Hooniverse Asks – What Automotive Ad Typo Makes You Cringe the Most?

Robert Emslie

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Comments

Typos

Look, we all do a lot of writing in our lives, especially those of us on this side of the screen, and it’s inevitable that we’ll make a mistake every now and again. As a matter of fact I once read a statistic that the New York Times contains, on average, 20 typos an edition. When you’re pouring out words and sentences like water from a hose, it’s just going to be a matter of course. However, when you are crafting an ad with the intent of making the most money from a sale of a car, well that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish.

I’ve been scrounging car ads for years now, and there are a few things that frequently stand out – things like the seller noting how rare the vehicle in question is – ignoring the fact that its rarity derives from nobody wanting the model when it was new, and that hasn’t changed much now. Then there’s the dancing around the reason for the car having a salvage title, which is always because the car hit a Cicada and the insurance company totaled it even though there wasn’t any real damage. I hate salvage titles!

But the most egregious mistake a seller can make in their ad is the typographical error, or misspelling of words that are just too common not to know. Breaks, axels, routers, it drives me nuts, and I’ll bet it does you as well. If that’s the case, which is your particular fav faux pas? What auto ad typo makes you cringe the most?

Image source: [extrememech]

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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189 responses to “Hooniverse Asks – What Automotive Ad Typo Makes You Cringe the Most?”

  1. Vavon Avatar
    Vavon

    Not being able to write the brand you're selling correctly!
    <img src="http://media.lelombrik.net/2501-3000/2631.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
      Jay_Ramey

      He had to do it for legal reasons.
      (and it's spelled Poozhoe, by the way)

      Reply
      1. Vavon Avatar
        Vavon

        You really must learn how to pronounce it properly… Here's your lesson!
        [youtube 3dOjhdMs2oY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dOjhdMs2oY youtube]

        Reply
        1. mdharrell Avatar
          mdharrell

          <img src="http://startinggrid.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/img_4196.jpg&quot; width="500">

          Reply
      2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        You mean it's not pronounced "PEE-you-GEE-ott?"

        Reply
        1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
          Jay_Ramey

          I heard "PEW-joe" from a car salesman a few weeks back. Better than most, it has to be noted.

          Reply
          1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            As a little kid I thought it rhymed with "nougat."

          2. Vavon Avatar
            Vavon

            I just fed "how to pronounce Peugeot" in Google. I was surprised to see that this question gets 111.000 hits…

          3. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            Subaru eventually gave up trying.
            [youtube zLPp-NFInXw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLPp-NFInXw youtube]

          4. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            There was a Renault/AMC commercial, back when they were building the Alliance, in which they actually said "The French pronounce it 'REN-oh,' but you can call us 'ren-ALT'!"

      3. jeepjeff Avatar
        jeepjeff

        That's dangerously close to poo shoe.

        Reply
    2. Irishzombieman Avatar
      Irishzombieman

      Man! How 'bout the accuracy of that logo, though!

      Reply
    3. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      http://www.google.com/search?q=sasuki+site:craigs…
      https://www.google.com/search?q=yamha+site:craigs…

      Reply
      1. Vavon Avatar
        Vavon

        EXACTLY!!! How difficult can it be…
        You are putting an ad on the INTERNET!!!
        And you have the vehicle AT HOME!!!

        Reply
        1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
          Peter Tanshanomi

          In the bike ads I often see "Honda Magnum" (Magna), "Yamaha Virgo" (Virago) and "Yamaha Maxum" or even "Maximum" (Maxim). Then there's the totally ludicrous stuff — "Honda Shadow Sportster" and the like. I even saw a stock-appearing Yamaha listed as having a "Suzuki style motor" …whatever that is.

          Reply
  2. Kris_01 Avatar
    Kris_01

    Swee't ta'p-dancin'g Jesu's, tho'se typo's driv'e m'e nut's. T'he on'e tha't pisse's m'e of'f th'e wor'st i's th'e mispla'ced com'ma.

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      Especially when they misplace the comma as an apostrophe, I'm sure.

      Reply
    2. Vavon Avatar
      Vavon

      I feel you're pane!

      Reply
  3. JayP2112 Avatar
    JayP2112

    For Sell: 1987 Camero Irock manuel
    Ownd for 30 yrs my fav car evar
    my loose is you're game

    Reply
    1. Kris_01 Avatar
      Kris_01

      Has big-block 383 stroker and make's 850 horsepower. Moter rebuild cost over 10000$. Only has 40K on moter. bRAND NEW!

      Reply
  4. Steamcorners Avatar
    Steamcorners

    I hate finding that a car has a Manuel transmission.

    Reply
    1. Devin Avatar
      Devin

      But Manuel really needs the work and is trying his best to shift your gears.

