If you're sitting on three browser tabs from three different exporters, each showing you a car with a different combination of letters and numbers, this is the page to bookmark. It's written for overseas buyers and first-time importers who don't need the full explainer on how Japanese auction sheets work — they need a fast, accurate way to answer one specific question: what's the actual difference between R, RA, and A, and which one should make me walk away? For the longer, ground-up explanation of every part of the sheet, see our companion guide, How to Read a Japanese Car Auction Sheet. This page assumes you've seen a sheet before and just need the codes decoded, fast.
Why Buyers Mix These Three Grades Up
Every Japanese auction sheet actually carries three separate grades, not one — and almost every buyer confusion about "R vs RA vs A" comes from not realizing these are three different scales answering three different questions:
- The overall condition grade — a number (S, 6, 5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2, 1) or, when the car has accident history, a letter code (R or RA) in that same overall-grade position.
- The exterior letter grade — a separate A–E rating that scores paint and bodywork condition specifically.
- The interior letter grade — another separate A–E rating, scored independently, for the cabin.
The confusion happens because R and RA live in the same slot on the sheet as the overall numeric grade, while A lives in a completely different slot as an exterior or interior score. A car can be "Interior Grade A" and still be an R-graded car overall. Those two facts are not in tension — they're answering different questions. Once you separate them, the rest of this cheat sheet is just filling in detail.
R vs RA: What "Repaired" Actually Means
R and RA both signal that the vehicle has a documented repair history, almost always related to an accident or collision. The distinction between them is severity — specifically, whether the damage reached structural areas of the car.
Code
What it signals
Typical severity
What to ask your exporter
RA
Accident damage classed as minor, fully repaired
Lower — often cosmetic panel work, not structural
Which panel(s) were repaired, and is there a repair invoice or photos?
R
Accident damage to structural areas (e.g., frame, lower tie bar) — repaired
Higher — structural repair, not just cosmetic
What structural component was affected, who performed the repair, and is there documentation?
0 / R0 (used by some auction houses)
Major structural damage, flood damage, or other serious compromise
Highest — frequently a "proceed with caution or avoid" signal
Is this being sold for parts/export-only, and does your destination country even allow import of this condition?
Neither R nor RA is automatically disqualifying — plenty of perfectly serviceable export cars carry an RA grade after a minor repair, and a well-documented R-graded car can still be a reasonable buy at the right price. What matters is whether your exporter can tell you specifically what was damaged and how it was fixed. A grade with no explanation attached is the actual red flag, not the letter itself.
The A–E Letter Grade: Why "A" Doesn't Mean "Accident-Free"
This is the single most common misunderstanding in the "R vs RA vs A" question, so it's worth stating plainly: the A–E letter grade has nothing to do with accident history. It is a cosmetic condition score, applied separately to the exterior and the interior, where A is the best score and E is the worst.
Grade
Exterior condition
Interior condition
A
Near-new paint and bodywork, no notable marks
Clean, no stains, damage, or odor
B
Good condition, light wear consistent with normal use
Minor wear or light dirt, nothing remarkable
C
Visible wear, multiple small marks
Noticeable stains, wear, or odor (commonly a smoke-smell flag)
D
Heavy wear or cosmetic damage
Heavy staining, tears, or damage; budget for reconditioning
E
Significant damage
Severe interior damage
So a car can absolutely be sold as "overall grade R, exterior A, interior B" — meaning it was in a structural-area accident that has been repaired, but the bodywork and cabin both currently present very well. Whether that combination is a good buy for you depends entirely on how comfortable you are with documented structural repair history, not on what the exterior letter says. Don't let a clean A exterior grade talk you out of asking the R/RA question separately.
Quick-Reference: The Full Overall Grade Scale
For context, here's where R and RA sit relative to the rest of the overall numeric scale. Exact mileage and age bands vary by auction house — treat these as the common convention, not a fixed rule, and always check the legend printed on the actual sheet.
