Advertising your carWhere to advertise your car

There's little point advertising your Lamborghini in the newsagent's window, or your rust bucket in an enthusiasts' mag.

Any number of places will take your car advert, but which you choose will depend on what sort of car you’re selling, what sort of buyer you’re trying to reach and how quickly you want to secure a sale. 

Here’s our guide to the pros and cons of each type of car advert:

Local newspapers are ideal for advertising older cars

Car adverts in local weekly or evening newspapers

Ideal for older, ordinary cars priced at up to £10,000. Some papers offer low-cost or even free advertising for cheap cars. 

• Good for Ads appear quickly and advertising rates are low. Will attract buyers locally, which makes arranging viewings easy.
• Not so good for Response can be hit or miss. May need to advertise several times to find a buyer.

Car adverts in car-sales magazines

(eg Auto Trader, Exchange and Mart)

Suitable for all types of cars at all prices. Publish weekly. Usually dearer than advertising in local papers. Most offer a discount if you book for more than a week, and there’s the option to advertise regionally and nationally, and to place website ads, too. Most give space for a photo of the car.

• Good for All types of cars. Ads appear quickly, should generate more response than local papers.
• Not so good for Would-be buyer may be hundreds of miles away, making sale difficult. Costs mount unless sale happens quickly.

Car adverts in enthusiast magazines

(eg Autocar, Practical Classics, Mercedes Enthusiast)

Best for advertising prestige cars, performance cars and classics, plus soft-tops and desirable niche models such as the Mini. Adverts usually cost more than in local press or car sales mags.

• Good for Dearer cars, fast cars and quality makes.
• Not so good for Most only publish monthly (although Autocar is weekly), so ads must be placed well in advance. Enthusiast readership won’t be looking for mass-market models.

Your ad will appear online within a few hours

Car adverts online

Ads appear within a few hours. With most sites, you pay by the week or a one-off amount until the car sells. Most include a picture (or several) and offer a generous amount of words for the description. The site is, of course, open to a global audience, although you’re unlikely to be fielding calls from Australia.

• Good for All types of cars
• Not so good for Sites are open to browsers and serious buyers alike, so you risk fielding calls from time-wasters.

Car adverts in newsagents’ windows

Low-tech route to selling that’s instant and cheap. Can be effective for old, cheap cars. Pay by the week until sold.

• Good for Old, cheap cars. Attracts local buyers.
• Not so good for Cars costing over £3,000. Limited audience. Sales can be slow.

Adverts in your car windows

Make your own advert, print it and stick it on the windows. Costs nothing, so worth trying.

• Good for Ordinary, mid-priced and cheap cars.
• Not so good for Limited audience. Unless used with other adverts, it alone is unlikely to secure a quick sale.

Always remember 

Don’t include your full name and address in car adverts. It could attract thieves, or tempt someone to use the info dishonestly. Many ‘rogue traders’ also advertise old part-exchange cars in this way to avoid their legal responsibilities.

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