Glass's Online

doughboy · 06-29-2013, 02:02 AM

I don't know if I being paranoid but...

I always used to have access to the trade Glass's price guide - basically the used car bible - via the father in law who was in the trade, he's retired now though.

Now I use the online service and pay for proper price quotes with mileage / options etc.

So in the last fortnight I've done about a dozen quotes online, our current cars, private sale cars and cars from small traders, I always tick the 'just curious' box rather than say I'm buying or selling.

But get this, two of the cars I priced have been for sale at franchised Mini dealers, the Glass's given 'dealer' prices have been about £3-5 grand over the actual dealer price.

THEN within a day or two of each mini quote I get a phone call from Glass's asking me how I got on with the mini quote, am I buying or selling? I say buying, they say well is the car advertised for their price and I say "no actually its 3/4/5 grand cheaper than your price"

Get this, they then tell basically tell me "wow what an amazing price" "you'd better get in their before it's gone, it won't last long".

This happened twice on separate days after each mini quote.

Is that for real? Or are they scamming us all by colaborating with paying vendors (dealers) and cross referencing valuations by reg numbers and giving false prices????

bmwak · 06-29-2013, 02:43 AM

To me Glass' used to mean something when it was a less commercially available price guide. Now-a-days I take those book valuations by a pinch of salt. I used to have free access to Glass' and on all occasions it always used to give a higher value than even dealer forecourt prices.

I then just used to do research on a similar age/spec car from dealer websites, independent dealers and the likes of Pistonheads / Autotrader. This gave a true ball park on what to aim for.

If you want to do valuations maybe try Whatcars valuations on their website. They are free and not so detailed but in my opinion, they have been pretty much there or thereabouts on forecourt prices and I've managed to get the same part exchange prices listed too on the past 2 cars I've PX'd in. For my old E92, the dealer gave me £200 more than Whatcar's PX valuation and it went on the forecourt for £250 more than the dealer price quoted. I think thats pretty accurate.

doughboy · 06-29-2013, 03:05 AM

Thanks, I agree, these things are only a guide and I do take other sources into account, but glass's as you say used to be THE benchmark.

I wonder if the pukka paper trade-only guide gives 'proper' figures?

That's still the book that every car dealer refers to for both buying and selling to consumers and inter dealer trading.

davyk31 · 06-29-2013, 03:29 AM

Most dealers seem to have glasses and CAP available to them and they choose the lowest when offering a trade in price.

doughboy · 06-29-2013, 03:40 AM

Choose the lowest price? Surely not?

Kerr · 06-29-2013, 03:42 AM

The price of cars is rising all the time, yet many of the cars that have increased in value aren't selling.

There is also a bigger gap than ever between trade in prices and forecourt prices.

It does seem to me that at least the dealers are callouding together to artificially drive the price of cars high.

Palmnuts · 06-29-2013, 04:15 AM

You're lucky you got their website to work! When selling the SLS,I paid for a more detailed price (it was a coupe of quid) and it didn't work. Had to call them the next day to sort it out. It then didn't work again when I tried to do my research on the M6...not impressed.

Anyway, the prices or the SLS were also £3-5k out depending on their banding so I wouldn't trust it as gospel.

peterg1965 · 06-30-2013, 03:29 AM

I use this CAP valuation tool (free) and also webuyanycar.com to get valuations.

https://www.capconnect.co.uk/Consume....aspx?CH=PWRTZ

Fortunately I have not had to trade in a car for a while.

doughboy · 06-30-2013, 05:17 AM

Cheers peterg1965

I've sold the paid-up 335i privately, now we're using the cash from that to outright cash buy a mini for the missus.

Then we'll sell her civic privately after that to cover the deposit on my new car, avoiding any 'trading in' shenanigans with car dealers of any description.

In the mean time I have my works van to use.

My e63 is coming on a 2yr Contract hire, so looking forward to zero hassles there.

