Complete guide on how to buy a van

Whether you’re buying a van to carry personal items such as bikes or surfboards, or you are planning to use it for commercial use – we are here to help you with our van-buying guide that details things you should consider before making the purchase.
We have divided the van-buying process into four key stages: • Deciding between a new or a used van • Which features do you need in a van • Inspecting the van before buying it • Paying for and collecting the van Jump to the section you want to find out more about or keep reading to learn more about all four stages.

The first thing you should think about is whether you want a brand-new or a used van. Your costs and the van-buying journey will look slightly different depending upon whether you decide to buy a new or a used van.

New vans

With a brand-new van, you get what it says on the tin – you can buy the van with complete peace of mind that the van will offer everything that has been advertised, assured with the manufacturer’s guarantee. You can also buy exactly what you are looking for with the optional extras you need, so no compromising on the length or the fuel options. Maintenance costs too, tend to be less than that of a used van. But of course, all this comes at a hefty price. A new van can range from anything between £12,000 to prices going up to as much as £100,000 for the most premium vans on the market. If you do want a new van without spending thousands of pounds upfront, you can buy a van on finance or lease a van. We provide more information on this below so keep reading.

Used vans

Used vans may not look as bright and shiny as a new van (although this depends on how well they have been looked after), but they can still do what what you need a van to do. Primarily, the price of a used van will be much lower than buying the same van new. And just because they are cheaper does not make them any less effective or capable. A used van does not depreciate as much as a new van, because vehicles tend to lose their value the most in the first few years, so you will not lose as much value if you decide to sell the used van later. And you can buy used vans on finance too, so you do not have to pay in full upfront. One disadvantage is that you will have to inspect the van carefully and make sure it runs well, and you may not be able to get an exact version of what you are looking for so you might have to compromise on some features.

Once you have made up your mind about whether you want a new or a used van, the next step is to decide which features are essential for your van.

Van size and height

In the same way you don’t need to buy a sledgehammer to put up a couple of picture hooks, there is no point getting a huge 4-tonne van if all you need to carry around is a few tools. A bigger van will be less efficient, costlier in terms of its lower fuel efficiency and harder to park when driving around town. Equally, if you absolutely must carry something big like heating equipment or a tank of water, check that you can fit it in whatever van you are looking at before you commit to a purchase. For example, you may need to make sure the van you are looking at has the space to accommodate any long ladders or particularly wide items. Van models often come in assorted sizes, so be certain which one you are looking at – do not get caught out by the attractive price of a short wheelbase model with the low roof if that extra few inches of height are crucial. When looking for vans on Auto Trader, we have lots of filters so that you can find exactly what you are looking for, example, you can search for long-wheelbase vans in-particular to find a van that fulfils your needs.

Van weight and payload

Weight is a crucial factor when buying a van. Driving an overweight vehicle is unsafe and illegal, so make sure the van has the necessary payload to cope with everything you need to carry. You should check the van’s Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) before buying it, to ensure it is enough to carry the passengers and cargo while fuelled up.

Towing

Another factor to consider is whether you will be towing goods or not. Since vans are light commercial vehicles, they can be used to tow goods and materials. Most petrol or diesel vans are capable of towing braked and unbraked trailers (always check the technical information on your van to find out for sure), however many electric vans are not allowed to tow any trailers. If you do need to use your van for towing, take into consideration the size of the trailer the van can tow and how heavy the goods being towed are. The van’s brakes also impact your towing capabilities. You should check the van’s brakes, especially if you are towing an unbraked trailer. The type of van can also play a part in towing so a rear-wheel-drive might be a better option for you if you tow regularly.

Optional extras for your van

Although the added extras might be less of a deal breaker if you are buying a van rather than a car, decide whether there are any things you cannot live without. Do you need side-opening doors? Is colour important for your company branding? Will you be making lots of calls in the cabin and need Bluetooth? Latest safety technologies such as Speed Assistance, reversing cameras, Drowsiness and distraction monitors and Autonomous Emergency Braking are becoming more common in vans, so you may want these features in your van. Many new vans (around 50% in the case of some models) are sold to big fleets that have no need for luxuries, so there will be plenty of sparsely equipped models on the market. There are vans out there that are packed with accessories, extra equipment and creature comforts, but they might cost a little bit more. Decide what matters and narrow down the shortlist.

Van fuel type

Once you have shortlisted the van you would like to drive, one of the deciding factors could be the van’s fuel type. These days, there are plenty of options available for electric, hybrid, petrol, and diesel vans. Your running costs will depend upon the van’s fuel type. If you regularly drive in and out of ULEZ, LEZ, Clean-air zones or London’s Congestion charge zone, the fuel-type will be a crucial factor in your running costs. There are also various grants available for those looking to switch to an electric vehicle which you may want to utilise when buying your next van.

Running costs

Before you commit to a van, consider how much it is going to cost you to run. Besides the initial cost of buying the van, you will need to spend some money on taxing it, insuring it, re-fuelling the van, servicing, and maintenance of the vehicle, and finally selling it once you are ready to acquire another vehicle.