      Reply
      1. chrystlubitshi Avatar
        chrystlubitshi

        Bat Manuel?
        [youtube Mu1cWaKTlt8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu1cWaKTlt8 youtube]
        "Bat Manuel never makes it fast."

        Reply
        1. vroomsocko Avatar
          vroomsocko

          Yes! I cannot give this enough thumbs up. Spoon!

          Reply
  5. $kaycog Avatar
    $kaycog

    Really, Porch?
    <img src="http://www.rushlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Porsche-London-billboard-advertize-Boxter-instead-of-Boxster.jpg"width="500"/&gt;

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      Local used dealer: Subaru SUX

      Reply
      1. OA5599 Avatar
        OA5599

        [youtube fl8mQhxhE_Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl8mQhxhE_Q youtube]

        Reply
        1. JayP2112 Avatar
          JayP2112

          I clipped that Subaru advert out and sent it to Autoweek. They ran on the BWTM page.
          I thought of Robocop too.

          Reply
        2. vroomsocko Avatar
          vroomsocko

          Came to post this, pleased to see I was beaten to it. I'd buy that for a dollar!

          Reply
        3. pwned88 Avatar
          pwned88

          8.2 MPG!!!! Suck it big rigs!

          Reply
      2. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
        FuzzyPlushroom

        I can infer from this that the transmission must be on its way out.

        Reply
    2. M44Power Avatar
      M44Power

      Fitting for a car that had a "manuell" setting for the HVAC system.

      Reply
    3. GregKachadurian Avatar
      GregKachadurian

      I did that once on the News… once.

      Reply
      1. $kaycog Avatar
        $kaycog

        That's hilarious!

        Reply
  6. Jared Avatar
    Jared

    I think you've made a mistake in thinking that these people are actually making "typos". It would be more accurate to say that the people in most of these advertisements lack a real ability string the most basic words into a simple sentence, let alone have a grasp of spelling.

    Reply
    1. Jared Avatar
      Jared

      Oops. You did say misspelling. I'll go crawl into a cave now. 🙁

      Reply
  7. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    Minty
    Conditions
    For Sell
    Breaks
    And there is no excuse for misspelling the make and/or model in the text of the ad, especially when the badge is clearly visible in the photos, showing the correct spelling.
    I tend to forgive Manuel transmission, simply because if the car has a manual trans, I’m more willing to overlook the seller’s shortcomings. (but please stop listing “5-speed automatic with manual mode”. It makes my searches so much more difficult.)

    Reply
  8. LTDScott Avatar
    LTDScott

    Not so much a typo as ignorance, but I hate when ads state an inline-4 equipped vehicle has a V4. Unless it's an old Saab or British Ford, of course.

    Reply
    1. Vavon Avatar
      Vavon

      Don't you love all those BMWs equipped with V6-engines?

      Reply
      1. buzzboy7 Avatar
        buzzboy7

        AHHHHHH! It hurts to read it making fun of it.

        Reply
      2. IronBallsMcG Avatar
        IronBallsMcG

        When I was shopping for a used TJ, "V6" was automatic grounds for dismissal of an ad.

        Reply
        1. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
          FuzzyPlushroom

          Pre-Pentastar, that'd apply to shopping for all Jeeps.

          Reply
          1. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            Well, to get really technical the early XJs had GM V6s. But good luck finding one of those that's still around.

          2. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
            FuzzyPlushroom

            Yes, but they were crap. You get to avoid minivan engines, too. And non-Hemi Commanders. Win all around.

          3. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            Oh, I'm a dumbass. I misread where you were going with that.
            Gotcha now.

          4. IronBallsMcG Avatar
            IronBallsMcG

            And the 225 Dauntless V6 was available in the CJ5 for a time…

        2. jeepjeff Avatar
          jeepjeff

          It gets entertaining on Wrangler forums when someone calls a 4.0 a V6 in a post. No one likes that.

          Reply
          1. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            Let's just say if it's true, it's got some MAJOR engine damage.

  9. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    "Needs rebuilt" always bugs me. I can see how it might have been cost effective when cars were typically sold in classified ads that charged by the word or the line and omitting "to be" might have saved a couple of bucks, but Ebay and Craigslist aren't going to break your budget if you add a few extra bytes to your ad (A/K/A "add") for clarity.
    As far as typos that have no character economy, I pick "enthusiest". If I am buying someone's special-interest car, I would think that would be a sign they are less enthusi than me, and when we conduct the transaction, I would be the enthusiest person in the garage.

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      "Needs ____ed" isn't a typo. It's an ignorant speech pattern that people also use routinely in spoken conversation, too. I never once heard it growing up in Buffalo. I think it's a midwesternism, and after 36 years it's still like fingernails down a chalkboard to me. (The other one is "anymore" used in a positive statement: "They do that a lot anymore." Um, no. Either they don't do that a lot anymore, or they do that a lot nowadays.)

