“Good condition” means nothing in the used parts trade. One seller’s “good” is another seller’s “needs rebuild.” That is why every quotation we send states a condition grade — A, B or C — with photo evidence behind it. Here is exactly what each grade means and how to buy with it.
Grade A — Excellent / Low Wear
- Condition: low mileage donor, fully functional, minimal visible wear. Closest to new available in the used market.
- Typical evidence: number plate photo, all-angle photos, mileage evidence from the donor where available, test results for mechanical parts.
- Price expectation: roughly 25–40% of new OEM price for mechanical parts; body panels vary by paint condition.
- Best for: direct installation, resale with confidence, customer-facing repairs.
Grade B — Good Working Condition
- Condition: normal wear for age and mileage, fully functional, may carry cosmetic defects — scratches, faded coatings, minor corrosion on non-critical surfaces.
- Typical evidence: same photo set as Grade A, with defects photographed close-up and disclosed in the quotation.
- Price expectation: roughly 15–25% of new OEM price.
- Best for: most workshop repairs and volume importing. This is the workhorse grade — the best value-to-risk ratio for most buyers.
Grade C — Functional / Donor
- Condition: works, but with real defects: high wear, noise, cosmetic damage, or missing sub-components. Honest sellers price it accordingly.
- Typical evidence: defects listed explicitly in writing, not just photographed.
- Price expectation: under 15% of new OEM price.
- Best for: rebuild cores, donor units for parts, non-critical applications. A C-grade gearbox can be the cheapest source of a hard-to-find internal component.
Tip: The grade itself matters less than whether the seller commits to it in writing with photos. A stated “Grade B with these three defects photographed” beats an unsupported “excellent condition” every time.
What Photo Evidence to Demand Per Grade
| Evidence | Grade A | Grade B | Grade C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part number plate photo | Required | Required | Required |
| All-angle photo set | Required | Required | Required |
| Close-ups of every defect | — | Required | Required |
| Written defect list | — | Recommended | Required |
| Function test video (engines/gearboxes/electronics) | Recommended | Recommended | State what works |
When the Lower Grade Is the Smart Buy
- Panels you will repaint anyway: a Grade B door at 60% of the A price disappears under the same paint.
- Rebuild programs: if your workshop rebuilds engines, C-grade cores are your raw material. See also our used engine buying guide.
- Non-visible parts: brackets, housings, manifolds — function is binary; cosmetics are irrelevant.
Red Flags That Override Any Grade
- Seller refuses to photograph the number plate on the actual unit
- “Representative photos” instead of the actual part
- Grade A price with no test evidence for a mechanical part
- Pressure to pay 100% before any inspection material is sent
How We Apply This Standard
Every used-part quotation from us states the grade, includes the photo set, and discloses defects in writing. If a part is between grades, we grade it down, not up. Details of the full service — OEM/VIN verification, video inspection, consolidation and export — are on our Guangzhou Used & Dismantled Auto Parts page.