06-29-2013, 02:02 AM	#1
doughboy Major General 1545 Rep 8,970 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Comp 6MT Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Glass's Online - Pricing scam?? I don't know if I being paranoid but... I always used to have access to the trade Glass's price guide - basically the used car bible - via the father in law who was in the trade, he's retired now though. Now I use the online service and pay for proper price quotes with mileage / options etc. So in the last fortnight I've done about a dozen quotes online, our current cars, private sale cars and cars from small traders, I always tick the 'just curious' box rather than say I'm buying or selling. But get this, two of the cars I priced have been for sale at franchised Mini dealers, the Glass's given 'dealer' prices have been about £3-5 grand over the actual dealer price. THEN within a day or two of each mini quote I get a phone call from Glass's asking me how I got on with the mini quote, am I buying or selling? I say buying, they say well is the car advertised for their price and I say "no actually its 3/4/5 grand cheaper than your price" *Get this, they then tell basically tell me "wow what an amazing price" "you'd better get in their before it's gone, it won't last long".* This happened twice on separate days after each mini quote. Is that for real? Or are they scamming us all by colaborating with paying vendors (dealers) and cross referencing valuations by reg numbers and giving false prices???? Last edited by doughboy; 06-29-2013 at 02:07 AM..
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06-29-2013, 02:43 AM	#2
bmwak Major 105 Rep 1,235 Posts Drives: 440i M-Sport Gran Coupe Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: London iTrader: (4)	To me Glass' used to mean something when it was a less commercially available price guide. Now-a-days I take those book valuations by a pinch of salt. I used to have free access to Glass' and on all occasions it always used to give a higher value than even dealer forecourt prices. I then just used to do research on a similar age/spec car from dealer websites, independent dealers and the likes of Pistonheads / Autotrader. This gave a true ball park on what to aim for. If you want to do valuations maybe try Whatcars valuations on their website. They are free and not so detailed but in my opinion, they have been pretty much there or thereabouts on forecourt prices and I've managed to get the same part exchange prices listed too on the past 2 cars I've PX'd in. For my old E92, the dealer gave me £200 more than Whatcar's PX valuation and it went on the forecourt for £250 more than the dealer price quoted. I think thats pretty accurate.
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06-29-2013, 03:05 AM	#3
doughboy Major General 1545 Rep 8,970 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Comp 6MT Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Thanks, I agree, these things are only a guide and I do take other sources into account, but glass's as you say used to be THE benchmark. I wonder if the pukka paper trade-only guide gives 'proper' figures? That's still the book that every car dealer refers to for both buying and selling to consumers and inter dealer trading.
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06-29-2013, 03:29 AM	#4
davyk31 Major General 1042 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: Macan GTS :-) & F40 M135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland iTrader: (0)	Most dealers seem to have glasses and CAP available to them and they choose the lowest when offering a trade in price.
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06-29-2013, 03:40 AM	#5
doughboy Major General 1545 Rep 8,970 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Comp 6MT Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Choose the lowest price? Surely not?
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06-29-2013, 03:42 AM	#6
Kerr Brigadier General 112 Rep 4,021 Posts Drives: BMW M235I Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Aberdeen iTrader: (0)	The price of cars is rising all the time, yet many of the cars that have increased in value aren't selling. There is also a bigger gap than ever between trade in prices and forecourt prices. It does seem to me that at least the dealers are callouding together to artificially drive the price of cars high.
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06-29-2013, 04:15 AM	#7
Palmnuts Lieutenant Colonel 170 Rep 1,957 Posts Drives: Huracan Evo & M8 GC Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Leicestershire, UK iTrader: (0)	You're lucky you got their website to work! When selling the SLS,I paid for a more detailed price (it was a coupe of quid) and it didn't work. Had to call them the next day to sort it out. It then didn't work again when I tried to do my research on the M6...not impressed. Anyway, the prices or the SLS were also £3-5k out depending on their banding so I wouldn't trust it as gospel.
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06-30-2013, 03:29 AM	#8
peterg1965 Brigadier General 164 Rep 4,190 Posts Drives: F30 335d M Sport, F15 X5 40d Join Date: May 2007 Location: The place of dark satanic mills, UK iTrader: (0)	I use this CAP valuation tool (free) and also webuyanycar.com to get valuations. https://www.capconnect.co.uk/Consume....aspx?CH=PWRTZ Fortunately I have not had to trade in a car for a while.
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06-30-2013, 05:17 AM	#9
doughboy Major General 1545 Rep 8,970 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Comp 6MT Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Cheers peterg1965 I've sold the paid-up 335i privately, now we're using the cash from that to outright cash buy a mini for the missus. Then we'll sell her civic privately after that to cover the deposit on my new car, avoiding any 'trading in' shenanigans with car dealers of any description. In the mean time I have my works van to use. My e63 is coming on a 2yr Contract hire, so looking forward to zero hassles there.
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