Facebook Marketplace Car Listing Template

Template 1 — Standard (works for 90% of cars)

Click the template to select it, then copy. Replace everything in [brackets].

[YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] [TRIM] — [MILEAGE] miles — [strongest hook: one owner / clean title / full service history]

Selling my [YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] [TRIM], [ENGINE] with [TRANSMISSION] and [DRIVETRAIN]. [MILEAGE] miles, runs and drives great.

Highlights:
- [Recent work: new tires / brakes / battery, with month + year]
- [Features buyers search for: backup camera, heated seats, Apple CarPlay]
- [Ownership: non-smoker, garage kept, no accidents]

Known issues: [be specific — small door ding on passenger side (pictured), A/C could use a recharge]. Nothing else — what you see in the photos is what you get.

Title: [Clean title in hand]
Price: $[PRICE] [firm / OBO]

VIN available on request for your own history check. Happy to meet at [safe public location] for a look and test drive.

Template 2 — Detailed (well-maintained or enthusiast cars)

Use this when the service history IS the selling point. Click to select, then copy.

[YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] [TRIM] — [MILEAGE] miles — full service records, [X] owners

[YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] [TRIM] in [EXTERIOR COLOR] over [INTERIOR COLOR]. [ENGINE], [TRANSMISSION], [DRIVETRAIN]. [MILEAGE] miles, [X] owners, [accident status per history report].

Maintenance (records in hand):
- [Oil changes every X miles at [shop/dealer]]
- [Timing belt / spark plugs / fluids — item + mileage done]
- [Tires: brand, month/year, tread remaining]
- [Brakes: pads/rotors, mileage done]

Equipment: [trim-specific features — sunroof, leather, tow package, safety suite].

Known issues: [every flaw, each one pictured — rock chips on hood, curb rash on one wheel, small tear on driver bolster]. Listed so there are no surprises when you see it.

Why I'm selling: [one honest sentence — new company car / growing family / moving].

Title: [Clean title in hand]
Price: $[PRICE] [firm / OBO] — priced against [comparable listings / KBB private-party value]

VIN available on request. Test drives welcome with valid license, meeting at [safe public location].

Template 3 — Quick sale (priced to move this week)

Short, direct, and honest about why it's cheap. Click to select, then copy.

[YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL] — [MILEAGE] miles — priced below market for fast sale

[YEAR] [MAKE] [MODEL], [MILEAGE] miles. Runs and drives. Priced $[X] below comparable listings because [honest reason: moving by [date] / already bought my next car].

Works: [engine, transmission, A/C, all windows — whatever is solid]
Known issues: [everything — check-engine light for O2 sensor (code included), worn rear tires, cracked mirror]. All pictured, all reflected in the price.

Title: [Clean title in hand]
Price: $[PRICE] — first person here with cash takes it. No holds without a deposit.

Meeting at [safe public location]. VIN available on request.

Worked example — what a finished listing looks like

Template 1, filled in for a real car. 140 words — right in the sweet spot.

2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD — 78,400 miles — one owner, clean title, full dealer service history

Selling my 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD, 1.5L turbo with CVT. 78,400 miles, runs and drives excellent.

Highlights:
- New Michelin CrossClimate2 tires (March 2026) and front brakes (64k)
- Every service done at Honda dealer — records in hand
- Sunroof, heated seats, Apple CarPlay, Honda Sensing, remote start
- Non-smoker, garage kept, no accidents on the history report

Known issues: small door ding on the passenger rear door (pictured) and light curb rash on one wheel. Nothing else — what you see in the photos is what you get.

Title: Clean title in hand
Price: $18,900 OBO

VIN available on request for your own history check. Happy to meet at the Kroger lot on Main St for a look and test drive.

