How to prepare your car for collection day

Once you have accepted your Gladius Motors offer, our team will agree a collection or forecourt appointment with you. A little preparation helps the handover stay clear and straightforward.

This checklist explains what to have ready. Your appointment confirmation remains the place to check the agreed date, time and address.

Check the appointment details

Read the confirmation email or text and make sure the date, time, collection address and vehicle are correct. If anything has changed, contact our team before the appointment.

Let us know in advance if the car cannot be driven, is behind a locked gate, is in a height-restricted car park or has another access issue. The collection arrangements need to match the car and its location.

Useful details include where the car is parked, whether someone can open any gate, and whether there are narrow entrances, steep slopes or parking restrictions. Describe what you know rather than assuming a particular collection vehicle will fit. If access or the car's ability to move has changed since booking, contact the team so the arrangement can be reviewed before anyone travels.

Make a one-page handover snapshot

Before the appointment, put the current facts in one short note. This is not another valuation form: it is a final cross-check that helps you spot a change before the team travels.

Use these seven headings:

1. Appointment: agreed date, time and collection address or forecourt appointment.
2. Current car: registration, current mileage and whether it starts, steers and moves under its own power.
3. Access: where it is parked and any gate, height, width, slope or parking restriction.
4. Included items: number of working keys, charging cables, locking-wheel-nut key, handbook pack and any agreed accessories or original parts.
5. Documents: whether the private upload is complete and whether the originals are ready for the appointment.
6. Finance: lender name and the date and expiry date shown on the current settlement letter, if finance remains.
7. Changes: any new mileage, damage, warning light, missing item or access issue since the enquiry or accepted offer.

For example: “Appointment: Tuesday, 2pm, home collection. Current car: 48,320 miles, starts and moves. Access: driveway, no gate. Included: two working keys, handbook pack and locking-wheel-nut key. Documents: secure upload complete; originals ready. Finance: none. Changes: 85 miles added since the enquiry; no new damage or warning lights.” Use only facts that match your car.

Keep bank details, driving-licence images and the V5C document reference number out of this note. Those belong in the private document form or at the agreed handover, not in an ordinary message.

Tell us about changes since your enquiry

Check the current mileage and whether there is any new damage, warning light or missing item. For example, a fresh bumper scrape or a spare key you can no longer find is worth flagging before the appointment, even if you have already accepted the offer.

Explain what changed and when. Our damage and faults guide shows how to describe a problem without guessing its cause. The guaranteed price depends on the car matching the initial enquiry; do not assume a changed condition has been agreed just because the earlier offer was accepted.

Gather every key and the vehicle history

Put all keys together, including spare keys and keys for locking wheel nuts or accessories. Have the service history, invoices, handbook pack and any other records you described in your enquiry ready with the car.

If a document or key mentioned in your enquiry is no longer available, tell us before collection. Our guaranteed price applies provided the car matches its initial description.

Use the private document link

Your appointment message includes a private upload link valid for two days. Use that form to send:

• The V5C logbook pages showing the vehicle and registered keeper.
• A clear image of the front of your driving licence. The back is not required.
• The account holder name, sort code and account number for payment.
• A current finance settlement letter if the car has outstanding finance.

Use the secure form rather than replying to an email with identity documents or bank details. We will still need to see the original documents at the appointment. If the link expires before you finish, contact our team so a fresh link can be sent.

The post-acceptance documents checklist explains the accepted file types, size limits and what to check before uploading. Keep the appointment's document link separate from the earlier offer link: accepting a valuation does not upload your paperwork.

Check outstanding finance

If finance remains on the car, have a current settlement letter from the lender ready. We will confirm the settlement and any balance payable to you before payment. Do not assume an approximate balance from the original enquiry is the final settlement figure.

Remove belongings and personal data

Check the boot, glovebox, door pockets, under the seats and any storage compartments. Remove your personal belongings, such as child seats, parking permits and access fobs. Separate these from equipment included with the car: keep any charging cable, accessory, original part or spare wheel you described as included ready for handover. If you want to retain one of those items, discuss it with the team first.

Delete saved home addresses, paired phones and personal contacts from the infotainment system where the car allows it. Remember to remove dashcam memory cards and any toll, parking or charging accounts linked to the vehicle.

Use our personal-data and connected-car checklist for the fuller preparation steps. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your vehicle and arrange any app or digital-key transfer carefully so you retain access until the agreed handover.

Decide what happens to a private number plate

If you want to keep a personalised registration, arrange this before handing over the car. GOV.UK says you must have the retention document and the new V5C before selling the vehicle, otherwise you can lose the right to use the private number.

Follow the current GOV.UK private-number guidance and tell us when the replacement registration has been issued.

At the handover

Keep the car, keys and original documents available for our agreed checks. We will confirm that the vehicle matches the description in your initial enquiry and complete the sale paperwork with you.

GOV.UK requires the correct information to be given to DVLA when a vehicle is sold. The appropriate motor-trade process can be completed at handover; see the current GOV.UK vehicle-selling guidance.

Once the sale is agreed, Gladius Motors pays instantly. There are no admin or transaction fees. Free nationwide collection is arranged at the agreed time, or you can visit our A38 forecourt in Moreton Valence, Gloucester, by appointment.

Collection-day summary

• Recheck the appointment date, time and address.
• Make a seven-heading handover snapshot and flag any change before travel.
• Tell us about access, driveability or condition changes in advance.
• Have every key, the V5C and service records ready.
• Complete the private document form before its two-day link expires.
• Provide a current settlement letter if finance is outstanding.
• Remove personal belongings and data; keep agreed vehicle equipment with the car.
• Arrange retention first if you are keeping a private number plate.

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