Car forecourts compete on visibility. The driver passing at 30mph has half a second to clock a banner and another second to read the offer. The banner has to be larger, bolder and clearer than what works for a high street shop.
We print for independent dealerships and used car forecourts across London. This guide covers what holds up on a windy forecourt, what copy converts, and the timing around plate change weekends.
Forecourt banners need to be bigger than shop banners. Use 8ft x 4ft as the minimum size for kerb visibility, 510gsm PVC for general use, mesh for fence-line banners over 8ft x 4ft. Big numerical offers (£0 DEPOSIT, 0% APR, £99 A MONTH) outperform brand-only banners.
Forecourt scale: bigger than you think
Forecourt banners need to read from a moving car at 30mph. That requires text at minimum 20cm tall for headline copy and 12cm for supporting. On an 8ft x 4ft banner that allows for three lines of substantial copy.
If your forecourt is on a 50mph road (A3, A4, A24 stretches), step up to 10ft x 5ft or run a row of three 8ft x 4ft banners side by side. The size difference between 5ft x 3ft and 8ft x 4ft costs about £30 and transforms the reach.
Used car forecourts gain from rotating featured-vehicle banners weekly. The salesperson on duty knows which vehicle is the strongest deal in stock, and a same-day banner refresh featuring that car can lift conversation rate on the forecourt before the unit is sold and the next banner goes up.
Plate change banner strategy
March and September plate changes are the year's biggest dealership moments. Get banners on the forecourt three weeks before the plate change date and refresh weekly with new headline offers as stock moves.
Plate change copy works best in a tier: NEW 26 PLATES IN STOCK. £0 DEPOSIT. 0% APR. The plate number in the headline pulls drivers who are already in plate-change mindset.
March vs September strategy
March is the bigger plate-change moment in terms of registrations, but September is more profitable for many independents because supply is constrained. Plan banner spend at 60/40 between the two if budget is fixed.
Finance and offer banners
Finance banners need to be FCA-compliant. APR, total amount payable, term, and representative example must be on any banner advertising finance offers. The compliance text is small but mandatory.
Build a banner template with the compliance text in a 5cm strip at the bottom. The headline (£99 A MONTH, 0% APR) sits big in the top half. The compliance details sit small in the bottom strip. This satisfies the regulator and the marketing brief.
Banners that read from a moving car at 30mph need text 20cm tall minimum. Anything smaller is wasted print.
Vehicle-specific banners
When a specific vehicle is the lead offer (NEW BMW 3 SERIES, USED RANGE ROVER, EV STOCK CLEAR), use a photo on the banner. A hero photo of the model at 70% of the banner area with the offer at 30% reads better than text alone.
Manufacturer-supplied photography is usually high resolution and approved for dealer use. Always check brand guidelines before using OEM imagery on a forecourt banner.
Forecourt banner specs
| Position | Size | Material | Refresh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerb facing road | 8ft x 4ft | 510gsm PVC or mesh | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Fence line side | 8ft x 4ft per panel | Mesh PVC | Quarterly |
| Showroom door | 5ft x 3ft | 510gsm PVC | Quarterly |
| Plate change push | 10ft x 5ft | Mesh PVC | Weekly during plate month |
Banner positions around the forecourt
Three placements matter. The front kerb facing oncoming traffic. The fence line catching drivers approaching from either direction. The hero banner above the showroom door for customers already on the forecourt.
Most dealerships under-banner the kerb because the kerb feels like council space. It is yours up to the boundary line and the kerb banner is the highest-impact piece of signage in the operation.
Banners that fade or curl signal a tired forecourt. Buyers walk.
Material and weather for forecourts
510gsm PVC for general forecourt banners. Mesh PVC for any banner above 8ft x 4ft on a fence-line where wind load matters. Hem and brass eyelet every 50cm as standard.
Reprint cycle: refresh the headline banner every six to eight weeks during normal trading, weekly during plate change months. Banners that fade or curl signal a tired forecourt and buyers walk.
Service department and aftersales banners
Used car sales get most of the banner budget, but service and aftersales banners convert higher-margin work. MOT FROM £45, FULL SERVICE FROM £180, BRAKE CHECK FREE on a banner facing the service entrance pulls book-ins that would otherwise drift to the nearest Kwik Fit.
Pair the service banner with a finance offer for the workshop spend: SPREAD SERVICE COSTS OVER 6 MONTHS. The same finance compliance copy applies as on a vehicle finance banner. Build a single compliant template and run it across all service push banners.
Ready to Get Your Banner Printed?
We print plate change campaigns and vehicle-specific banners for dealerships across London with same day turnaround when stock moves faster than expected.
Call 020 3669 9854 or WhatsApp +44 7376 464869 with your forecourt dimensions and lead offer, or visit Shop 395 Tildesley Road, Putney Heath, with your campaign artwork.
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