Car Glossary for Pakistan

Every vehicle. One marketplace.

This car glossary for Pakistan explains every word you’ll meet when you buy, sell, own or import a vehicle, in plain English. From token tax, own money and transfer letters to CVT, fuel average and auction grades, each term has its own link you can share.

121 terms. Last updated 28 Sep 2026. Written by the AutoOnes team, working in Pakistan’s car market since 2020.

Buying, owning and paperwork

Words you'll hear from sellers, dealers, insurers and the excise office.

Registration booksmart card#: The official record of who owns the vehicle. Many provinces now issue a smart card instead of a book.
Token tax#: The yearly vehicle tax paid to the provincial excise department. Check it is paid up before you buy.
Transfer#: Moving the registration into the buyer's name at the excise office. Until then, the old owner is still the legal owner.
Biometric verification#: A fingerprint check that buyer and seller complete to transfer ownership in many provinces.
Open letter#: A signed transfer letter with the buyer's name left blank. Convenient but risky: the vehicle isn't legally yours until it is transferred.
Original file#: The vehicle's full paper file: registration, sale invoice, tax receipts and transfer letters. Missing papers lower the price.
Engine number#: The number stamped on the engine. It must match the registration papers.
First owner#: The person who bought the vehicle new. First-owner vehicles with service records usually sell for more.
Non-accidental#: A seller's claim that the vehicle never had an accident repair. Always confirm it with an inspection.
Total genuine#: Every panel still has its original factory paint.
Shower#: Market slang for a repainted panel. "One piece shower" means one panel was repainted.
Touch-up#: Small paint repairs to chips or scratches, not a full repaint.
Company fitted#: Fitted at the factory, not added later. Often said about CNG kits, alloys or stereos.
Own moneyon money#: An extra amount paid above the factory price to get a new car straight away instead of waiting for delivery.
Booking#: Reserving a new car with the dealer by paying part of the price, then waiting for delivery.
Delivery time#: How long you wait for a booked new vehicle to arrive.
Custom paid#: An imported vehicle with all duties paid and proper papers.
NCPnon-custom paid#: A vehicle brought in without paying customs duty. It can't be registered in most of Pakistan.
Import duty#: Tax paid to customs when a vehicle is imported. It depends on engine size and age.
Import schemes#: The personal routes used to import a used car into Pakistan: personal baggage, gift scheme and transfer of residence.
Pre-purchase inspection#: A mechanic's check before you pay. Always get one, even when the auction sheet is clean.
Transfer letter#: The signed letter the seller gives the buyer so ownership can be moved into the buyer's name at the excise office.
Filer and non-filer#: A filer is on the government's active taxpayer list. Non-filers pay higher tax when they register or transfer a vehicle.
Withholding tax#: Tax collected when a vehicle is registered or transferred. The amount depends on engine size and whether you are a filer.
Complete documents#: The full file a seller should hand over: the registration book or smart card, tax receipts and the transfer papers.
Comprehensive insurance#: Insurance that covers damage to your own car as well as to other people. It costs more than third-party cover.
Third-party insurance#: The basic cover the law requires. It pays for damage you cause to other people or their property, not to your own car.
Tracker#: A GPS device that shows where the car is. Insurers often ask for one before giving comprehensive cover on a newer car.
Service interval#: How often a vehicle needs a routine service, shown in kilometres or months, whichever comes first.
Depreciation#: How much value a vehicle loses over time. Popular models with good resale lose value more slowly.
Resale value#: What a vehicle is likely to sell for later. Mileage, condition, colour and service history all affect it. Price calculator
Genuine partOEM#: A part made by, or for, the vehicle's own brand. It fits exactly and usually costs more. Browse spare parts
Aftermarket part#: A part made by another company to fit your vehicle. Often cheaper, but quality varies from brand to brand.

New vehicles and specifications

What the numbers and labels on a new-vehicle page mean.

