Top tips for getting the best price when selling your vans

When running your fleet of vans it is incredibly important to take into account the wholelife costs, incorporating front-end price, daily running costs and money you receive when selling your vans. Vansdirect gives you tips for maximising the final value of your fleet of vans!

Here are our top tips!

Purchase standard-sized vans

This doesn't mean that you need to purchase a fleet of medium vans, however new vans come in a variety of shapes and sizes and if you desire a van with a very specific set of requirements (for example a 5.5-tonne Curtainsider) then you may struggle to sell it for the value you believe it is worth, as it would not only require a tachograph but the buyer would also require a special O-licence. Not to mention that they may not wish for the Curtainsider body for their requirements. We advise to stick to the more standard options if possible, with panel vans at a GVW of 3.5-tonnes or below as this will stand you in better steed when it comes to selling.

Avoid unusual colours

Certain colours are far less popular than others when you're looking for a buyer for your van. White is the obvious colour to choose, giving a blank option for any signwriting or livery. You may be better advised to avoid the oranges and greens of this world as they may pose a challenge when it comes to selling.

Select options meticulously

Technology and standard van features have advanced over the years, so you'd be wise not to turn up your nose at features including air conditioning and alloy wheels as they can add to saleability at auction time. Base level vans may struggle to stand out from the crowd, with buyers often opting for a van with some added extras.

Maintain your vans

This may seem obvious and self-explanatory, however a staggering 50% of vans fail the first MoT! Regular maintenance is incredibly important at selling time, it is also important to have proof of this maintenance, get receipts on headed paper and a stamp in the van's logbook.

Ply-line your vans

Ply-lining your vans is incredibly important in maintaining the condition of your van's load area, keeping the area like new when you are looking it sell the van. You can purchase a ply-lined van from Vansdirect, with all of our vans having the option of this feature being added to the new van order.

Decide whether to repair or not

It is recommended as a general rule of thumb that if the repair to your old van costs in excess of £500 then it may not be worth repairing it before you sell it. You can repair small scratches and scrapes, but large bits of rust may be best leaving to the next buyer.

Go to a van auction

Van auctions are excellent places to sell your unwanted vans, whilst if you have fleets of vans for sale, big auction companies will offer the services of an expert to help with a variety of queries, including when is best to put your vans up for sale, how much to ask for them and whether it would be worth your while making minor repairs or not.

Give the vans a proper clean

Giving all of your fleet of vans a full valet may prove costly at the time of sale, however you're likely to more than recoup that money at the time of sale. Some vans aren't presented particularly well at auctions and a full valet or clean can give yours the edge.

Look at alternative ways to sell your van

Van auctions aren't for everyone and there are a number of other ways to sell your vans including on websites such as webuyanyvan.com, it's worth doing your research first and finding out exactly how much the vans you are selling are worth, then comparing.

New vans on finance

At Vansdirect we don't offer a service where you can sell your van, however we do have a massive range of brand new vans for sale, with cheap van finance options including van leasing, contract hire and hire purchase. Looking for a new van? Why not check out our Super Spring SaleOr enquire online for a free no obligation quote on any of our new vans, alternatively call us on 0800 169 69 95, we also offer cars!