After all your research and reading into which van is the best for you, you have narrowed it down to specific make models that fulfil your needs. The next step is to inspect the van, and this is especially important if you are buying a used van. Here are a few straightforward ways to test the van and give you peace of mind you are getting a good deal:

Test drive the van

You may want to test drive the van to get an idea of the look and feel of the van. Or you may be happy with just watching some videos and reading our expert reviews – the choice is yours. If you do decide to test drive the van, make sure you check all the basic functions, especially when test driving a used van. Does it accelerate in a straight line without pulling to one side? It should brake smoothly – not doing so could be a sign of uneven tyre wear. Is the steering firm and responsive? If not, it could be a sign of incorrect tyre pressure, or something more serious.It is worth taking the test drive over a known route so you can concentrate on the vehicle rather than where you are going, and so you can make sure the odometer is accurate.

Check how the van has been used before

The way that a van has been used could have a significant impact on how much life it has left in it. Ask the dealership or the previous owner how the van has been used before. Check the van’s suspension system for signs of wear. If it looks more worn out than usual, it may be that the van’s carried a lot of heavy loads in the past which may have strained the vehicle. Pushing down on the corner of the vehicle to see whether it returns to its original position after one bounce is a basic check to see if there are any problems, while it is also worth listening out for any noises and noting any discrepancies with the ride on a test drive.

Inspect the exteriors of the van

While the bodywork may not be quite as important on a van as it is on a car, it may indicate the vehicle has been involved in an accident, so check for any signs of damage. Look out for signs of whether a tow bar has been fitted – there may be holes at the rear if it has been removed. Check for rust on the wings, sills, below the bumpers, and around the door and window frames. If you hear a cracking sound when you push gently on any rust, there may be greater problems beneath the surface.

Check the interiors of the van

Many companies or traders fit extras such as lining or racking in the loading bay of a van. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it can protect the body from getting scratched or dented, or offer you more storage options if it is still left in. However, many companies will reuse the interior fittings, so will remove it before they sell. This may well result in there being holes on the inside of the van’s loading bay – not a problem if you want to fit new racking, or are happy to ignore it, but something to be aware of. In the cabin, check the seatbelts, locks, heater, and windows all work correctly. If there is air conditioning then test it on all levels, and make sure that there are no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel.

Check the tyres of the van

Tyres are a crucial element of the van and contribute to the van’s performance. Before buying the van, ensure that the tyres are the correct ones for the van. Some vans may need commercial tyres if the van is designed to carry heavy cargo. It’s also worth checking that the tread depth is legal – it must be more than 1.6mm in the UK – and that there are no bulges or tears on the sidewalls, or signs of uneven wear. Do not forget to check the spare, too.

Engine of the van

Start the engine from cold and look out for any excessive clouds of smoke from the exhaust and listen for any odd noises. You could also consider getting a vehicle inspection if you think you need a specialist’s help. This might seem expensive, but it could save you a small fortune if an inspector finds a serious mechanical issue that you would not have picked up yourself. If it is a Euro 6 diesel (the V5 document will tell you whether it is or not) then check the AdBlue levels are correct.

Insurance

Before you head out on a test drive, make sure you are insured to do so. If you are buying from a dealer then this should not be a problem, although they may want to take a copy of your driving licence. If you are buying privately then the onus is on you to make sure you are covered. This may require you to take out a temporary policy, or you could be covered by your existing policy. If you need a new van insurance policy, then shop around on price comparison websites that will be able to find the best deal on the market.

Service history

Ask for the van's service history so that you know how well-maintained the van is. You can check the van’s service history by checking the van’s logbook. You can also ask to see the van’s service book which contains information about all the services and repairs the van’s been through in the past. On Auto Trader, you can get a vehicle check to make sure the vehicle is not stolen and that the mileage on the clock is genuine. Vehicle Check provides you with a 26-point independent report about the van so you can buy the van with full peace of mind.

The final step before you can drive your van back home is to decide how you are going to pay for the van and arrange delivery or the collection date with the seller.

Paperwork for the van

Once you know which van you are going to buy, you will have to arrange the paperwork for it. The seller may ask for a few documents before handing over the van such as your driving licence, your details such as name and address, and insurance and tax documents.

Paying for the van

Agree on a price for the van with the seller and then consider all your options for how you are going to pay for the van. You could buy the van outright or pay in instalments by buying the van on finance. You could get the van on finance by either getting it on a hire purchase or by leasing the van.

Delivery or collection of the van

Once you are happy with the van, and have all the finances arranged for it, you should sort out a time to either collect the van from the seller or have it delivered to you if possible. Make sure that you fill in the V5 document to change the registration details and arrange tax and insurance before you pick up your new van.

Now that you are geared up with all the information you need for buying a van, head to Auto Trader and browse from the thousands of new and used vans available to drive away today