Words Matter
A good description will help sell your vehicle
Sure, a picture is worth a thousand words - and photos of your vehicle are vitally important - but without a doubt, informative, well-structured descriptions are a crucial aspect of the application process and can have a positive impact on the sale price of your vehicle. Before you set about writing your car´s description, it’s important to do some homework. Research and find out all you can about your vehicle.
If you would like to include production numbers, horsepower numbers (above factory) and similar factual information in your description, you will need to provide documentation/published sources of reference (dyno sheets, manufacturer references, reports from recognized experts) with your application.
What to include:
When/where was the car built?
Do you know what production number your car is?
Has the car been customized? What custom elements are on the vehicle?
Was the car restored? If so, who restored it? When was it restored?
Include all the specifications of the vehicle that you can: engine, intake, transmission, brakes, wheels/tires, interior features, etc.
What original parts does it have? If you purchased the car and were told it has “matching numbers,” which means the car carries the original engine and other mechanical components, it is important to consider getting that verified by an expert.
Do you have the restoration photos and/or receipts? Not only should these be scanned and sent along with your consignment application, you may want to consider including them with the sale.
Has the vehicle won awards? Summarize those and indicate if awards (or copies of them) will be included with the sale. Be sure to scan or photograph and send copies of awards with your consignment application.
Can you determine ownership history? Include any noteworthy or celebrity owners, if any.
Has the car been featured in any prominent publications? Will copies of the publication be included with the sale?
What to avoid:
Subjective terms/wild superlatives, such as “the best car you can buy.”
Generalized statements/history of the model – focus on your particular vehicle.
Personal storytelling.
Flowery prose.
Now it’s time to write your description
When selling a car at auction, writing a description is vital to captivate potential buyers and showcase the vehicle’s full value. The description is where you can get into the details of your vehicle, as well as its provenance, if known. People love to read the back stories of cars. This detailed account, which can be up to 300 words (4,000 characters), allows you to highlight restoration work, expenditures, modifications, history, awards and any documentation that supports your claims. Including this information is extremely useful in instilling confidence in prospective buyers, particularly for custom vehicles.
Make sure to cover essential specs like transmission type and engine size, as this information will appear on the information card displayed on the vehicle at the auction and in marketing materials. Since auctioneers may read portions aloud, it’s crucial to emphasize the most impressive aspects early on. Additionally, provide a set of bullet points to summarize key details that aren’t visible, such as mileage, awards, provenance and major upgrades, providing a quick reference for prospective buyers.