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Buying a used business van

Should you buy a used van for your business? And how should you go about it? Matthew Tumbridge, the editor of Used Van Expert, is the guide before you buy.
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Buying a used business van: try an auction

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19 September 2007

Auctions are a good place to buy and sell your van
Buying a used business van: try an auction

By Matthew Tumbridge, editor of Used Van Expert

Buying a used van is not the same as buying a used car for business.

It presents more risks.

And vans deteriorate more quickly (because of how they are used not built).

But buying used vans, especially if nearly new, can make sense for small companies with correspondingly small fleets.

Without the buying power of larger fleet managers, obtaining worthwhile discounts on new vans can be difficult. So buying used is the best way for small fleets to achieve similar capital expenditure and depreciation savings.

The importance of ensuring your business provides reliable, safe vans for staff cannot be understated.

Overlook aesthetics at your peril, too: vans are a part of the company image and brand. Would you trust a catering company with a rusty van to provide the food for your event? Does a builder with dents in half his van’‚Äôs panels give off an image of being careful and thorough?

The major problem with buying used vans is that you cannot be certain how they have been used. Have they carried heavy loads and strained the engine? How many times has the suspension been hit when a driver threw it up onto a kerb to make a delivery?

Successfully buying used vans for business is not easy, but can be done. Follow these seven steps to avoid the pitfalls.

Seven steps to buying the right used van

  • Buy one- to 18-month old vans. Even aggressive drivers won‚Äôt have done too much damage in this time.
  • Try to find out what the van has been used for. Vans driven by owners or staff from small businesses are usually better looked-after than vans driven by employees of big businesses. Avoid ex-courier vans, builder‚Äôs vans, and large fleet vans.
  • Don’t buy privately or from small dealers as it is too time-consuming and quality varies too much.
  • Buy from good quality auctions (such as BCA), or the van rental companies that have massive stocks of nearly new, quality vans to dispose of.
  • Invest in breakdown recovery protection.
  • Don’t buy vans that have had sign-writing (even if it has been removed) as the paint work never looks professional even once you have new sign-writing.
  • Diarise the disposal date – and put the van into a reputable auction at a sensible reserve price to ensure a quick sale and return of your capital.

Further information

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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