When advertising your vehicle with the UK's leading motoring magazine and website, you'll be guaranteed an unrivalled number of buyers viewing your vehicle at any time.

Bear in mind that you may find some vehicles sell easier, and for a better price at particular times of the year. Convertibles often sell quicker during the summer, whilst the market for 4x4s tends to pick up during the winter months.

Writing a car advert that generates response is simple as long as you're brief and to the point. Listing every feature your car has may dilute the impact of your ad, and potential buyers will be asleep long before they've had chance to pick up the phone.

Pick out a few important features that make your car a good buy. Air con, metallic paint and leather trims can improve a car's value so include them in your ad.

Mention colour, mileage, service history and number of owners. Be specific, if your car has a low mileage say how low. If it has one owner, a full service history, MOT and road tax make sure it's all in the ad. These are the things that'll interest buyers.

Be realistic about price, asking over the odds will only mean you have to advertise again next week. Check the going rate for your car with WhatCar's used car price guide. click here

Attach a photo, it'll make your advert stand out and you'll get a better response.

Finally, be honest; lying about the condition of your car will only waste your time and theirs.

Checklist
Key things to include in your advert:

• Colour
  
• Mileage
  
• Service history
  
• Number of owners
  
• Condition
  
• MOT & road tax (if got them)
  
• Key features
  
• Colour photograph
  
  

NB. If you are placing an advert online and in the magazine, you will be asked to tick a box to state whether or not your vehicle is an automatic. This is for the magazine only as it will help the magazine staff place your advert within the correct Automatic section of the magazine.

4WS                                       4 Wheel steering
4WD                                       4 Wheel drive
ABS                                        Anti-lock Braking System
Air Con                                   Air conditioning
A/Wheels                               Alloy wheels
CATI (2)                                 Alarm (Immobiliser)
C/Coded                               Colour coded
C/Control                               Cruise control
Clim/Cont                              Climate Control
C/Locking                              Central locking
E/M                                         Electric mirrors
E/Seats                                  Electric seats
E/S/R                                      Electric sunroof
E/W                                         Electric windows
FFSR                                      Factory fitted sunroof
FSH                                        Full service history
FDSH                                     Full dealer service history
FWD/4WD                             Four wheel drive
FWH                                       Free wheeling hubs
H/L, W/W                               Headlamp wash/wipe
H/Seats                                  Heated seats
H/S                                         Hard & soft tops
Immob                                    Engine immobiliser
LPG                                        Liquified Petroleum Gas
LWB                                       Long wheelbase
MPV                                       Multi purpose vehicles
N/S/D                                     Near side damage
O/D                                         Overdrive
O.I.R.O                                   Offers in the region of
ONO                                       Or nearest offer
O/S/D                                     Offside damage
OVNO                                     Or very nearest offer
PAS                                        Power assisted steering
P/X                                          Part exchange
R/Cass                                   Radio cassette
R/H/R                                      Rear head restraints
R/S/B                                      Rear seat belts
RWW                                      Rear wash/wipe
T/Glass                                   Tinted glass
T & T                                       Taxed & tested (MOT)
VGC                                        Very good condition
VTS                                         Vehicle Tracking System
VCAR*                                    Vehicle Condition Alert Registered vehicle (insurance write-off)
W/Wheels                               Wire wheels


*VCAR status remains with the vehicle for the rest of its life, regardless of it being repaired and checked to be of a safe standard. Inclusion on the VCAR register does not indicate that the vehicle has been repaired.

Uploading your photograph to your advert is simple, providing you have a digital or scanned in picture of your vehicle to use. Remember to scan your image at the appropriate size and resolution for publication in Auto Trader magazine to ensure the best possible quality. Click on the red 'ADD PHOTO' button on the Edit screen when placing an online advert and follow the instructions.

Any photos supplied with adverts must be a true representation of the advertised vehicle. We cannot accept adverts supplied with stock or library photos nor can we accept 'cut-outs' or montages. Auto Trader reserves the right to remove such photos from adverts placed for publication on the website or in our magazine(s) as appropriate. For security and copyright reasons all photos uploaded to this site will be watermarked with the Auto Trader logo. For further details Click here

If your supplied image is removed we can add a suitable alternative if you email it to enquiries@autotrader.co.uk or post it to Customer Care, Trader Media Group Ltd, Willow House, Woodlands Business Park, Ashton Road, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 OHE. Please write your full name, vehicle registration and customer order number (a unique customer order number will be emailed to you once you've placed an advert) on the back of the photograph. We can only return photographs if you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

If you have opted for a magazine advert and your supplied photo is unacceptable, a photo agent can be arranged.

        Example of a magazine advert                                                   Example of a web advert
                                  

Advertisements supplied on-line to Auto Trader between 9am Monday and 4pm on Friday will be processed in 24 hours and published on the site the following working day. This does not apply to Bank Holidays or any other public holiday. Advertisements submitted between 4pm on Friday and 9am on Monday will be processed and published on the site the first working day following the submission of the advertisement.

All advertisements placed via the Auto Trader web site will be uploaded to Auto Trader's Digital Television and Mobile Internet Services. Magazine adverts placed via the Auto Trader website will appear in the next available issue of the chosen Auto Trader magazine. This is normally the following Thursday or Friday for adverts placed before midnight on the Sunday prior to publication day. For adverts placed after this time we cannot guarantee publication in the next issue. Adverts will be delivered to the customers' chosen Auto Trader magazine at the same time as they are published on the site.

Top Marques adverts - if your advert fits a certain criteria you will be given the choice whether you would also like to advertise your vehicle for sale in Top Marques magazine. Your advert will appear in the next available issue of Top Marques once the advert has gone into your selected Auto Trader magazine. Please note, the Top Marques classification will be chosen by Top Marques but can be edited by the customer online. For more information on Top Marques magazine, click here