Ex-factory price#: The manufacturer's official price, before registration, taxes and delivery. New car prices
On-road price#: The full amount to drive away: the ex-factory price plus registration, taxes and insurance.
Varianttrim#: One version of a model, such as Alto VXR or Civic Oriel. Variants differ in equipment and price.
Generation#: A full redesign of a model, such as the 11th-generation Honda Civic.
Facelift#: A mid-life update with new lights, bumpers or features, on the same basic car.
CKD#: Completely Knocked Down: assembled in Pakistan from imported kits. Most of Pakistan's popular cars are CKD.
CBU#: Completely Built Up: imported fully built. Usually costs more because of duties.
Locally assembled#: Built in Pakistan. These vehicles are the most popular and hold their resale value best.
Discontinued#: No longer sold new. AutoOnes keeps these pages, with specs and the last price, in a Discontinued tab.
Upcoming#: Announced for Pakistan but not on sale yet.
Engine cc#: Engine size in cubic centimetres. Bigger usually means more power and more fuel used.
Horsepowerhp#: How much power the engine makes.
TorqueNm#: The engine's pulling force. High torque feels strong when you pull away or overtake.
Fuel averagekm/l#: How many kilometres the vehicle covers on one litre of fuel. Work out running costs
HybridHEV#: A petrol engine plus an electric motor that charges itself. You never plug it in.
Mild hybrid#: A small electric boost that helps the petrol engine. It can't drive on electric power alone.
Plug-in hybridPHEV#: A hybrid with a bigger battery you charge from a socket, so short trips can be fully electric.
Range extenderREEV#: An electric car with a small petrol engine that only charges the battery.
Electric vehicleEV#: Runs on battery power only, charged from a socket or a charger.
Manual#: You change gears yourself, using a clutch pedal.
Automatic#: The car changes gears by itself.
CVT#: Continuously Variable Transmission: an automatic with no fixed gears. Smooth and fuel-efficient.
AGSAMT#: A manual gearbox with an automatic clutch, such as Suzuki's AGS. Cheaper than a full automatic.
DCT#: Dual-Clutch Transmission: a fast-shifting automatic with two clutches.
4WDAWD#: Power goes to all four wheels, for grip on rough roads or in bad weather.
Ground clearance#: The gap between the road and the lowest part of the vehicle. More helps on broken roads.
Kerb weight#: The vehicle's weight when empty but ready to drive.
Boot space#: Luggage space, measured in litres.

Using AutoOnes

Words used across our marketplace, reports and tools.

Asking price#: The price a seller lists. Buyers usually make an offer.
Price negotiable#: The seller is open to offers.
Registered city#: Where the vehicle is registered. Shown on every ad.
Un-registered#: A vehicle that has not been registered yet.
Province registered#: Registered to a province rather than a city, such as "Punjab (registered)".
Ad review#: Every new ad is checked by a person on our team before it goes live. Post an ad
Featured ad#: A paid ad shown in a marked spot at the top of results. Always labelled FEATURED. Featured vehicles
Show number#: Seller phone numbers stay hidden in ad text until a buyer taps Show number.
Saved#: Your shortlist. Tap the heart on any vehicle to keep it. Your saved vehicles
Compare#: Put two new cars or bikes side by side: price, power, fuel average, features and running cost. Open Compare
Price calculator#: Estimates what your car or bike is worth today in rupees. Open the calculator
Verified report#: An AutoOnes auction sheet report pulled from the auction record for your chassis number, with photos, bids and a permanent link.
Translation#: A plain-English translation of the Japanese inspector's remarks on a report.
Re-check#: Ask our team to check a report again: $20, or Rs 5,695 in Pakistan.
Report a problem#: A free form on every report to tell us something looks wrong. We reply by email.
Support ticket#: A request with an ST- number. A person replies to every ticket by email. Open a ticket
Import only#: A model you can buy in Pakistan only as an import, because no local company assembles or sells it new. New vehicle prices
My activity#: The page in your account that lists everything you do on AutoOnes, like logins, changes and ads, with the date and time. Open My activity

Auction sheet terms

The words on a Japanese auction sheet, and what they tell you about an imported car.

