Worst car advert clichés named

CAR BUYERS are being turned off by clichéd adverts and the phrase ‘one careful lady owner’ has been named top of the flops in a recent survey.

Second in the list of least liked phrases is ‘baby forces sale’, while third goes to ‘genuine reason for sale’.

Other key phrases used by car sellers that can actually turn away possible buyers include ‘first to see will buy’, ‘mint condition’ and ‘priced to sell’. The rest of the top 10 is completed by ‘lovely runner’, ‘best for the money’, ‘drives beautifully’ and ‘full service history’.

The research by HPI found car buyers are more knowledgeable now than ever before because they can research their next car online. This means car buyers are much less likely now to be taken in clichés.

Senior Consumer Services Manager at HPI, Shane Teskey, said: ‘It’s clear from our survey that the tried and tested advertising phrases may be getting a bit tired and are more likely to put buyers off than rousing their interest. The claim least likely to grate with potential buyers is ‘full service history’, which suggests that clear and practical information about the vehicle is a winner.

‘We advise sellers to stick to the facts and be honest about the price and the status of their vehicle. Our survey shows that it’s also best to avoid tired, old clichés and just focus on mileage, MoT, make, model and road tax, as well as any optional extras, such as in-car entertainment and leather trims, which will also attract buyers.’

By Press Association reporters