Advice
How To Advertise Your Van
Wondering what to write when selling your van? Here’s how to create a great van advert on Autotrader.


Words by: Tom Roberts
Published on 7 July 2025 | 0 min read
Once you’ve prepared your van for sale, it’s time to advertise it. On Autotrader you can create an advert and reach millions of potential buyers in these simple steps:
One: Enter your reg and mileage
This will help us find the van and its key details, and we’ll use this to recommend a guide price for your van. We’ll also need your van’s mileage, available on your last MOT test on Gov.uk.
Two: Add your vehicle description
This is the bit potential buyers will read, so tell them everything they need to know. Spotlight your van’s features by selecting them from the menu. Include any key features like sat nav, electric windows, bench seats, storage, cruise control or central locking.
Van buyers tend to look for: - A van’s basic details such as the make, model, mileage, engine size and trim level - Reason for sale - Payload capability - Towing capability - Transmission type - Fuel type - Number plate year identifier - MOT status - Service history - Colour and type of paint finish - Where your van can be viewed - Contact details - Asking price - Method of delivery/ pick-up It’s best to be honest from the beginning. If your van’s been in an accident or has damage, mention it. Buyers expect a used van to have some scratches or issues, but if they find you’ve hidden any crucial information, this can jeopardise your sale. To boost a buyer’s confidence and get a quicker, easier sale you should include your van’s service and maintenance history, including the number of previous owners. The more details you provide, the better your chances of getting responses and selling your van quickly. Highlight any information that can help your van stand out, like modifications, storage racking, alarm systems, etc. This could be anything, but examples that have worked in the past include: - Only one owner - Never been in an accident - Special services or maintenance - Extra accessories We also have an "Attention Grabber" section for key selling points. You get 30-characters to pitch your van, and this line will appear under the selling price on your live advert.
Van buyers tend to look for: - A van’s basic details such as the make, model, mileage, engine size and trim level - Reason for sale - Payload capability - Towing capability - Transmission type - Fuel type - Number plate year identifier - MOT status - Service history - Colour and type of paint finish - Where your van can be viewed - Contact details - Asking price - Method of delivery/ pick-up It’s best to be honest from the beginning. If your van’s been in an accident or has damage, mention it. Buyers expect a used van to have some scratches or issues, but if they find you’ve hidden any crucial information, this can jeopardise your sale. To boost a buyer’s confidence and get a quicker, easier sale you should include your van’s service and maintenance history, including the number of previous owners. The more details you provide, the better your chances of getting responses and selling your van quickly. Highlight any information that can help your van stand out, like modifications, storage racking, alarm systems, etc. This could be anything, but examples that have worked in the past include: - Only one owner - Never been in an accident - Special services or maintenance - Extra accessories We also have an "Attention Grabber" section for key selling points. You get 30-characters to pitch your van, and this line will appear under the selling price on your live advert.
Three: Add your photos
You can add up to 100 photos to your advert, which help your advert stand out and look more authentic.
Take and upload some good quality photos of your van, don’t just copy pre-existing photos from the internet. Include high-quality photos from the following angles, so any prospective buyer can get a good look inside and out. - Front corner - Rear corner - Front straight-on - Back straight-on - Side profile - Close-up of a wheel – especially if they are alloys - Dashboard - Front and rear seats - Inside the cargo space - Side door(s) open - Rear door(s) open - Engine bay - Any damage Buyers expect to see 20 images on an advert – these are the photos buyers are looking for. Our tips for taking eye-catching photos for your advert are: - Make sure your van is clean in the photos - Keep the background is clear and distraction-free - Take your images in landscape mode - Choose a well-lit area, and preferably a bright and sunny day for your photoshoot - Include photos of damage inside or on the van - Include close-ups of wheels, accessories and cargo space - Make sure the photos are high quality Want to add a video too? With an Ultimate or Premium ad package, you can add your own YouTube video to your advert.
Take and upload some good quality photos of your van, don’t just copy pre-existing photos from the internet. Include high-quality photos from the following angles, so any prospective buyer can get a good look inside and out. - Front corner - Rear corner - Front straight-on - Back straight-on - Side profile - Close-up of a wheel – especially if they are alloys - Dashboard - Front and rear seats - Inside the cargo space - Side door(s) open - Rear door(s) open - Engine bay - Any damage Buyers expect to see 20 images on an advert – these are the photos buyers are looking for. Our tips for taking eye-catching photos for your advert are: - Make sure your van is clean in the photos - Keep the background is clear and distraction-free - Take your images in landscape mode - Choose a well-lit area, and preferably a bright and sunny day for your photoshoot - Include photos of damage inside or on the van - Include close-ups of wheels, accessories and cargo space - Make sure the photos are high quality Want to add a video too? With an Ultimate or Premium ad package, you can add your own YouTube video to your advert.
Four: Add your contact details
Finally, you need to add your contact details so that buyers can get in touch.
Autotrader provides a free ‘protect your number’ service that masks your mobile number. This helps in protecting you from scammers and nuisance callers. and helps protect you from scammers and nuisance callers. That’s it! Now all you need to do is select the advertising package you’re interested in and wait for potential buyers to contact you.
Autotrader provides a free ‘protect your number’ service that masks your mobile number. This helps in protecting you from scammers and nuisance callers. and helps protect you from scammers and nuisance callers. That’s it! Now all you need to do is select the advertising package you’re interested in and wait for potential buyers to contact you.
Have Any More Questions?
If you have any questions about selling your van or need help with advertising it, contact our customer service and security team. We have a live chat feature which you can use any time, as well as a dedicated customer service and security team to help you with any problems or questions you may have.