Auction sheet#: The inspection report a Japanese auction house writes before a car is sold. It records the grade, mileage, equipment and a map of every mark on the body. Verify an auction sheet
Auction grade評価点#: The overall score in the grade box. S or 6 is as new, 5 excellent, 4.5 very good, 4 good, 3.5 fair, and 3 or lower is rough. R, RA and 0 point to repair or accident history.
Grade S or 6#: Brand new or nearly new, usually with delivery mileage only.
Grade 5#: Excellent condition with very low mileage and almost no marks.
Grade 4.5#: Very good. Only light marks, usually with low mileage for its age.
Grade 4#: Good. A few small scratches or dents that are normal for its age.
Grade 3.5#: Fair. Visible scratches, dents or repainted panels, often with higher mileage.
Grade 3 and below#: Rough condition. Many marks, repairs needed, or heavy modification.
Grade R#: The car had a repair to its frame or structure after an accident. That is more serious than a scratch or dent repair.
Grade RA#: A minor structural repair. Less serious than R, but still an accident repair.
Grade 0 or ***#: No grade given. Usually a badly damaged, flood-damaged or as-is car.
Interior grade内装#: A letter scoring the cabin only, from A (like new) down to D or E (worn, stained or dirty).
Exterior grade外装#: Some auction houses also score the body separately with a letter, next to the main grade.
Damage map#: The small car drawing on the sheet. Codes on it show where each scratch, dent, rust spot or repair is.
Inspector's remarks#: Handwritten Japanese notes about faults, repairs and extras. Often the most important part of the sheet, which is why a translation helps.
Repair history修復歴#: When this box is ticked, the car was repaired after an accident. The grade is then usually R or RA.
Auction mileage走行距離#: The odometer reading when the car went to auction.
Mileage rollback#: When the odometer is turned back to hide real use. Comparing the mileage from several auctions exposes it: it should only ever go up. How we check mileage
Shaken車検#: Japan's roadworthiness inspection. The sheet shows when the car's shaken expires.
Flood car冠水車#: A car that has been under water. Auctions mark it clearly and it usually gets grade 0. Avoid it unless the price reflects the risk.
As-is car現状車#: Sold exactly as it stands, with no guarantee. Common for damaged or non-running cars.
Chassis number#: The car's unique frame number, for example ZVW30-1234567. Enter it to pull the car's auction record. Check a chassis number
Lot number#: The car's entry number at one auction on one day.
Auction house#: The company that runs the auction, such as USS, TAA, JU, HAA Kobe or ARAI. Each uses its own sheet layout.
Hammer pricefinish price#: The final winning bid at auction, in Japanese yen.
Start price#: The opening bid set before the auction begins.
Sold, unsold or negotiating#: The result of the auction. Unsold cars are often sent back to auction later, sometimes with a different grade.
Re-listing#: When the same car goes to auction again. Each listing can bring a new sheet, so older sheets show its real history.
Export certificate#: The Japanese deregistration document issued when a car leaves Japan. It confirms the chassis number and first registration date.

Auction sheet damage codes

The letters and numbers on the car drawing. The number shows size: 1 is small, 2 medium, 3 large. Codes can differ slightly between auction houses.

A1, A2, A3: Scratch: A1 small, A2 medium, A3 large.
U1, U2, U3: Dent: U1 small, U2 medium, U3 large.
B1, B2, B3: Dent with a scratch.
W1, W2, W3: Wave or repaired area: a panel that has been repaired and repainted. W1 is hard to spot, W3 is obvious.
S1, S2: Rust: S1 light, S2 heavy.
C1, C2: Corrosion: C1 light, C2 heavy.
P: Paint marks, or paint needed, depending on the auction house.
X: The part needs replacing.
XX: The part has already been replaced.
Y1, Y2, Y3: Crack or hole: Y1 small, Y3 large.
E1, E2, E3: Small dimples in the paint.
G: Stone chip in the windscreen.
R (on glass): A repaired crack in the windscreen.

Japanese auction grades at a glance

Best on the left. R, RA and 0 are not “lower scores”: they flag accident repairs or a car that wasn’t graded.

S / 6As new
5Excellent
4.5Very good
4Good
3.5Fair
3 and belowRough
R / RAAccident repair
0 / ***Not graded

What each grade means or check a car’s real grade

Common questions

What does grade 4.5 mean on a Japanese auction sheet?

Very good condition, with only light marks and usually low mileage for its age. It is one of the most wanted grades for imports.

Is an R grade car bad?

Not always, but it means the car had a structural repair after an accident. Ask for the repair details, get an inspection, and expect to pay less.

What does W mean on an auction sheet?

A wave or repaired area: the panel was repaired and repainted. W1 is hard to spot, W3 is obvious.

What is own money on a new car?

An extra amount paid above the factory price to get a new car straight away instead of waiting for delivery.

Put these words to use

Verify an auction sheetCheck any Japanese car by chassis number Compare cars and bikesSpecs and running cost side by side Price calculatorWhat your vehicle is worth today New car pricesEvery variant with specs FAQQuick answers about AutoOnes BlogGuides for buyers and sellers

Missing a word? Tell us through support and we’ll add it. Auction codes can differ slightly between auction houses; a verified report reads the exact sheet for your car.

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