Auction sheets: what matters first

Start with the grade, then read the map

An auction grade is a fast summary, not the full picture. It tells you roughly how a car compares to others of its age and mileage, but it doesn’t explain why a panel was repainted or where a repair map mark actually sits. We read the grade, the repair map, and the inspector’s notes together before a car is ever added to a shortlist.

What we check before you see a listing

Beyond the headline grade, we look at corrosion notes, any recorded modifications, mileage consistency, and the translated inspector comments — the detail that’s easy to miss reading a sheet in a second language under time pressure. A car with a lower grade and an honest repair history can be a better buy than a higher grade with something glossed over.

This is the filtering work that happens before a vehicle reaches you, so the shortlist you see has already been vetted.