DoneDeal Car Ad Template (Copy and Use)

The Core Problem: Why Your DoneDeal Listing Isn't Moving

You've uploaded your car to DoneDeal. You've taken a photo or two. You've written something like "good condition, no issues, must go ASAP." And now you're refreshing the page every morning, watching the view count climb but the phone doesn't ring.

This isn't bad luck. It's a bad ad.

DoneDeal gets 6 million visits per month in Ireland. That traffic is brutal and specific. Irish buyers on DoneDeal are there for one reason: to find the cheapest version of exactly what they want. They spend 8 seconds on an ad. If your title is vague, your price is unclear, or your description reads like a text from someone who learned English from a courier invoice, you'll be scrolled past by 500 people before lunch.

A proper DoneDeal template fixes this. It doesn't make your car worth more than it is — but it makes sure the right buyer sees it, understands it, and believes enough to pick up the phone.

Detailed Advice: The DoneDeal Ad Template That Works

The Title (This Determines Click Rate)

Your DoneDeal title has 65 characters to work with. Use them all. Bad titles look like:

  • "2015 Volkswagen Golf"
  • "Nice car for sale"
  • "Selling my car"

Good titles look like:

  • 2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI, 98k miles, NCT until March 2025
  • 2018 Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost, full service history, one owner
  • 2012 Toyota Corolla 1.6 Diesel, low miles, just serviced, ready to go

Why? Because Irish buyers on DoneDeal filter by year, engine size, fuel type, and mileage — then they scan titles for proof. "NCT until March 2025" removes a question before it's asked. "One owner" and "just serviced" are proof points that make a Dublin buyer confident enough to message.

Template: [YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] [ENGINE SIZE] [FUEL], [MILEAGE/KMS], [ONE KEY PROOF POINT]

The Opening Line (Sell the Outcome, Not the Car)

Don't start with "This is a lovely car." Start with what the buyer gets:

Bad: "Beautiful Golf for sale. Very reliable, great condition."

Good: "Ready-to-drive 2015 Golf with a full service history and a fresh NCT. No surprises, no work needed — buy and drive."

Irish buyers are skeptical. They assume you're hiding something. Your opening line should say: "You won't find problems here because we've fixed them already."

The Body: Proof Over Adjectives

Here's the template:

  • Mileage: [Exact kilometres or miles]
  • Service history: [Full, partial, or stamps in book — be honest]
  • NCT status: [Due date or "just passed"]
  • Ownership: [One owner, two owners, etc.]
  • Last service: [Month and year, with garage name if you have it]
  • Any work done: [New tyres, new brake pads, battery, etc. — specificity matters]
  • Condition specifics: [Interior trim condition, any scuffs or marks, undercarriage/rust status]
  • What it's good for: ["Ideal first car," "family runabout," "commuter"]

Real example for a 2016 Peugeot 308 selling for €8,500 in Cork:

"Mileage: 89,400 km. Service history: Full history, stamps in book. Last serviced June 2024 at Peugeot Cork. NCT: Valid until February 2026. One owner: Private sale, no trade history. Recently done: New front brake pads (July 2024), four new Michelin tyres (June 2024). Condition: Body paint is excellent, no dents or rust. Interior is clean, cloth seats with no tears. Why I'm selling: Upgraded to an automatic. This car has been faultless — ideal first car or city runabout. No surprises, no repairs needed."

This is not flowery. It is 100% specific. An Irish buyer reading this doesn't need to message you with basic questions — they already know the car's history, what's been done, and that you're not hiding a rusted sill or a gearbox issue.

What NOT to Include

  • Vague language: "Excellent condition" (compared to what?), "great engine" (all engines run), "perfect family car" (opinion, not proof).
  • Exclamation marks: More than one makes you sound desperate.
  • Emojis: DoneDeal buyers are practical. A car emoji doesn't sell cars.
  • Lies about service history: Irish buyers check Cartell.ie. If your ad says "full history" and Cartell shows gaps, that message goes cold immediately.
  • Pressure language: "Must go ASAP," "won't last long," "priced to sell." These scream used car salesman.

The Price Line

At the very end, before price, add one line that explains your number:

"Asking €8,500. Priced fairly for mileage and condition — recent tyres and full service history justify the ask."

This stops lowball offers by framing your price as rational, not arbitrary.

What Most Sellers Get Wrong on DoneDeal

1. They hide the NCT status. If your car's NCT is about to expire, say it in the title. "2014 Fiesta, NCT due April 2025" is better than hiding it — the buyer will find out anyway, and hiding it looks dishonest.

2. They use one blurry photo. This isn't a template issue, but it kills your ad. Use at least five photos: front three-quarter view in daylight, full side, full rear, interior, and one of the odometer and any proof of service. DoneDeal ads with 5+ photos get 3x more clicks.

3. They list a price way above market, then tell buyers "it's negotiable." Irish buyers hate this. It wastes their time. If your car is worth €8,000, list it at €8,200. You'll get offers. You'll close at €8,000 happy. You won't sit listing-stale for six weeks.

4. They forget that DoneDeal is Dublin-heavy. If you're selling in Cork or Galway, add one line: "Can arrange viewing for out-of-town buyers with notice." A Dublin buyer will drive west for the right car; you've just removed their objection before they type it.

5. They write like they're texting a friend. "Hi m8 great car no probs lol" does not work. Write like you respect the buyer's time.

Quick Wins You Can Do Today

If your car is already listed and not moving:

  • Rewrite the title. Include year, mileage, NCT status, and one proof point. Relist the ad (this bumps it back to the top of search).
  • Add three more photos. At least one must show the interior clearly and one must show the odometer.
  • Replace vague language. Search your ad for "excellent," "great," "lovely," "perfect." Delete each one and replace it with a specific fact (mileage, service date, what was fixed).
  • Check Cartell.ie yourself. Go to cartell.ie, enter your registration, and note what it shows. If it matches your ad (service stamps, ownership history), mention it. If it doesn't, be honest about the gap — your buyer will find it anyway.
  • Add a phone number in the description. Some buyers don't want to use DoneDeal's messaging. Make it easy for them.

Summary: The DoneDeal Template That Sells

A DoneDeal ad that works is built on specificity, not emotion. Irish car buyers are not shopping for a dream — they're shopping for a reliable solution at a fair price. Your job is to prove, in 80 words, that your car is that solution.

Use the template above: clear title with proof, opening line that removes buyer fear, body section with concrete facts (mileage, service, NCT, what's been done), and a price that's justified, not inflated. No hype. No pressure. No lies. Just the facts that matter.

If your car has been listed for more than two weeks with no serious inquiries, it's not the car — it's the ad. Rewrite it using this template, add better photos, and relist. You'll see a difference in days.

For a deeper sense of what your car is truly worth in the current DoneDeal market — and how to price it to sell fast without leaving money on the table — you can see exactly what your car is worth based on real DoneDeal data right now. A CarIQ report takes 60 seconds and costs €19.99. It'll show you what similar cars in your region are selling for, which kills guesswork and gives you the confidence to price right the first time.