. Clicking on your preferred currency will make listings display in that currency.

Being able to select a currency that you're familiar with is useful for research the market. However, since the auctions are conducted in Japan in Japanese Yen buy orders need to be in Yen.

SHIPPING

How long does it take before the car I bought at auction in Japan is on the ship?

There are 4 main factors:

1. The frequency and availability of shipping to your destination. Some destinations will have services weekly or more and others will have services only monthly or less. Sometimes there will be voyages that will be booked out, mostly with new cars. Japanese car manufacturers have long-term shipping contracts with first priority. Non-standard vehicles such as trucks, buses, motorhomes and construction machinery will have limited capacity on each voyage.


2. How long it takes for the auction house to get the papers for the car to us. When the car is put to auction the auction house does normally not have the papers for the vehicle. Once the vehicle is sold at auction the auction house requires the previous owner to send the papers to the auction house within 7 days. Once the auction house receives the papers they are sent to us. Because of the effects of weekends and mail transit times this is typically 7-10 days from the date of auction, but can sometimes be longer if the seller is slow in sending the papers to the auction house. Once we have the papers the car can be de-registered and we can get an Export Certificate within 1 or 2 working days.


3. Japan Customs Approval. The Export Certificate and other documents are required by Japan Customs a minimum of 5 days prior to sailing, so they can be processed to enable the vehicle to be exported.


4. Inspections and works. If these are needed they could affect the schedule, particularly if works are needed prior to shipping.