Brutally honest Largo car dealership ad goes viral
LARGO, Fla. - A Largo car dealership is getting nationwide attention. It's all because of an ad that's gone viral on Facebook. Their write-up gives a brutally honest description of an old car that they were having trouble getting off the lot.
There might be some car dealers that would try to cover up a car's faults. But, Journee Autos took the opposite route when they were looking to sell a rusty, 14-year-old, 200,000-mile car.
"We had an ad for it," said salesman Shelmar Roseman. "Someone wrote the ad. It wasn't really generating what the people wanted to see when they came out and looked at it."
Roseman decided to log on to Facebook with his humor, honesty and his not-so-PG description of the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero.
"I wanted to give them a description where they got what they expected from it," Roseman said. "So, you see what you get, there's no hidden surprises, it's rusty, there's nothing I'm hiding from you, it is what it is."
The ad, which was posted on February 1, reads:
"PLEASEEEEEE READ CAREFULLY SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING
2002 OLDSMOBILE ALERO LOCATED AT JOURNEE AUTOS
Nothing special or pretty about this car.
200k miles
Rust on the side. I even zoomed in on the rust so you can see it. This car runs and drives. The air blows cold and it has a cd player. Thats it. Nothing more nothing less. Dont bring your a** down here saying it looks different in the pics or you didnt know it had that much rust. Im telling you right now. This b*** rusty. This s*** is $900 dollars. You're getting 900 dollars worth of car. No I do not have any wiggle room. You can wiggle yo a** down to another dealership. Dont ask me about the check engine light or this light or that light. Its 900 dollars. Its gone be some lights on in this m*********. As is. Dont bring this s*** back for nothing. It has 200k plus miles. You d*** right u gone find something wrong with it but as for now it cranks. Steers an drives.Blows cold a** air. An wont leave your pockets bare.This will get you from A to B. Just dont try to make it to C. An don't bring that b**** back to me. This car will last you at least ALL SPRING '17"
Within 24 hours, the car was sold. And the ad went viral. It's been shared more than 30,000 times. Roseman has gotten calls from Chicago, Wisconsin, Mississippi, even a Long Island radio show.
"It was an easy sell once they knew what they were getting," Roseman said.
"It was funny," said Manager Adam Levan. "Maybe a bit unprofessional but it was funny and everybody liked it so that's what matters."
The Largo car dealership is now enjoying its 15 minutes of fame and the extra traffic it's brought to the lot.
"We're gonna be honest with you," Levan said.
They want customers to know they sell a lot more than 2002 Aleros. But, rest assured, the descriptions are just as entertaining.
"We have Trailblazers, we have PT Cruisers," proclaimed Roseman, "We have got stuff for the older crowd, Lincoln Towncars; we got old police-looking cars, we got the 'I don't want a station wagon but I'll take this because it looks cool'."
They're also planning a promotional event in the future where they'll be giving away a free car.