      Reply
      1. buzzboy7 Avatar
        buzzboy7

        My old boss is from Ohio. He ran down a to do list for a car in the shop as: Needs cleaned, fluids need filled, brakes need bled, needs painted…

        Reply
      2. Vavon Avatar
        Vavon

        The worst is "I didn't do nothing"
        I will always reply: "So what did you do?"
        The answer always is: "I just told you, I didn't do nothing!"
        SIGH!!!

        Reply
        1. jeepjeff Avatar
          jeepjeff

          That's a different issue. English has two double negatives. The logical double negative (turns into a positive), and the emphatic double negative (more negative). Most of the time when I do it, it's the former. Occasionally I'll use the latter, but it does lend an ignorant edge to my meaning (so I only do it when I want that dash of stupid). "I didn't do nothing" is one that even grates on me, though.

          Reply
      3. dead_elvis Avatar
        dead_elvis

        I'd never heard or seen it before I worked with a woman from Indiana. Does that count as the midwest? (As I grew up in Vermont, pretty much everything west of PA seemed like the midwest to me.)
        For the record, she was a incredibly sharp, very good engineer, and rarely did I ever see any other typos or misspellings in communications from her.

        Reply
        1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
          Peter Tanshanomi

          Yes, Indiana is very much the midwest.

          Reply
          1. chrystlubitshi Avatar
            chrystlubitshi

            That depends on who you ask. Some "Hoosiers" say that they live in the South. While I get that they might be making a statement on where their head is at as opposed to geographical location; I also doubt that they are putting that much thought in to the statement. I, as someone living in Indiana that grew up 12 hours drive west, (in the "mid-west") have a problem thinking of anything East of the Mississippi as 'mid-west'. It looks very strange when you apply the literal terms to a physical map– picture east coast states, midwest, and west coast (oh yeah, draw "the south" on there too). it seems as though there should be at least "central" if not "mid-east" in there…
            /I don't know where this soapbox came from or why I'm standing on it, please, take it away.

          2. SSurfer321 Avatar
            SSurfer321

            Seeing as Indiana is only across the river from Louisville, I could see how some may think they live in "The South".

      4. OA5599 Avatar
        OA5599

        The first person I heard use the phrase regularly was college-educated and grew up in Atlanta.

        Reply
  10. lolophynarski Avatar
    lolophynarski

    Not so much a typo, but any time a craigslist add ends like this:
    tags: camero mustang corvette civic supra celica honda vtec bmw toyota suzuki rx-7 gti f150 eclipse sti 350z kawasaki yamaha ninja
    I kid you not, someone was looking to trade an aftermarket motorcycle exhaust and tagged "fishtank" in the add.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      Perhaps it's called an add precisely because unnecessary material was added to the end; without that it's just an ad.

      Reply
      1. lolophynarski Avatar
        lolophynarski

        Haha, dammit.

        Reply
    2. jeepjeff Avatar
      jeepjeff

      Those stupid tags lines are why I only ever search titles. Otherwise, you just get crap.

      Reply
  11. Wolfie Avatar
    Wolfie

    Not a typo,but "ran when parked" gets me every time.

    Reply
  12. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    Funny you should ask. I was just cringing over this ad earlier this morning…
    <img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/bad-ad.png"&gt;
    <a href="http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/3585119571.html” target=”_blank”>http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/3585119571.html

    Reply
    1. I Think Not Avatar
      I Think Not

      Christ on a cracker, that's awful. Sounds almost exactly like my neighbor with his tow-yard full of half-dead vehicles. If the CL map didn't peg it in the northeast, I'd swear it was him.
      (and no, the the bit about being a single mom with 3 daughters wouldn't be beyond his capacity for douchebaggery. he's a lying bastard that lowers everyone's property values in an already lower-middle-class neighborhood.)

      Reply
    2. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
      FuzzyPlushroom

      I think a GMC van would be sufficient for three children, but hey…

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        I wonder how it is that a "more sufficient vehicle" would use less gas.

        Reply
  13. skitter Avatar
    skitter

    Situation A: Your price is $1. And someone searching with a limited budget in mind will be so blown away by your magnificent ad that they'll joyfully exceed it by 500%.
    Situation B: Your price is not listed. You will maximize your price with your incredible negotiation and people skills while wasting everyone's time with cryptic phone calls.
    Whatever you're putting in your coffee, it's not yanking you out of dreamland.

    Reply
  14. erikgrad Avatar
    erikgrad

    "runs grate"
    (Also, It would be fantastic if Craigslist could automatically change 'Camero' with the correct spelling, 'Camaro', because no one is ever intentionally going to write the word as Camero)

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      Camero is the spelling I search for when looking for cheap SBC donors. It makes the price cheaper.

      Reply
      1. IronBallsMcG Avatar
        IronBallsMcG

        For years misspellings were my gateway to cheap ebay deals. Improved search functions have pretty much killed that.

