How to Write a DoneDeal Car Description

The Core Problem: Why Your DoneDeal Description Is Costing You Money

Your DoneDeal car description is the first real conversation you'll have with a serious buyer. It's not a footnote to your photos—it's the difference between ten enquiries and no enquiries, between selling in two weeks and watching your listing age into invisibility.

Irish buyers on DoneDeal are sceptical by default. They've seen dodgy listings, misrepresented mileage, hidden rust, and sellers who vanish after they've handed over cash. Your description is where you start rebuilding trust before a single viewing.

The problem: most sellers either write nothing (three lines, no detail) or they write everything (a wall of waffle that no one reads). Both approaches lose you money. A vague description attracts tyre-kickers and dreamers. An unclear description makes buyers assume the worst and move on.

A strong DoneDeal description does one thing: it answers the questions every Irish buyer is already thinking, before they even ring you.

How to Write a DoneDeal Description That Sells

Start With the Service History and NCT Status

Lead with this. Not the colour. Not the year. The NCT status and service history are what buyers search for on DoneDeal, and they're what determine whether your car is €3,000 or €8,000.

Do this:

  • "NCT valid until [month/year]" — put it in the first line
  • "Full service history" or "service history available" — buyers notice this immediately
  • "Last serviced [month/year]" — the recency matters
  • If the NCT has just expired or is coming due, say so. Buyers will find out anyway, and honesty here builds trust

Example: "2019 Toyota Corolla. NCT valid until March 2025. Full service history with Toyota main dealer. Last serviced April 2024."

This tells a buyer in ten seconds that the car has been looked after and they won't fail an NCT in the next six months.

Be Specific About Condition

Irish buyers care about two things: does it run, and does it have rust? Don't write "good condition" — that means nothing. Write what condition actually means.

Do this:

  • Describe the bodywork: "No rust on the undercarriage", "Light surface rust on the driver's sill", "One small dent on the rear passenger door"
  • Describe the interior: "Interior is clean and tidy", "One small tear in the driver's seat", "Carpet is worn but intact"
  • Describe what works: "All electrics working", "Heating and air con working", "Electric windows on driver's side only"
  • Describe what doesn't: "ABS warning light on dashboard" or "Passenger window doesn't open" — say it now or they'll suspect worse later

Example: "2017 Ford Focus. 98,000 miles. Good condition overall. No significant rust. Interior is clean, driver's seat has some wear but no tears. All windows work. Heating and air con working. One small dent on nearside rear door. Genuine reason for sale: bought a newer car."

This is specific. A buyer reads this and has a real picture of what they're getting.

Include Mechanical Details That Matter

Buyers will ask these questions on the phone, so answer them in writing first. It saves time and builds confidence.

  • Mileage — be exact, not "around 80,000"
  • Engine size and fuel type (petrol, diesel, hybrid)
  • Transmission (manual or automatic)
  • Any known issues: "Engine runs perfectly" or "Gear box occasionally grinds in third" — the truth, stated plainly
  • Tyres: "All four tyres are in good condition with good tread" or "Rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months"

Example: "1.6 diesel manual. 126,000 miles. Engine runs smoothly with no strange noises. All four tyres in good condition. Brakes recently serviced. No warning lights on the dashboard."

Explain Why You're Selling

This is tiny but it works. Buyers are paranoid that you're offloading a broken car. Tell them you're not.

  • "Genuine reason for sale: bought a larger car for the growing family"
  • "Selling: upgraded to a newer model"
  • "No longer needed: working from home permanently"

A one-line reason removes a whole category of suspicion.

Add Context About the Car's Life

How long have you owned it? Has it been garage-kept or street-parked? One owner or multiple? Was it a company car or a private car?

Example: "Owned since 2019. Always garage-kept. Only used for commuting and weekend trips. Non-smoker. No accidents or damage history."

What Most Sellers Get Wrong

Writing Like a Dealer

Sellers often copy language from dealer ads: "stunning example", "immaculate condition", "priced to sell". Irish buyers hate this. It sounds like you're lying. Write like a human who happens to know their car very well.

Hiding Bad News

If the NCT is due in two months, say it. If there's a small dent, say it. If the car needs new brake pads in a few months, say it. Buyers will find out on a Cartell.ie check or during a viewing, and they'll lose trust the moment they do. Honesty about small issues builds credibility for everything else you say.

Being Vague About Mileage

Never write "around 80,000" or "approximately 120,000". Write the exact mileage. If you don't know it precisely, say so. Vagueness screams "I've clocked the odometer" to every buyer in Ireland.

Writing a Novel

A description longer than 300 words is too long. Buyers on DoneDeal scroll fast. They read the headline, the first two sentences, and then they either ring you or they don't. Make those first two sentences count and keep the rest clean and scannable.

Forgetting About DoneDeal's Format

Use line breaks. Use short paragraphs. Make it easy to skim. A wall of text gets skimmed faster and absorbed less.

Quick Wins You Can Do Right Now

If your car is listed right now and not getting calls, try these three changes today:

1. Add the NCT Validity Date to Your First Line

If it's not there, buyers assume it's expired or about to expire. Moving a valid NCT date to the top of your description can increase enquiries by 20–30%.

2. Be Honest About One Thing You've Been Hiding

That small dent. The warning light that sometimes comes on. The fact that the car needs four new tyres soon. State it clearly in your description. The right buyer won't care; the wrong buyer shouldn't buy from you anyway.

3. Add a One-Line Reason for Sale

If you haven't explained why you're selling, add it now. "Bought a new car" or "no longer needed" removes suspicion instantly.

4. Include Service History Status in the First 50 Words

If you have full service history, say so immediately. If you don't have all the receipts but the car has been serviced, say "service history available" and clarify what you have. If there's no history, own it: "No service history but recently serviced [by whom, when]."

Summary: What a Strong DoneDeal Description Actually Does

A strong car description on DoneDeal answers every sceptical question a Dublin or Cork buyer is already thinking, before they even pick up the phone. It leads with NCT status and service history. It's specific about condition, not vague. It admits small issues instead of hiding them. It explains why you're selling. And it's written like a human being, not a car dealer.

The goal isn't to trick anyone into buying. The goal is to attract the right buyers and repel the wrong ones—quickly.

If you're unsure what price to ask for, or whether your description matches what the market is actually paying for your car right now, you can see exactly what your car is worth based on real DoneDeal data. CarIQ's pricing report costs €19.99 and gives you the actual selling prices for identical cars in your area over the last 90 days. It takes the guesswork out of both your asking price and your description—because the right price and the right description work together.