A guide to van sales in the UK

Whether you are buying or selling a van, there are a lot of places which you can visit. You can buy new and used vans from franchised dealers. Pre-owned vans can also be bought from and sold to car supermarkets, local used cars dealers or through the internet. The following is offered as a guide to vans sales in the UK.

Buying

Franchised dealers Most van manufacturers sell their commercial vehicles through their dealer network. This is true of companies like Ford and Vauxhall who sell their vans side by side with cars on the forecourt. Commercial van centres Other manufacturers like Volkswagen sell their commercial vehicles through specialised commercial van centres. Although they operate as part of the adjacent car dealership, they are housed within their own building and branded ‘Van Centre’ to distinguish them. Van only centres There are a growing number of van only centres across the country. These places stock and service vans for businesses of all sizes. They are not tied to any one manufacturer so, whether you are buying or selling, they are an ideal place to visit. Car supermarkets Car supermarkets like Cargiant in London or Fords of Winsford buy and sell commercial vans. These places are vast. They contain thousands of vehicles and offer good value to buyers. However, if you are selling a van, you normally realise more money by selling privately.

Selling

Classified adverts Advertising in a national or regional newspaper will get your van out to the market that is most likely to buy it. Smaller local publications will run the advert for longer than a national publication for a similar or lower price, but neither the national or local paper has the same reach as the internet. Internet AutoTrader.com puts an advert online which is reproduced in your local magazine. The website attracts 10 million unique users each month. Although 70 percent of sellers find a buyer through Auto Trader, they have to pay for the advert. Free online advertising Sites like Gumtree.com and Viva Street offer free advertising but don’t have the reach of sites like Auto Trader or auction sites like eBay. eBay With 14 million active users, Ebay.co.uk is the UK's largest online marketplace and hence, is an ideal place to buy or sell a vehicle. Although there’s no guarantee that products listed on eBay will sell or that sellers will honours their sale if the bid is won, eBay continues to be the UK’s largest online automotive marketplace.