Trying to sell a used car can be a pain.
The hassle of online classifieds, Facebook advertising and Craigslist can be a nightmare.
But one California filmmaker — nay, genius — is getting the last laugh. Max Lanman took his case to YouTube with all the makings of a real, professional car ad. Yes, he filmed a homemade ad for ... wait for it: his girlfriend's 1996 Honda Accord.
Set to a piano tune and relaxed narration, the ad boasts aerial shots of Lanman's girlfriend cruising California's coast with a coffee pot in the passenger seat and the couple's fuzzy white cat on her lap.
Lanman’s video details the car's 141,000-mile life and a starting price of $499.
We can keep telling you about it, but just watch it, because it's great:
Did you catch the fine print at the end?
"Cat and coffee pot not included."
"Drives like a dream."
"0% APR for qualified buyers with eBay accounts in good standing."
The ad, which quickly went viral, started in conjunction with an eBay listing for the old beater, also known as "Greenie." It reached $150,000 before the site canceled the auction, and then canceled a second one, believing it was a hoax, according to Lanman's YouTube page.
But after catching wind of the viral sensation, officials at used auto dealer CarMax showed off their lighthearted spirit and offered the now-engaged couple $20,000 for Greenie.
They accepted.
CarMax tweeted to Lanman: "Thanks to you, we picked up a glorious mid-'90s, mid-sized sedan + some pretty cool stuff. Next time you're selling a car, take the easy route and come to us first."
The tweet shows David Sloan, creative director for CarMax's ad agency McKinney, with some of the items offered in the fine print including the coffeemaker, a half-eaten sandwich and rear-window rubber duckies.
The viral ad still has people talking, with almost 6 million views since Nov. 2.
Follow Elissa Robinson on Twitter: @lissa218
