But it was a grade 4, it shouldn’t look like that! As humans we like to generalize, simplify and put everything into a box. A grade 4 should be excellent whether bought at a USS auction, JU auction, Honda auction or TAA auction. Unfortunately, grouping all auctions together under a single umbrella is not a good idea. Just as assuming Japanese and Koreans and Chinese and Thais and Malaysians are all asian, so the same. Easier to generalize and put everyone into the same box. Well just as all asians are extremely different so are the auctions. Just because USS Shikoku gives a grade 4 doesn’t make it better than Honda Osaka grade 3 (it could be worse!). Auctions have a reputation for differing degrees of strictness … so what can you do?
Look at the map! The map will tell you a lot more than the grade will. Auction inspectors spend around 20 minutes per car carefully detailing every dent and every scratch. You don’t need level 1 ability in the Japanese Language Proficiency test to read a map.
So yes, grade 4 with a grain of salt! Read the map and get off the grade train!