        Reply
  15. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    I was just reading this a moment ago:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Audi-4000S-Quattro…
    The lack of use of the space bar is one of my biggest pet peeves.It makes it very difficult to read.Also you should learn to use commas and conjunctions.Especially if you are asking premium money for a nearly 30 year old car.

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      The biggest problem is $10.5k for that quattro.
      BTW- there's a pearl 5000tq on BAT today.

      Reply
      1. engineerd Avatar
        engineerd

        I saw that, and drooled uncontrollably for about 10 minutes. Then I saw the rally-prepped urQuattro and ruined my entire cubicle.

        Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      I do page layout for a living, used to teach middle school computer classes, and grew up around a grandfather who was a vo-tech printing teacher, so I am horribly pedantic about punctuation, type styles and written grammar. My wife has forbidden me to point out such things in everyday life, so I have learned to suffer in silence.

      Reply
      1. engineerd Avatar
        engineerd

        'Nomi (do you mind if I call you that?), don't suffer in silence around me. Grammar seems to be going the way of the dodo.

        Reply
  16. krazykarguy Avatar
    krazykarguy

    Not so much a typo, but definitely my biggest pet peeve on all of craigslist:
    TIRES FOR SALE, but the tire size ISN'T LISTED ANYWHERE IN THE AD. One blurry picture of a set of tires covered in snow, too.
    Surely you're aware of the fact that tires come in dozens of different sizes, right?
    Also, the lugnut count does not a bolt pattern make.

    Reply
    1. Preludacris Avatar
      Preludacris

      It's always either:
      15" tires, 4 lug
      or
      4×100 tires
      Both of which are patently annoying when you're looking for, say, 205/50r15 tires in good condition mounted on 4×100 wheels 7" wide with an offset of +35mm.

      Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      On Craigslist, it seems that ATV owners are oblivious to the fact that they are listing their ad in the motorcycle category. 90% of the time when I click on an ad with a totally vague title such as "Honda 250" or "Yamaha 400," it is for a stinkin' 4-wheeler.

      Reply
    3. lincoln Avatar
      lincoln

      50% thread left.

      Reply
  17. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    BMW with a V-6 engine.

    Reply
    1. I Think Not Avatar
      I Think Not

      Ditto Jeeps of a certain vintage, or most classic cars from the 60s and older.
      On that note, why did the US ever get away from I6es? Six-in-a-row-means-go, you guys!

      Reply
      1. P161911 Avatar
        P161911

        The last US vehicle to come off the assembly line was the TrailBlazer (or one of the other brand GMT 360s) with the Atlas I-6. I'm really surprised GM didn't keep the Atlas I-6 around for trucks or SOMETHING.

        Reply
        1. I Think Not Avatar
          I Think Not

          Yes! It boggles my mind that the ancient cam-in-block 4.3L V6 lives on while the DOHC 4.2L Atlas has been relegated to junkyard status. Meanwhile, the one- and two-less cylinder versions of the Atlas live on
          Was it simply too expensive? Was it unreliable? I'll admit to not knowing a whole lot about that engine, since GM seems to want us to forget it ever happened.

          Reply
          1. P161911 Avatar
            P161911

            I think GM MIGHT be FINALLY replacing the old 4.3L V-6 in the 2014 full size pick-ups, at least they are claiming a "all new 4.3L V-6" on their website. My 2011 still has it. Since it has electric fans, I can stand between the radiator and the engine!
            My wife's 2004 Trailblazer has the Atlas I-6. It has been pretty reliable. It needed a water pump and fan at about 90k miles and then a alternator, thermostat, and temperature sensor at 120k

    2. Alva Avatar
      Alva

      Who's putting V6's in all the old mustangs?

      Reply
  18. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    Being the resident AMC nut, here's a few AMC specific ones.
    1. Someone selling a very nice, high end AMX or Javelin, then saying it's numbers matching. There is no such thing as numbers matching for an AMC- they didn't label their parts with the same level of detail as the other manufacturers, there is absolutely no way to know that the engine in an AMC is the exact engine it left the factory with.
    2. Someone selling a "big block" AMC 401. The 401 is not a big block- it is the same block as a 390, 360, and 304. No quicker way to tell everyone you have no idea whay you're selling.

    Reply
    1. Kris_01 Avatar
      Kris_01

      Yeah, that's like a "big-block" Pontiac. Same deal.

      Reply
    2. M44Power Avatar
      M44Power

      When you describe AMC that way, it makes them sound like the TVR of America.

      Reply
  19. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    Oh, also, anyone selling a clapped out POS then saying "would make a great rat rod!"

    Reply
  20. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Not so much a typo as a gap in logic. When did every POS that's been sitting in the pasture since Grandpa died become a "Rat Rod"?

