Use a source column, not just a value column
At the top of the sheet, enter the VIN, build date, model family and original-market description. Add the inspection date and first registration where documented. Beside each technical field, state whether it comes from a manufacturer reference, a vehicle label, workshop identification or the seller's unverified declaration.
This small distinction prevents an approximate description from becoming an apparently confirmed fact as the file moves between colleagues. If the source is unclear, leave the field pending. A blank with an assigned follow-up is more useful than a plausible number copied from another CS55 listing. The version guide helps resolve the initial identity block.
Keep the engine and gearbox together
Record engine designation, documented displacement, transmission identity and drive layout. These should describe the actual installed equipment. Do not assume that a 1.5-litre description uniquely identifies output, emissions configuration or gearbox pairing. Similar displacement can appear across versions with different supporting requirements.
If documents and hardware disagree, ask for an explanation and replacement history. Retain the original evidence instead of silently selecting the most attractive specification. The gearbox comparison explains why a broad automatic label is inadequate when planning service support. Your final sheet should show what is known, what changed and what still needs verification.
Use dimensional data for the right purpose
A brochure's nominal dimensions can help compare model references, but the carrier or destination adviser may require a particular measurement or weight definition. Ask which fields they need before submitting a shipment request. Roof accessories, nonstandard wheels and the operating condition may introduce separate handling questions.
Do not borrow current PLUS dimensions for an earlier original CS55. Identify the document's market and version and retain it with the record. Where two sources differ, resolve the applicability rather than averaging their numbers. The export and transport guide connects these technical inputs to the party responsible for the actual movement.
Verify the cabin your buyer expects
List mandatory equipment in practical terms: required seat configuration, working cooling, keys, parking visibility and necessary display functions. Demonstrate those items on the candidate. A high-trim brochure should not become proof that a lower-trim vehicle contains every illustrated feature.
Identify aftermarket equipment and modifications separately. Request a demonstration of related controls after a screen or camera has been replaced. Keep observed function beside the specification, so “camera fitted” and “camera working in the agreed test” remain distinct statements. Use the cabin equipment checklist for functions that need more than a still photograph.
Add a condition and evidence reference
A specification sheet should link to the inspection rather than duplicate its conclusions without context. Include the report date, visible modifications and important unresolved items. If a car is repaired after inspection, identify the completion record and any follow-up test. The specification may be unchanged while the accepted condition has materially changed.
Use clear filenames or document references for the supporting photographs. A colleague should be able to find the readable label that supports an important entry without searching a long message history. For a batch, repeat the process per VIN rather than using one sample file for all cars.
Resolve a conflicting brochure visibly
Imagine an offer marked CS55 PLUS arrives with a specification attachment for another generation. First ask which document describes the actual VIN. Retain the incorrect attachment as superseded rather than quietly editing its figures. When the correct reference arrives, update the affected fields and record who confirmed the match.
Then check the quotation and any draft retail description that used the earlier information. A corrected worksheet does not automatically correct claims copied elsewhere. A short revision note identifying the affected equipment or measurements is enough to keep colleagues aligned and prevent the same mismatch returning during transport or parts preparation.
Publish only the confirmed description
Before your dealership creates a retail advert, reconcile its claims with the accepted vehicle record. Remove unverified features and explain any condition or modification relevant to the sale. A sourcing reference image cannot establish the equipment or history of the delivered vehicle.
Send the required specification fields through the Panda enquiry. If you are undecided about a feature, describe the customer need behind it. This allows alternatives to be considered while keeping the final technical description precise. The record should evolve with evidence, not become a fixed collection of assumptions attached to a familiar model name.
