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To spec or not to spec that van
BCA offers business van users top tips on getting the best price when it comes to resale
C
M
»»BCA, THE UK AND EUROPE’S
largest used vehicle marketplace
is offering the thousands of small
enterprises that use vans some useful
advice on what to consider when buying
their next vehicle.
“The LCV market so far in 2016 has
generally been confident with average
values up significantly from those
recorded last year, as high levels of
demand continue”, said BCA’s LCV
Operations Director, Duncan Ward.
“This has largely been driven by the
construction and civil engineering
industries, as well as the courier and
online delivery sectors. But despite this
confidence, it’s important for businesses
to recognise that there are some key
factors when buying that will have an
influence when they come to sell.
“A van is a working tool, so getting the
right specification for the job is a given,
But, equally, getting the right added
extras will make any van more attractive
to used buyers a few years down the line
when it is time to sell because generally
a better specification will make a van
more desirable and saleable with
higher-spec vehicles often selling more
quickly, improving cash-flow for the
seller.
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“The auction buyer will seek out the
best vehicle they can buy with the budget
they’ve got. So if a van with two side
loading doors, a bulkhead and aircon is
on offer that will be the one they bid for,
if all the other vans available are basic
models.”
Interior ply-lining is one of the best
value extras for any van buyer. It’s
expected by buyers and, importantly, it
protects valuable company vehicles from
‘inside-out’ damage that is likely to occur
day-to-day. Value-wise ply-lining might
add £100, but the real benefit is that the
van is much more likely to be in a more
saleable condition after three or four
years’ hard work.
Side-loading doors are another key
consideration for buyers. And these
are just as essential for smaller vans as
they are for the larger one tonne and 3.5
tonne vehicles. BCA believes that, at the
very least a van should include a single
nearside sliding door, but two side-loading
doors will be particularly appealing for
businesses whose drivers are going to
work in tight, urban conditions. Potential
value in the used market can increase by
around £150 for a single and £250 for two
side-loading doors, depending on the
vehicle.
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Factory-fitted satnav does not, however,
make a huge difference to the selling price
because most mobile and smart phones
now offer this facility. Similarly, in-van
entertainment and blue-tooth connectivity
may only add a marginal increase of £50
at resale. Parking sensors for the 3.5 tonne
market where low-speed reversing damage
is more common might also add £50.
Still inside the cab, air-conditioning
is highly valued when combined with
a bulkhead, otherwise all that cool air
dissipates into the load area and simply
burns money. Similarly, if a van is being
used for start-stop urban deliveries
air-conditioning is considered wasteful,
because the driver will be in and out of the
cab and not getting the benefit. However,
air-con is appealing for vans that do longer
distances or where the vehicle doubles as
the family transport at the weekends for a
tradesperson.
“We are currently seeing increasing
volumes of same make, base specification
stock in the current market” concluded
Duncan Ward. “So any business that has
something to offer that is a better than the
standard should do well when it comes to
selling.”
www.bca.co.uk