    Reply
  21. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar
    Rust-MyEnemy

    I have noticed several basic syntax bollocks-ups creeping through from colloquial speech, just as "could have" or "could've" routinely get written or spoken as "could of", which grates somewhat. But the most recent I've found has been "the car as new tyres. It as been serviced recently. It as rich corinthian leather" etc.

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      I think that is a uniquely British problem, since we here in 'Merica know how to pronounce the letter h, so even the uneducated people who type by pronunciation get the h in there. We have plenty of other words that get screwed up, though.

      Reply
      1. smalleyxb122 Avatar
        smalleyxb122

        Could of, should of, and would of are not uniquely British. I see those frequently enough that they have surpassed their and you're to become my greatest grammatical peeve.

        Reply
        1. danleym Avatar
          danleym

          True. I was referencing dropping the h from the front of has. I should have (of?) been more specific.

          Reply
      2. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
        FuzzyPlushroom

        Except for 'erbs, which has a fucking 'H' in it.

        Reply
        1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
          Peter Tanshanomi

          Yet you kill them with "Herbicides."

          Reply
    2. craigsu Avatar
      craigsu

      Must be writing with a Cockney accent.

      Reply
  22. buzzboy7 Avatar
    buzzboy7

    Mostly happens on the Bay and Autotrader. When the seller hits the "Manual Transmission" option and it isn't. I don't want to know how many times I've been let down by that one or thought, "Somebody swapped a stick into a ____!"

    Reply
  23. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    I think the best I've seen was in last week's Craigslist Crapshoot, with the Great Heather and Anti-Brake System. I've also been most annoyed with the rather lax approach to punctuation most ads take.
    Finally, and this isn't technically a typo, I hate it when people use more than one exclamation points in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  24. POLAЯ Avatar
    POLAЯ

    Excuse me, but aren't you regeneratively braking for periods?
    <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7qP2h2_YVMk/UF4Ig4jsK3I/AAAAAAAAB8c/DcGYWOLDO6Q/s1600/Me+and+My+Grammarmobile.jpg"&gt;
    …I'd like to break her in between periods!

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      HeyNow!

      Reply
    2. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      You may want to find out what she means by "hybrid" first.

      Reply
      1. POLAЯ Avatar
        POLAЯ

        Wocka Wocka Wocka! I'll leave it to my imagination if she's a plug-in or if she just plugs in.

        Reply
        1. JayP2112 Avatar
          JayP2112

          I see a rising dipthong.

          Reply
          1. Alff Avatar
            Alff

            Are you suggesting she has a dangling participle?

          2. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar
            FuzzyPlushroom

            "…I thought to myself, don't get an erection, don't get an erection… but she did."

          3. POLAЯ Avatar
            POLAЯ

            She may have had a past participle, but props for the dangler.

    3. pwned88 Avatar
      pwned88

      Read the last line of your post, scrolled up from the bottom, building excitement, then was sorrily disappointed at the finish line 🙁

      Reply
  25. PotbellyJoe Avatar
    PotbellyJoe

    "New Breaks!" always makes me giggle, especially on ratty cars.
    I see it so often on eBay and Craigslist that I don't think it makes me cringe anymore.
    The only time it kills me now is when it is in an ad for a mechanic, "Break special, $99/axel" was one I saw last week on a sign.

    Reply
  26. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    Alpha Romeo……..hands down.

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      I'm surprised I didn't think of that. I always do secondary searches on "Alpha" and "Romero".

      Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      This is Alpha Romeo, come in Delta Niner, over?

      Reply
  27. I Think Not Avatar
    I Think Not

    For Sell:
    CONVERTABLE CAMERO Z28 IROCK! THIS BABY IS A CREAM PUFF. RARE V-6 AUTO MODLE (WITH MANUEL SHIFT). ONLY 155K THOU MILE. REBUILT SALVIDGE TITLE. NO ACCIDENTS. NEEDS SUM PAINT AND NEW T-TOP SEELS.
    RUNS GR8, DRIVES OUT GR8. NEEDS TRANNY. U CAN DRIVE IT, BUT U GOT 2 DO THE GEARS BY HAND, AND IT DON'T GO INTO 3OR4.
    PICKS NOT OF MY CAR, BUT IT COULD BE IF U PUT A LIL ELBOW GREASE N2 IT.
    ASKING $15,000 AND NOT ONE SENT LESS. NO LOWBALLERS, I KNOW WHAT I GOT.

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      Yeah, that's a good one, too. "I know what I got" usually translates to "I have no idea what the going rate is for this item, so I'm charging too much and you should feel priviledged to be buying it from me, so I'm also not going to negotiate on the price."

      Reply
      1. Devin Avatar
        Devin

        I know a guy who doesn't negotiate and prices his stuff high, but it's entirely because he actually doesn't want to sell it that much and but is advertising it to humor his wife.

