Out of focus pictures in car ads

[V8forweekends]

I know some people are just crap at some things, but does anyone else occasionally suspect these are done on purpose? Seems to me some ads make the car sound marvellous and then the pics are a bit blurred so you can't see the body/interior faults so easily.

[Muddle238]

What I get suspicious of is when there are no photos of the rear, one particular side or just the best, least-curbed/kerbed/don't care alloy.

Some people seem to think the photos aren't important, drives me nuts. Sometimes they'll take just a few photos from low-down to make it look more sporty/aggressive than what is otherwise exactly the same as every other of that make/model for sale.

The best photos are when you get a photo of the front, back, each side, each 3/4 view, each wheel, a selection of the interior, one of the boot and one of the engine bay. Plus any defects/scratches/dents. IMO.

[MattHall91]

As a cynic, I would say nearly all blurry photos are intentional.

As above, that would be my 'ideal' ad too.

My pet hate is when there are no interior photos. Why wouldn't you include those?!

[soad]

[V8forweekends]

The trouble is, if I post any pics or links, that might look like an accusation.....

[toerag]

nothing to see here.

[anonymous-user]

About 20 years ago me and a mate were in the back of a van making our way home to Norfolk from a house party in Kent. We stopped at services for petrol and picked up some reading material - amongst which was the weeks Autotrader. We were just on the verge of passing the test and getting our first cars so it was essential reading (we thought).

I'll never forget the numerous ads from a company called Westpoint Autos.

'For Sale: Ford Granada Ghia X, FSH, leather interior etc etc...' underneath a photo of a street full of cars. Presumably it was parked there somewhere.

Or the photos which were cropped so tightly all you saw was the top corner of the screen surround; or a door handle and a little bit of glass; or a wheel arch.

At the time it was hysterical; we were in fits as each ad got worse and worse.

To this day if something looks badly shot or blurred or whatever, one of us just has to say 'Westpoint Autos...' to set the other off.

[ChemicalChaos]

This is where ebay motors US really excels. I don't know if it's to do with being sued for misrepresentation, but pretty much all listing on there will have literally everything: front, back, both sides, all 4 quarters, all 4 wheels, all 4 tyre treads, underbonnet, boot, and the view in from every door.
Bliss

[jayemm89]

By the same token, I've seen a few cars with terrible, one massive paragraph of comic sans and a couple of crap pic ads, which actually are for good cars from decent people - just those who don't get on with technology

[stuart313]

Some adds have 20 photos yet others have 2 or 3 and yet despite the limited visual aids they choose to show a photo of something like the middle of the steering wheel.