What photos and details help us value your car accurately

A useful car valuation starts with a clear picture of the vehicle you are selling. Your registration identifies the car, but its mileage, condition, history and any faults help our team understand it properly.

At Gladius Motors, you can send these details through our three-step enquiry form. Our team reviews your enquiry personally. It is not an instant automated price calculator, and there is no obligation to sell.

Here is what to have ready before you begin.

Start with the registration and current mileage

Enter your registration and the mileage shown on the dashboard. Check that you have entered the mileage in miles and have not accidentally used the trip reading.

Our registration lookup helps identify the vehicle. Check the make and model displayed in the form against your car. If something looks wrong, let our team know rather than assuming the lookup is correct. You do not need to fill in a long list of technical specifications to start your enquiry.

Choose photos that show the whole car

The form has seven required photo spaces, each labelled with the view to upload, plus an optional eighth space for damage or another useful detail.

Have these seven views ready:

• The front of the car.
• The rear.
• The left side.
• The right side.
• The odometer, with the total mileage visible.
• The front seats.
• The rear seats.

Use daylight where possible and leave enough space around the car to show its shape and panels. Check that the pictures are sharp before uploading. Avoid filters that hide marks or alter colours.

For left and right, imagine sitting in the car facing forwards. Show the whole side rather than only a wheel or door. Take the odometer picture while safely parked, with the total mileage readable rather than the trip counter. For the seats, move loose belongings out of the way so their condition is visible, without hiding wear or damage.

Match each photo to its labelled space

Choose one image for each view and wait for its preview to appear before adding the next. Check the picture against the label: seven images are not a complete set if, for example, the rear seats are missing and the front has been used twice. The counter should show “7 / 7 required” once all seven spaces are filled.

If you chose the wrong picture, select “Replace photo” on that space. The remove control clears that view, so you will need to add it again if it is required. Wait while “Preparing your photo…” is displayed before continuing.

Run a two-minute evidence check before you continue

Review the form and previews together rather than checking each answer in isolation. This catches the small mismatches that can make a personally prepared offer harder to assess:

1. Vehicle: the registration and lookup result match the car you are selling.
2. Mileage: the number entered matches the main odometer reading in the labelled photograph.
3. Views: all seven required spaces contain the correct, different view and each preview is clear.
4. Condition: damage, warning lights, intermittent symptoms and missing items are explained in words as well as shown where useful.
5. History: service history, keys, write-off history and outstanding finance answers reflect what you actually know.
6. Contact: read your mobile number and email address again because your secure offer is sent to both.

A short final summary might read: “68,420 miles shown and photographed; left-rear door scratch; one working key; part service history; no outstanding finance; all seven current views attached.” This is an example, not a customer case. Use only the facts that apply to your car.

If a photo will not upload

• File too large: the form rejects an original image over 20 MB. Choose a smaller copy that still shows the car clearly; the form prepares accepted photos into smaller images automatically.
• Photo could not be opened: choose a JPEG, PNG or WebP image, as the error message suggests. Export a compatible copy from your photo app if necessary; changing the filename extension alone does not convert a file.
• Missing photo message: check the named view and its preview. The optional damage photo does not replace any of the seven required views.
• Photo still too large or could not be prepared: try a smaller version or another clear image of that same view, keeping the original in your own photo library.

Keep the written condition details you need to hand before restarting a form. If an error persists, note its wording and contact our team rather than sending repeated enquiries. Do not share personal documents as a workaround for a vehicle-photo problem.

Show damage without losing a required view

Use the relevant front, rear or side view to show where bodywork damage is, then use the optional eighth space for the most useful close-up or dashboard message. Do not replace a required whole-car view with a close-up. If there are several marks or faults, describe the others in “Anything else?” and use “Tell us about the fault” for mechanical or electrical issues after selecting Yes.

For example: “Left rear door has a roughly 15 cm scratch, visible in the left-side photo. The detail photo shows the cracked rear light. There is also a small dent in the bonnet.” This is an illustrative description, not a customer case. Photographs support the written disclosure; they do not replace it.

Describe faults as clearly as you can

The condition section asks whether there are any mechanical or electrical faults. Select Yes if there is a known fault, then explain it in the box provided.

You do not need to diagnose a problem yourself. Describe what happens, when you notice it and whether a warning light appears. For example, “The passenger window does not open from either switch” tells us more than “electrical issue”. This is an example of a useful description, not a diagnosis.

Mention known damage and work needed as well. Accurate details help us review the car you actually have. See our practical damage and fault examples if you are unsure what to write.

If something changes after you submit

Normal use can add mileage, and a new warning light, scrape, missing key or finance change can happen after the enquiry. Do not submit a second enquiry just to replace the first one. Contact our team with the registration and the exact change before accepting your offer.

If you have already accepted, tell us before collection or a forecourt appointment is arranged or completed. The offered price is guaranteed provided the car matches the description in the initial enquiry, so a material change needs to be reviewed rather than left for handover. See how your four-day offer works for the decision and contact steps.

Add the history and keys

Tell us whether the service history is full, partial or unavailable, how many keys you have, and what you know about the car’s history.

If you are unsure about an answer, say so. Do not guess or leave out a known issue because you think it will stop us considering the car. We review enquiries individually.

If the car has outstanding finance, disclose it in the form. You can add an approximate balance if you know it. Our team will confirm what information is needed before agreeing a purchase.

Keep personal documents out of car photos

The initial photo upload is for pictures of your vehicle. Do not include your driving licence, V5C, bank details or other personal documents in these images. Avoid including other people.

If your sale progresses, we will explain the separate secure document process. Keeping these stages separate helps you send the right information in the right place. Our post-acceptance document checklist explains that later stage.

What happens after you send the enquiry

Our team reviews your details and sends your personally prepared offer by text and email. Open the secure link to see the price and any note from our team, then choose whether to accept or reject it. The offer is valid for four days. After you accept, we call within 24 hours to book collection or a forecourt appointment.

Our price is guaranteed provided the car matches the description given in your initial enquiry. What we offer is what we pay on that basis. There are no admin or transaction fees, and no obligation to accept.

We are based at one forecourt on the A38 in Moreton Valence, Gloucester, GL2 7NG. We help sellers across Gloucestershire and offer free nationwide collection at an agreed time. You can also arrange a forecourt appointment with our team.

Start your enquiry →