        Reply
        1. topdeadcentre Avatar
          topdeadcentre

          Time for him to put his wife out on craigslist…

          Reply
          1. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            She's just listed in a different section…

          2. MVEilenstein Avatar
            MVEilenstein

            Barter, tools, or farm&garden?

  28. julkinen Avatar
    julkinen

    I found a Ford Raptor GREW CAP for sale.
    http://www.nettiauto.com/en/ford/f150/5314348

    Reply
    1. MVEilenstein Avatar
      MVEilenstein

      Comes with a stylish chapeau.

      Reply
  29. MVEilenstein Avatar
    MVEilenstein

    What auto ad typo makes me cringe the most?
    There are two many too list.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      That one bugs me to.

      Reply
  30. wisc47 Avatar
    wisc47

    Not really a typo, but it's annoying when a car is listed as having a manual transmission, then you look at the pictures and there is a distinct lack of clutch pedal. An automatic with a manual mode is not the same as an actual manual transmission.
    Edit: Also, this is what I think of when a car is advertised as having a custom "grill" instead of grille.
    <img src="http://www.bangitout.com/uploads/61frontgate.jpg"&gt;
    (not my photoshop)

    Reply
    1. M44Power Avatar
      M44Power

      It is even worse when car dealers list those as manuals. No third pedal = no manual transmission.

      Reply
  31. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    A 76' AMC Matador is one that is 76 feet long. Interesting if true, but I suspect it's probably instead a '76 Matador, which is to say from the 1976 model year. That just isn't the same.

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      [youtube _Zdyo4vJuCU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zdyo4vJuCU youtube]

      Reply
  32. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    I had completely forgotten about "Dooley".
    Semi-related would be "duel exhaust".

    Reply
    1. MVEilenstein Avatar
      MVEilenstein

      That's something that happens when you eat Indian food.

      Reply
    2. dead_elvis Avatar
      dead_elvis

      If you're buying a car in Southie, there's a decent chance you could be buying from a Dooley.
      It's also likely that you could buy some speakers or other good stuff that "fell off a truck" from those nice Irish boys.

      Reply
    3. faster,Tobias! Avatar
      faster,Tobias!

      Dual exhaust, unless your car and another car are back-firing at each other. Then it's a duel exhaust

      Reply
  33. MVEilenstein Avatar
    MVEilenstein

    Another one isn't really a typo, but simply incorrect information.
    Not long ago I heard an ad on the radio advertising brand-new, 2013 "Dodge Rams." You'd think a dealer selling brand new stock would know that Dodge Ram no longer exists.

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      I would cut them some slack on that one. Spinning Ram into its own brand was a stupid corporate decision. The customers still call the trucks Dodge Rams regardless of what the marketing guys say. The dealer is just tailoring his ads to be effective in reaching his target audience. I'm sure it is deliberate and that the dealer knows what he's doing.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        Apparently they learned nothing from the "Lincoln" Continental Mark II.

        Reply
        1. BlackIce_GTS Avatar
          BlackIce_GTS

          I think what they didn't learn from is the not-Chrysler Imperial (by Chrysler), and the Chrysler Maserati TC for Maserati by Chrysler.
          They didn't learn from the Lincoln? Continental either.

          Reply
          1. OA5599 Avatar
            OA5599

            Valiant was also a separate make prior to 1961.
            <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Ross_Cort%2C_Inc.%2C_392_Sunrise_Highway%2C_Rockville_Center%2CNY.jpg&quot; width=500>

  34. dropgate Avatar
    dropgate

    The two that drive me nuts are "For sell" and its cousin, "Must sale!".

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Even when they spell it correctly, it bugs me. Really, you MUST sell? Is someone holding a gun to your head? And by when—2025?
      I especially like seeing "must sell" in the same ad as "price firm." What if you don't get your price? If you really MUST sell, you'll need to take the best offer that comes along before the arrival of whatever personal cataclysm is forcing the sale.
      I once saw an ad for a bike that read "$1000 OBO…bike MUST be gone THIS WEEKEND!!!!" I called him and offered $650, which he immediately rejected with great indignation. Three or four weeks later, the very same ad appeared, minus the last sentence. Yea, that sale wasn't so crucial after all, was it?

      Reply
  35. racer139 Avatar
    racer139

    One that gets me and is very common is, MOTOR. It is fine if your selling an EV.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      An internal-combustion engine is a type of motor, so I don't see the problem. Just ask Ford Motor Company or General Motors. It would be confusing to find a siege engine described that way, although I suppose technically that's a motor, too.

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        The whole "motor oil" thing mucks it up, too. At least some people get it right.
        <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3311/3520345341_ea304f19bd.jpg"&gt;
        <img src="http://www.farmandhomesupply.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/8/588633-syngard-2-cycle-engine-oil.jpg&quot; width="360">

        Reply
        1. mdharrell Avatar
          mdharrell

          Oh, great, now you've opened the can of worms that is "two cycle" versus "two stroke."