Grade
General meaning
S
Near-new, very low mileage/age
6
Excellent, essentially no visible defects
5
Excellent, very light wear
4.5
Very good, minor blemishes only
4
Good, normal used-car wear — the most common export grade
3.5
Average, more noticeable cosmetic wear
3
Below average, multiple visible defects
2 / 1
Poor condition, heavy wear or multiple defects
RA
Minor accident damage, repaired
R
Structural-area accident damage, repaired
0 / R0
Major structural or flood damage
Printable Cheat Sheet: One-Line Summary
- See "R" → Structural repair history. Ask what, where, and get documentation before you commit.
- See "RA" → Minor accident repair, usually cosmetic. Lower-stakes than R, but still worth a quick question.
- See "A" by itself, next to "Exterior" or "Interior" → This is a cosmetic score, not an accident-history flag. Check the overall grade separately for accident history.
- See "0" or "R0" → Treat as a serious-damage flag. Confirm with your exporter whether the car is even sellable for road use in your destination country.
- See a number with no letter at all (4, 4.5, 5, etc.) → No documented accident history at that auction house's standard of inspection. This is the "clean" signal buyers are usually actually looking for when they ask about "A grade."
Decision Rules: When R/RA Is Fine, and When to Walk Away
A documented repair history is not automatically a deal-breaker — it's a pricing and information question. A few practical rules of thumb that exporters and experienced buyers commonly apply:
- RA with a clear, minor explanation (bumper, fender, single panel) and a fair price adjustment — generally fine for most budget-conscious buyers.
- R with full documentation of a contained, properly repaired structural item, priced accordingly — acceptable to many buyers, but get a second opinion from your exporter if you're inexperienced.
- R or RA with no explanation offered, or an exporter who can't or won't translate the sheet for you line by line — this is the actual point to walk away, regardless of which letter is involved.
- 0 or R0 grade of any kind — proceed only if you fully understand the structural or flood risk, have priced the car as a parts or rebuild project, and have confirmed your destination country's import rules allow it.
- A heavy concentration of repair-panel marks (W, X) on the damage diagram alongside an R or RA grade — treat as confirmation of the accident's location and severity, and weigh it against the asking price specifically, not just the letter grade.
How These Codes Differ Across Auction Houses
USS, TAA, JAA, and the other major Japanese auction networks all use broadly the same R/RA convention and the same A–E letter scale, because the system has become a de facto industry standard. That said, the exact severity threshold for "minor" (RA) versus "structural" (R) damage, and the precise wording of each house's printed legend, can differ slightly from one network to the next. USS in particular has a reputation among exporters for grading strictly — a car that would pick up a 4.5 elsewhere might land a 4 at a USS auction. None of this changes how you should use this cheat sheet; it just means the legend printed on the specific sheet in front of you is always the final authority, and a good exporter will flag it if a particular auction house's convention differs from the general rule.
FAQ
Is an RA-graded car safe to buy?
In most cases, yes — RA indicates a repaired minor accident, typically cosmetic panel work rather than structural damage. The key is getting your exporter to confirm exactly what was repaired rather than relying on the letter alone.
Is R worse than RA?
Generally yes. R indicates the accident damage reached structural areas of the vehicle (such as the frame or lower tie bar) before repair, while RA is reserved for damage classed as minor. Both require follow-up questions; R warrants a closer look.
Does an "A" grade mean the car has never been in an accident?
Not on its own. An A grade on a sheet almost always refers to the separate exterior or interior cosmetic letter scale, not accident history. To check accident history, look at the overall grade slot for an R or RA code — a numeric grade with no letter generally indicates no documented accident at that auction house's standard of inspection.
Can I trust these codes the same way across every auction house?
Broadly, yes, since R/RA and the A–E letter scale are close to industry standard. But thresholds and legends vary slightly by auction house, so always check the key printed on the actual sheet rather than assuming it matches this guide exactly.
Where can I get the longer version of this guide?
See How to Read a Japanese Car Auction Sheet: A Buyer's Grade-by-Grade Guide for the full breakdown of the damage diagram, equipment codes, and mileage notes.
Sources & further reading: this cheat sheet reflects auction-grading conventions used broadly across major Japanese vehicle auction networks (USS, TAA, JAA, and similar). Auction houses publish their own legends on each sheet, which should always take precedence over general guides. Conventions in this article were compiled through public industry research current as of June 2026.
