Hilarious Craigslist ad for 1999 Corolla is a work of art worthy of the Louvre Museum (2024)

Jason Hlavenka, a Houston resident, needed to sell his secondhand 1999 Corolla. He wasn’t a copywriter or salesman, so he jotted down a quick description for Craigslist. Unexpectedly, the ad went viral on social media—not because of the car, but due to the hilarious ad copy. People are calling it a masterpiece worthy of the “Copywriters Hall of Fame” or even the Louvre.

The ad gained traction on social media after Amanda Natividad shared it on X, where it garnered nearly 1 million views. Her husband had shared it with her. The ad opens with humor, stating, “You want a car that gets the job done? You want a car that's hassle-free? You want a car that literally no one will ever compliment you on? Well, look no further.”

The man then goes on to add another funny twist by talking about the car’s features in an almost blunt manner. “Let's talk about features. Bluetooth: nope. Sunroof: nope. Fancy wheels: nope. Rearview camera: nope...but it's got a transparent rear window and you have a f*****g neck that can turn.”

As the ad captures interest, it lists the car’s features in a comical yet reliable tone. “You could take the engine out of this car, drop it off the Golden Gate Bridge, fish it out of the water a thousand years later, put it in the trunk of the car, fill the gas tank up with Nutella, turn the key, and this puppy would f***ing start right up,” the ad read, adding, “This car will outlive you, it will outlive your children.”

After blending humor and reliability, the ad delivers punchy quips that had people laughing hard. “Things this car is old enough to do - Vote: yes. Rent a car: it is a car."

The writer then listed a bunch of “interesting facts” about his model. “This car's exterior color is gray, but its interior color is grey,” was one of these. The list was followed up by a made-up hilarious event. “When this car was unveiled at the 1998 Detroit Auto Show, it caused all 2,000 attendees to spontaneously yawn. The resulting abrupt change in air pressure inside the building caused a partial collapse of the roof. Four people died. The event is chronicled in the documentary ‘Bored to Death: The Story of the 1999 Toyota Corolla’."

The writer added that he had his “car fill out a Facebook survey,” the result of which goes like this. “Favorite food: spaghetti. Favorite TV show: Alf. Favorite band: tie between Bush and the Gin Blossoms."

But he also relayed the credibility of the model with a funny punch, “When I ran the CarFax for this car, I got back a single piece of paper that said, ‘It's a Corolla. It's fine.’"

The ad concluded with a witty ending, “Let's face the facts, this car isn't going to win any beauty contests, but neither are you. Stop lying to yourself and stop lying to your wife. This isn't the car you want, it's the car you deserve: The f*****g 1999 Toyota Corolla.” Along with the mind-blowing copy, he posted some pictures of the car showing its plush charcoal grey interiors and its silver-grey body.

According to Jalopnik, Jason first posted the car on eBay Motors, asking $2,500 for it. Finding no buyers, he said he decided to “try a different approach” on Craigslist. Initially, that didn’t work either, and he ended up selling it for $1,700 to someone via the for-sale sign on the car.His ad copy was also shared on X by @btredwing98. Seeing the popularity of the tweet, Jason started his own X account that goes by the handle @TheCorollaGuy. He has done this “so famous people” can reach out and offer to buy him new Corollas, he said.

Ad agencies often use techniques like “thinking outside the box” and “humor” to enhance their ad copy. However, Jason proved that “writing with a purpose” is unbeatable. Despite lacking formal writing skills, he nailed it because he wanted to sell his car. Jokes aside, people on the internet suggest he should consider writing Craigslist ads for a living.