          Reply
          1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            I'll have to do some research on that one. What Internet search motor should I use?

          2. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            I understand googol is big.

    2. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      I've given up the fight on that one.
      Everyone says motor. Is "engine" that hard to pronounce?

      Reply
    3. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Does that make me an enginecyclist?

      Reply
      1. Tiller188 Avatar
        Tiller188

        First thought: "Wouldn't an 'enginecyclist' be one who discriminates against Otto in favor of Diesel, or vice-versa?"
        Second thought: "Nah, an enginecyclist would probably discriminate against Otto AND Diesel in favor of Carnot, or maybe something unusual like Miller."
        Third thought: "…I should probably go to bed."

        Reply
        1. Vairship Avatar
          Vairship

          Herr Wankel, is that you?

          Reply
  36. krazykarguy Avatar
    krazykarguy

    Another one that just came to me (see this with relatively high frequency):
    "only 90,000k miles"
    So your car has 90,000,000 miles on it, then? Pretty good run you got there, but KBB puts the value of your car at $42. I'll give you $40.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      "Yes, I know what I said. I meant it, too."
      <img src="http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l571/AbbyHartig/DSCN0204.jpg&quot; width="450">
      "No, it's not for sale."

      Reply
  37. Tomsk Avatar
    Tomsk

    Anyone who touts a diesel car or truck's "great gas mileage" is technically correct, if only due to the fact IT DOESN'T USE ANY GAS.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      Oh, that's not true at all. Fill one with gas and it will use it, just not very much of it. It won't go far, either, so the mileage is terrible.

      Reply
    2. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      It's gasoline, not gas. Also in Polish gasoline implies it has benzine in it, grrrr…. It's the accelerator not gas pedal too!
      Oh a serious one, lots of cars sold with over drivers instead of OD.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        The problem is twofold: First, benzene, benzine, and benzyne are all real terms for three (at least three) different things with varying degrees of association with gasoline. Second, the spelling of those terms can vary between languages, introducing further ambiguity. It's a mess.

        Reply
        1. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
          mr. mzs zsm msz esq

          <img src="http://www.jeeparts.co.uk/Jeeparts/image.php?type=T&id=1224"&gt; Oh man, I think you already corrected me about benzene before, and I forgot already! Props to you!

          Reply
          1. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            I thought it had come up before. There are also problems with the definitions of "naphtha" and "paraffin" in various contexts. Oh, and "mineral oil." It's enough to make me appreciate the standardization efforts of IUPAC, which is not an easy thing for a mineralogist to admit.

  38. Plecostomus Avatar
    Plecostomus

    "Camero". It's fucking written on the car, asshole, do you fucking see an "E" in there?
    Back in the day I worked for a Camaro restoration parts supplier, and one day this guy calls up complaining we sent him badges with the wrong letters – which is impossible unless someone somehow made dies… but i digress- He insisted we'd sent him a capital "E". It was a fourth gen Camaro. I politely informed him, "Sir, that is the letter M, you are holding it sideways. You have the correct letters to spell Camaro. Check it against the imprint on your bumper." He sheepishly got off the phone after that.

    Reply
    1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      That is fantastic

      Reply
  39. POLAЯ Avatar
    POLAЯ

    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/rTniw.png"&gt;

    Reply
    1. dogma Avatar
      dogma

      OK, that's just hilarious right there. I tell you what.

      Reply
  40. labcoatguy Avatar
    labcoatguy

    On top of the other obvious misspellings, "Infinity" when not referring to the speakers is just a sign of laziness; it's on the friggin car for crying out loud. The most headscratching one I've seen so far is "Jaquar". WTF?

    Reply
  41. M44Power Avatar
    M44Power

    How about all the Jeep Loredos on CL?

    Reply
  42. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    As a Dutchman living in Brazil and involved with several languages, among them Portuguese, Dutch, German, English, Spanish and French, I do feel lucky to express myself even knowing that I'll get some of my orthography screwed up. So who am I to judge other people on their skills of mastering the words?

    Reply
    1. jeepjeff Avatar
      jeepjeff

      Your English is fantastic. Were it not for your own admission (and the hint in your nickname), I might not have been able to tell.
      But one of the joys in being mono-lingual in English is being able to sneer at people who cannot properly learn your crazy language, even though you've never been able to learn theirs… Although, I try to keep my glaring to people who are obviously native speakers (it can be easy to spot; non-native speakers make a different set of mistakes from native speakers).

      Reply
      1. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
        BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

        Thanks for your kind words, I was lucky to have had a proper education in The Netherlands before left of to Brazil.

        Reply
  43. Slow_Joe_Crow Avatar
    Slow_Joe_Crow

    I dislike all typos but the one that sticks my mind is the local classified paper in the 80s whose typist always fitted every 4×4 with a wench instead of a winch.

