WHETHER you are a multi-national conglomerate or a self employed carpenter, your choice of van is vital to the smooth running of your business.
The number of self employed people has skyrocketed in recent years, and making money day after day is the only way that most will stay solvent.
For companies that have a fleet of vans the requirements for them may be different than that of the builder or electrician, but there are still essential things that both need to consider to get the best from their commercial vehicle; here are the main things you should be thinking about when buying your next company workhorse.
Purpose
Your van will need to be fit for your purpose, and though it will probably be used for more than one single purpose, you still need it be most suitable for its main work.
Choosing a van that has a small, inefficient engine when you are travelling hundreds of miles a day would be a bad choice, as would not having two sliding doors, like on a workhorse such as the Fiat Scudo Van, when regularly delivering in crowded city streets.
Consider the main use of your van and make sure it is perfect for it.
Load Space
Load space is one of the most important ones to the self employed trader, but it is very easy to get this wrong. Buying or leasing a van that is too big will be more expensive, and the fuel you use to drive it from job to job or city to city will increase with the weight of it.
On the other hand, if you buy a van that is too small you could be making more trips to your customers to supply them or even having to hire a vehicle for big loads.
Fuel Economy
The importance of fuel economy cannot be understated, so consider this carefully.
A petrol engine may be more to your personal taste, but if you are trying to make a profit, the last thing you want is to have your wallet emptying with every trip you take.
Petrol engines may be much more efficient now, but if you want to keep fuel costs to a minimum, you will need a diesel; and with the Citroen Dispatch 125 HDi Enterprise able to do over 44 mpg, you can see that a commercial vehicle can give you great fuel economy.
After Sales
Without your van, you may not be able to work, so you will need an after sales service that helps you with this. With Green Apple Leasing and Davies Car Sales being a family run business we are always available to help support our customer. Most lease vehicles come with free breakdown cover and manufacturer’s warranty. That said Ford and VW rarely get anything going wrong with them. Please feel free to talk to us about your van requirements as we can source you ex demo low mileage vans to help you with your budget or brand new ones at very competitive prices.
Buying something like the Ford Transit Custom that has an extensive warranty to cut down on repair bills should be a major concern, as should ensuring that you get free servicing.
Its worth nothing that the short wheel base, low roof transit has been replaced by the Transit Custom and you can fit a piece of plasterboard flat between the wheel arches. You can’t do this on the older models but they have changed the internal dimensions now to accommodate this.
Comfort
If you are going to be spending hour after hour in your vehicle, it is seriously worth considering comfort.
Both the seating and ride in modern vans are much better than they were previously, but each one is different, so make sure you have a test drive to make sure you can travel in comfort.
Obviously, for those travelling on long journeys, the entertainment system needs to be suitable too; so make sure your sound system is up to the mark, or you could end up having to pay to have a good one fitted.
Your vehicle could be the lifeblood of your business, so choose wisely and keep the blood flowing.
Lease V Buy
There are pros and cons to all options when purchasing a vehicle. If you lease you get a brand new vehicle with manufacturer’s warranty and free breakdown. You will however get penalties for any bumps and scrapes you get along the way! You can claim 50% of your VAT back with a business lease and 100% of the service element.
If you buy the vehicle is yours. Often in the building trade etc a PCP (personal contract purchase) and HP (Hire purchase) can be advantageous because you don’t get the same penalties and you don’t have the same mileage restrictions. It’s simply a case of buying a vehicle that is low mileage and in good condition.
We have a small team dedicated to commercial vehicles and fleet management so don’t hesitate to ask us anything we will be glad to help you discover which option will best suit your needs and the needs of the business.
