How to Buy a Used Van with Apex Van Solutions
Your van is more than just a box on wheels. It’s your workhorse that’s also your office, means of transport and, with good sign-writing, your mobile billboard.
Your next used van needs to be dependable, economical and enduring.
At Apex Van Solutions we understand it can be daunting if you’re looking to buy a van for the first time, especially when there are so many different vans available for different needs. We’ve put together this quick guide to help you decide which van is right for your business and what to look out for.
Our experienced sales team at Reading is ready to answer any queries you might have.
Breaking the Code:
What does H1, H2 and H3 stand for?
H1, H2 and H3 are the different heights that vans come in. H1 is the shortest, H3 is the tallest.
What does L1, L2 and L3 stand for?
L1, L2 and L3 are the different lengths that vans come in. L1 is the shortest, L3 is the longest.
What does SWB and LWB stand for?
SWB stands for short wheelbase, and LWB stands for long wheelbase. Long wheelbase versions will provide more loadspace.
Types Of Van
Vans can come in a variety of different shapes and sizes to serve a whole host of different purposes.
Panel van: a standard van with two/three seats in the front and a rear cargo area usually separated by a bulkhead
Crew cab/double cab/combi: two rows of seats and a rear cargo area usually separated by a bulkhead
Box van: a pre-converted chassis cab fitted with a large cube-shaped load area - often fitted with a tail lift
Luton van: a large load area that stretches over the cabin - often fitted with a tail lift
Lo-loader: a type of box-van that electronically lowers itself near to the ground for easy loading
Chassis single cab: a cab with a single row of seats, bulkhead and open chassis ready for conversion
Chassis double cab: a cab with two rows of seats, bulkhead and open chassis ready for conversion
Dropside: a cab with an open cargo area with the side and tailboards hinged along the lower edge, pivoting down below floor level for loading
Tipper: like a Dropside but equipped with an under-floor tipping system that allows you to tip the vehicle body to unload heavy loads at the rear of the vehicle
Minibus: entire load area is taken up with seats and has side windows
One size doesn’t fit all.
If you are planning on transporting multiple snooker tables at once then a small car-derived van won’t be the solution. Likewise, if you’re a computer repair business, you wouldn’t need a Luton bodied van to collect a laptop.
Having a van that is bigger than you need can negatively impact your business running costs. Not only will a larger van cost more to buy, but they cost more to run and service. You need to consider what loads you will be regularly carrying and if you need a small, medium or large van.
Many vans defined as small are usually a lot bigger than you’d think and often available with a variety of roof heights and extended wheelbases.
Watching Your Weight.
There are two acronyms you need to be familiar with as a van owner. Ignoring these figures and carrying too much load and being overweight can result in fines and penalty points added to your licence.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the maximum allowed weight of the vehicle taking into account the driver, passengers, cargo, fuel and fluids such as oil and coolant.
Overloading your van isn’t just illegal, it can also cause expensive damage to your van’s mechanicals. Brakes, suspension and steering components are only engineered to transport a specific amount, go over that and parts will not be able to cope.
In general, don’t buy a van that will only take with what you determine to be the average payload of your business. Aim higher and look for a van that can carry the maximum weight you could possibly need, that way you’ll be covered for regular jobs as well as any others that take up more room and weight than normal!
If you’re not sure if the van you are looking at will be suitable to carry your regular loads, contact the Apex Van team.
Adding Up The Costs
Ensuring that you choose the right size and weight of van for your business needs will certainly help in keeping your running costs down.
The van’s reliability is also a considerable factor, as if its off the road for repairs or with an issue it will cost your business in more ways than one. Not only will you have a bill to settle at the garage but you’ll be losing on income if your business can’t be on the road.
Before you purchase your van, you should ensure it has been fully inspected, and with Apex Van Solutions, all our vans undergo a multi-point inspection before going on sale.
Power-fuel
In more recent years, diesel was the popular choice for van engines. However, as technology for alternative fuels has increased, more vans have been sold either as a plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle which means more of these vans are now available in the used market.
Many all-electric vans have a full-charge range above and beyond your average daily mileage, but range anxiety is still common. There are a number of digital tools and apps available that can help you calculate your daily milage, and help plotting routes with charge points, so you can plan this into your working day. You might be looking towards a used all-electric van as you work in an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and all-electric vans are exempt from daily charges.
If you’d like to know more about a used electric van, please contact the Apex Van team.
All Aboard
Most medium and large vans have three seats in the front, for the driver plus two passengers. Car-derived vans usually only have two as standard.
Smaller vans tend to have two standards seats in the cab but sometimes they have a dual passenger seat. A number of popular vans are available as a “combi”, “crew-cab” or “double-cab in-van” layouts, so they have an extra row of seats as well as a cargo area.
If the amount of passengers your van will carry is a vital part of your business, then ensure it has the right number of seats before you buy – if you can’t see it in the vehicle description or in the pictures, please contact the Apex Van sales team who will be happy to confirm!
With so much choice of second hand vans, Apex Van is the best place to start looking for your next used van. Get the best prices and widest choice on quality commercial vehicles from our showroom in Reading, Berkshire.