    Reply
    1. vwminispeedster Avatar
      vwminispeedster

      maybe they were targeting a certain demographic? Pirate 4×4?

      Reply
      1. dead_elvis Avatar
        dead_elvis

        Weird, since those guys have their own classifieds.
        http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/4-classifieds/

        Reply
      2. Slow_Joe_Crow Avatar
        Slow_Joe_Crow

        While the idea that it was "like a pirate" is very funny, the reality is that it was the Pennysaver in Westchester and Putnam counties in NY and it predated the WWW.

        Reply
  44. BlackIce_GTS Avatar
    BlackIce_GTS

    Not an automotive specific example, but 'walla'.
    As in 'jest put in a new starter moter and walla!'
    (stab stab stab)

    Reply
    1. smalleyxb122 Avatar
      smalleyxb122

      I had to read that with several different inflections before I was able to discern that “walla” was the pseudo-phonetic spelling of voilà. I had never seen “walla” in print, but Google bears out that it is, in fact, a common, if incorrect, spelling of the bastardized pronunciation of voilà. Yikes!

      Reply
    2. dead_elvis Avatar
      dead_elvis

      Likewise, "viola".
      Although I suppose they're easier to stash than a cello.

      Reply
  45. mallthus Avatar
    mallthus

    I've got a host, but this is my current favorite.
    <img src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x463/rmendell/wangler_zps9075b5d6.jpg&quot; width=600>

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Plus, random capitalization FTW!

      Reply
  46. mallthus Avatar
    mallthus

    Here are a smattering of other impressive missteps.
    <img src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x463/rmendell/disel_zpsfa454a1e.jpg&quot; width=600>
    <img src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x463/rmendell/manuel_1_zps1d44df0b.jpg&quot; width=600>
    <img src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x463/rmendell/manuel_2_zps9bbe1cf5.jpg&quot; width=600>
    <img src="http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x463/rmendell/v6_nonsense_zpseaffa554.jpg&quot; width=600>

    Reply
    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      That Z3 comes with 18 wheels and tires though, you'll be set for decades to come!

      Reply
  47. gessvt Avatar
    gessvt

    Use of the word "rims": seller is likely a teenaged, in-car fast food consuming, maintenance deferring miscreant.
    2 or more lines about the sound system: see above.

    Reply
  48. clunkerlove Avatar
    clunkerlove

    The ad might say "I put fresh gas in it and VIOLA it started right up!". Here's a viola:
    <img src="http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/CulturalService/MusicOffice/intro_music/western/viola/viola.jpg"&gt;
    The correct spelling is VOILA. Anyone who has done this, go sit in the corner.

    Reply
    1. MVEilenstein Avatar
      MVEilenstein

      Fun fact: I played the viola from 6th grade – college. Beautiful instrument.

      Reply
    2. jeepjeff Avatar
      jeepjeff

      Are you sure it isn't spelled "walla"? /////

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        That's just one more thing for people to wine about, again and again:
        <img src="http://corkwineshop.com/images/ViolaSangio.WWValleyBACK.jpg&quot; width="350">

        Reply
    3. Devin Avatar
      Devin

      You don't play viola before starting your car?

      Reply
      1. OA5599 Avatar
        OA5599

        Sometimes I need to fiddle with the wires to get it to start.

        Reply
        1. Vairship Avatar
          Vairship

          I keep pulling strings to get it fixed.

          Reply
  49. RL Elliott Avatar
    RL Elliott

    @gessvt:
    You beat me to it!! Using "rims" to describe wheels is irritating! 🙂

    Reply
  50. blanks Avatar
    blanks

    This Subaru Legacy apparently features a 42.5 L engine. I wonder what kind of mileage it gets?
    (Under Second Picture)
    http://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/3599541726.html

    Reply
  51. Mad_Hungarian Avatar
    Mad_Hungarian

    This is too easy . . .
    "Overtow Package"? http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3533404219.htm…
    A VW "Beatle": http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3591666976.htm…
    This truck needs a "tail gait": http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3599325773.htm…
    It's "turnt up a lil"; I can't even figure out what he means: http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3596740577.htm…
    a pair of "vechile" ramps: http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3595639563.htm…
    This seller wants "$8,000 or BOB" — Hey Bob, come here a minute . . . http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3549020963.htm…

    Reply
    1. Mad_Hungarian Avatar
      Mad_Hungarian

      Oh, and this one has a common typo, about how the windows will "role" down when put back on track, but that's not the best part. The best part is "Must Sell Because I'm Going Into The Military And Need To Get Two Tats Removed ": http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/3569015384.htm…
      How did this dude end up with a Grand Marquis, official car of the AARP. . . .

      Reply
    2. dead_elvis Avatar
      dead_elvis

      I want to punch all of these CL posters in the grundle.

      Reply