Buyers decide from the advert whether to ring you, and they scroll past vague ones. A good advert answers the questions a buyer would ask before they ask them, and it gives them a reason to trust you. You do not need to be a writer. You need the right facts, in the right order, said plainly.
What buyers look for first
Most buyers filter by make, model, price and mileage, then read the title and the first few lines. Put these near the top:
- Year, make, model, engine and trim, exactly as on the logbook
- Mileage, ideally with the MOT it was recorded at
- When the MOT runs out
- Service history: full or part, who did it and when the last one was
- Number of owners (the logbook shows how many keepers there have been)
- Price, and whether you will take offers
A template to copy
Fill in the parts in square brackets and delete what does not apply.
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Title | [Year] [Make] [Model] [Engine and trim], [Mileage] miles, [Full service history / MOT until month year] |
| Opening line | [Two or three of its best points], for example: one owner from new, full service history and a new cambelt at [mileage]. |
| Key facts | Mileage [miles], MOT until [month year], [number] previous owners, [petrol / diesel / hybrid / electric], [manual / automatic], [colour], [number] keys. |
| History | Serviced [where] at [mileages or dates]. Recent work: [tyres, brakes, clutch, cambelt], with receipts. |
| Equipment | [The extras it has, such as heated seats, parking camera, sat nav, tow bar]. |
| Condition | [Honest notes on marks, scuffs and anything that needs attention]. |
| Why selling and viewing | Selling because [reason]. Viewing welcome at [town]. [Price], [or nearest offer]. |
An example
2019 Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI Match, 41,200 miles, full service history. One careful owner, serviced every year at the same independent garage, last at 39,800 miles. MOT until June 2027, passed with no advisories. New front tyres and brake pads in March, with receipts. Adaptive cruise, parking sensors front and rear, heated seats. A small scuff on the rear bumper, shown in the photos. Two keys. Selling because we need a bigger car. Viewing in Chester, £13,250 or nearest offer. (A made-up car, to show the layout.)
The facts that make buyers trust you
- Mileage with proof. Buyers can check every MOT reading for free, so give the figure on the dashboard today and let the MOT history back it up.
- The big jobs. A cambelt change, a new clutch or a recent service can be worth more than any adjective. Say when, at what mileage, and that you have the receipt.
- The extras it actually has. Name the options your car was built with, not the brochure for the model. If you are unsure, check the car rather than guessing.
- Electric and hybrid cars. The real range you get, how it charges, which cables come with it and any battery warranty left.
- ULEZ and clean air zones. Whether it meets the standard matters to buyers in and around those cities. Confirm it with TfL's vehicle checker before you say so.
Be honest about faults
A private seller does not have to give the protections a dealer does, but the car must be as described. If the advert says no accident damage or a full service history and that is not true, the buyer may have a claim against you. Mention marks, scuffs and known faults plainly, and show them in the photos. It saves wasted viewings, and buyers who arrive knowing about the scuff do not use it to knock the price down again.
Photos that sell
- Wash and vacuum the car first, and take the photos in daylight, away from clutter.
- Take the front and rear at an angle, both sides, the front and back seats, the boot, the dashboard with the ignition on, the wheels and tyres, and the engine bay.
- Photograph the dashboard showing the mileage with no warning lights.
- Include the service book and receipts, and close-ups of any marks you mention.
- Some sellers blur the number plate. Many buyers will ask for the registration anyway, so they can run their own checks, so be ready to give it.
Price it to get calls
Compare cars like yours for sale now, with the same model, year, engine, trim and similar mileage, and price yours where its history and condition put it. Buyers often set a maximum price in round numbers, so a car at £9,995 appears in a search capped at £10,000 and a car at £10,100 does not. Our guide to selling a car privately covers pricing, viewings and getting paid safely.
Keep yourself safe
- Do not put your home address, the V5C document reference number or photos of the logbook in the advert.
- Talk to buyers through the site's messages or by phone, and be wary of anyone who offers to buy without seeing the car.
- Never pay a buyer, a 'transport agent' or anyone else a fee to complete a sale.
Or let the seller pack write it
The seller pack does the homework for you. Enter the registration and you get three adverts ready to paste into Autotrader, Facebook Marketplace and eBay, written from your car's own record, plus its full specification, its standard equipment, a tick-list of the manufacturer's options and a photo checklist. Add your price, mileage and condition and it rewrites them, up to 10 times. It costs £2.99.