Even in the years before I was driving; I have been using the internet as my avenue for finding project vehicles. Anyone who has done the same will often tell you that the greatest frustration with this method is poorly executed listings. We have all seen them, the ones with one or two pictures along with little or no description. Unsurprisingly, these are the listings that will stay on the internet much longer than others.

It isn’t difficult to make a good listing for anything you might be selling. Especially so with online marketplaces having their own forms to fill out with pertinent information about the products sold on their platform. Spelling is another factor that seemingly even with the advent of integrated spelling checks on all our devices, some still struggle with it. This can be forgiven in some instances but seriously, Camaro does not have an “e” anywhere in it. So what makes a listing “good”? I think the better question is, what makes a listing effective?

· Good pictures

· Clear description

· History

· Reliable contact information

Now, I am sure there are more factors that you may be able to think of, but these are just the basics.

Good Pictures

The photos attached to a listing are easily the biggest part of whether or not 1.) the listing is seen. and 2.) if those who do see it will stay long enough to read the rest. Over the years, I have seen so many pictures that were either taken in the worst lighting possible (night with no flash), out of focus, or from horrible angles that do not show the whole car. If you are planning on listing a car, here are some hallmarks of good photos for your listing.

1. Shoot the pictures during the day with the vehicle out in the sunlight.

2. Take at least one picture from each side of the car. (front, back, left, and right)

3. Get in the back seat to take pictures of the dash/ front seating area.

4. Include at least one photo of the engine from above

5. If there is any obvious damage, take at least one picture of it.

The last point made about damage. This includes damage that has been repaired i.e.: body filler patches. But that leads us into our next point…

Clear Description

Let’s assume we are making a listing on an online market that gives us just a text box to describe our vehicle for sale. Think if you were on the other end of the listing, looking to buy a used car. What information would you want to see?

1. Year, make, model, mileage.

2. Title status

3. Transmission type. (auto or manual)

4. Known issues.

5. Any modifications.

6. Mechanical status. (how well does it run?)

The idea with these points above is to keep it simple. If your list of modifications is too long to reasonably list, simply state that fact that the car has been heavily modified. However, there is a time where detail is key. Damage to the exterior and the nature of a mechanical failure (blown head gasket, jumped timing, etc.) are selling points where details are crucial. But most importantly out of these is title status.

In some states, acquiring a replacement vehicle title can be a lengthy process. I had to wait for three months to get the title to a vehicle because the original owner (who purchased the vehicle new) needed to be contacted and wasn’t answering calls from the title agency at first. While it isn’t always an X factor, being up front about whether or not a vehicle has a title is important information to include.

History

1. How long have you had the vehicle?

2. If it isn’t running, how long since the breakdown?

3. Details about any mechanical failure.

4. Details related to repairs/ modifications.

These points are somewhat redundant from before, but they hold a slightly different meaning here. Including the history of the vehicle as YOU know it will clue potential buyers into what they might be purchasing. This is especially true when it comes to “project cars” that will require a lot of work to complete before the vehicle runs and drives again. I can tell you this much, I will always bring tools with me when looking at a potential buy. If it isn’t running, it is always a good idea to put a socket on the crank and make sure the motor is not seized.

Good Contact Info

How are you ever going to sell anything if nobody can tell you they are interested? With marketplaces based on social media platforms, this is taken care of through their own messenger system. But for others, having good contact information is absolutely crucial. It takes only a few minutes to create a throwaway e-mail that you can use for the listing e.g.: 19BelAir55@email.com. But good contact info is only good if you, the seller, checks it. So do your best to make that info easy to remember. I HIGHLY advise against putting your personal phone number out where anyone can see it.

So, no matter what platform, app, or website you use for your listing. If you follow the guidelines listed above, you stand a better chance of completing a sale than most of the listings out there.