How to Cure a Hangover

Glass’s valuation data starts and finishes models in line with manufacturer price lists.

The frequency of price list updates varies between car makers, but our start and finish methodology sometimes means that cars registered before a model’s introduction date or after the model’s cessation date are not featured in the Guide on that line (premature reg plates are known as ‘early reg’ cars and late ones are called ‘hangovers’).

Consumer Values data pulls its numbers from the Guide, so the online system is similarly affected.

I occasionally get emails from customers, worried because their car is not in the Guide and no Consumer Values are available online. While this is not the end of the world, it is a chance for an unscrupulous dealer or insurance agent to gain a slight advantage, so is worth watching out for.

The question is, what should you do when this happens? How can you guard against early reg blues and hangover headaches?

Job 1 is to find out whether your car is an early or late registration versus our system. Check our model data in the free-to-use Car Data Index data section and look at the model intro and discontinue dates. If yours is outside this range then note whether it is early or late reg. You can tell you are on the right model by the picture attached - it should be the same as your car.

Job 2 is to get the Glass’s value for the next nearest plate.

For an early reg, you need to come a plate newer.  So, if your car is 0555, then you want to look for 0655. On an 0303, you want to find the 0353. And so on.

For a hangover, you need to go a plate older. So, if yours is 0756 and we show the model as discontinuing in December 06, then you need to look for 0656. If yours is 98S and we show it stopping on the 98R, go back to the R plate.

Once you have found the value (the system will tell you that it has valuation data on that line), add your mileage and options to the system and get the Consumer Values.  Now you have a good idea of the latest data the dealer or insurer has on your car. You are almost ready to enter negotiations.

Remember this important advice:

Whether the model is early or late, the same depreciation curve applies. Early cars are worth a little less than the first available plate on Glass’s system and hangovers are worth more than the last plate valued. A couple of hundred pounds each way usually covers it on general medium or upper medium sector cars over 5 or 6 years old. Newer cars, or cars with a higher cost new, will have slightly higher pound note steps per plate (we call this the ‘laddering’ of the values, as in rungs of a ladder).

If you are really curious, you can value the next available plate to your hangover and work out the plate difference, then add or subtract that from your latest available valuation to get a good idea of where the values will sit. In cases of valuation disputes that end up in arbitration or in court, this is a simple version of what we do for solicitors/the Office of Fair Trading/Consumer Advice Bureaux etc. It is a tried and trusted method.

Take it from me: the market does not apply additional pound note penalties for cars which are unvalued in the Guide due to early or late reg. Values for previous or replacement models on the same plate as your car do not apply either. Don’t let anyone try to convince you that the model before yours on your plate is worth the same money - it is not!

As always, if you have any problem using the online system, just email me at john.glynn@glass.co.uk (cut and paste the address into your email program). I can’t comment on things like insurance disputes between third parties using our data, but I can tell you when someone is trying to do something the data is not designed to do.