How Facebook Marketplace actually works for car sellers

• Up to 20 photos per vehicle listing — use most of them. Thin photo sets read as "hiding something."
• Free to list, no commission on the sale.
• Only the first 1–2 lines of the description show in search results and previews. Lead with Year Make Model Trim plus your strongest hook — one owner, clean title, service history — never with "Hi, selling my car."
• 100–150-word descriptions perform well. Cover the essentials; buyers read on phones.
• Buyers message instantly, including plenty of "Is this available?" auto-taps. Answer the real questions in the listing (mileage, title, issues, price terms) and you'll get fewer of them. Use "serious inquiries" phrasing sparingly — one line at most; a wall of rules scares off good buyers too.
• Meet at a safe public place — a busy lot in daylight, or a police-station safe-exchange zone. Cash or verified transfer in person only.

What every car listing must include

• VIN — in the listing or "available on request." Check yours first with the free VIN decoder so the specs and recalls hold no surprises.
• Exact mileage — and a dashboard photo that proves it.
• Title status — clean, rebuilt, lien payoff. Say it plainly; buyers assume the worst about silence.
• Service history — what was done, when, and whether you have records.
• Known issues — every one, each pictured. Honesty filters out flaky buyers and makes serious ones commit faster. Not sure of the exact trim or spec? The free car identifier reads it from a photo.
• Reason for selling — one honest sentence kills the "what's wrong with it?" question.
• Price + terms — the number, and whether it's firm or OBO.

Photo order that gets clicks

Upload in this order — the first photo decides whether anyone opens the listing: front three-quarter (hero shot), rear three-quarter, both sides, interior front and rear, dashboard with mileage visible, engine bay, then close-ups of every flaw. The full shot list, lighting and background advice is in How to take car photos that sell. Before you write your "Known issues" line, run the photos through the free AI damage checker — it spots the dings and scuffs you've stopped noticing, so your listing is complete before a buyer points them out.

Listing on Craigslist too? The rules there are different — paid ads, compressed photos, flagging traps. Use the Craigslist car ad template instead of pasting this one.

Frequently asked questions

How many photos can a car listing have on Facebook Marketplace?

Vehicle listings on Facebook Marketplace allow up to 20 photos. Use at least 12–15: exterior from every angle, interior, dashboard with the mileage visible, engine bay, and close-ups of any flaws. Listings with lots of honest photos get more messages and fewer no-shows.

Is it free to list a car on Facebook Marketplace?

Yes. Listing a vehicle for sale by owner on Facebook Marketplace is free — no listing fee and no commission when you sell. That's a real advantage over Craigslist, which charges about $5 for by-owner car ads in the US.

What should the first line of a Facebook Marketplace car listing say?

Year, make, model, trim, then your strongest hook — for example: '2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD — one owner, clean title, full service history.' Only the first one or two lines of the description show in search results and previews, so don't waste them on greetings or 'must see!'.

How long should a Facebook Marketplace car description be?

Around 100–150 words performs well. Long enough to cover mileage, condition, service history, known issues, title status and price terms — short enough that buyers actually read it on a phone. Put the essentials in the first two lines, details below.

Should I put my VIN in the listing?

Yes — serious buyers will ask for it anyway to run a vehicle history report, and listing it filters out tire-kickers. A VIN alone can't be used to steal your identity or your car. If you'd rather not post the full number, write 'VIN available on request' and send it to serious buyers. Never post photos of the title document itself.

Why is my car not selling on Facebook Marketplace?

Almost always one of four things: weak first photo (buyers scroll past), a first line that doesn't say year/make/model/trim, a price out of step with comparable listings, or missing basics (mileage, title status, known issues) that make buyers assume the worst. Fix the photos and the first two lines first — that's what the algorithm and buyers see.

How do I avoid scams when selling a car on Facebook Marketplace?

Meet at a safe public place (many police stations offer 'safe exchange' parking), accept only cash or verified bank transfer completed in person, and never take overpayment-and-refund offers, shipping arrangements, or 'I'll send a code to verify you' messages — those are all scams. Keep the title in your hands until the money is in yours.