New van or old Van?

[Simmy28]

Hi

I am thinking of leasing a new van for the business. Do you think a newer van is better for company image?

Thanks

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Not if it's clean and looked after

 

[IanG]

Of course newer is better but you need to be able to afford it.

There is an argument to spending more in order to look better and therefore do more but you'll know your own figures.

Lease sounds lovely but you could plough a few grand in to one over a few years and at the end of the term you've got to give it back.

Or you could buy an old one and it'll let you down regularly.

No right answer, hence there are markets for both. How brave are you.

 

[Peter Durrant]

Get a nice 2nd hand one and spend the money better elsewhere.

The difference in terms of value to your company will not be big (between a nice 2nd hander and a new van, if any difference at all), but you could reinvest those few thousand pounds somewhere where you really would be adding value to your company.

But, obviously, it'd be nice to have a nice shiny transit, so up to you - if you can afford the new one, and you want it, why not?

 

[Mark T Jones]

Where it comes to vans (as distinct from cars), I would tend to stay away from leasing and opt for a late used vehicle - if necessary on HP or loan.

The caveat - your accountant might have different views in respect of taxation.

 

[Funding for Communities]

Image wise I don't think age matters as long as it's clean. One often overlooked aspect is to drive/park considerately. It amazes me how often you see vans driving/parking in a way that's annoying everyone. They have their name plastered on the sides just to make sure that the potential customers they upset know who not to call.

 

[Simmy28]

Thanks for your input guys. I am in the car customisation business. I already have a van (11 year old) which on the eye looks well but was thinking leasing a new van may look better and hopefully increase business. Do you think it makes a difference? Looking at the figures, even one customer a month would cover the cost.

 

[Andrew Chambers]

In that case you want a really nice older one that shows you know your stuff when it comes to looking after vehicles. Stick to what you have, maybe even spend a couple of months "lease" money improving it if required. Far better use of the money.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Go the other way and get noticed, by a vintage van and do it up

 

[DD-Matthew]

Providing it's clean it shouldn't cause you an issue, if it was a rust bucket then you may want to look at getting a new van.

Do you have your business information on the van?

- Matthew

 

[Karimbo]

if its just for impression you are much better of ensuring the van in clean and there are no dents in or other damage to the van.

 

[Bob]

If you go for an older vehicle buy a random NI personalised number plate as they are dateless and you can get meaningless numbers and letters from £399

 

[Karimbo]

If you go for an older vehicle buy a random NI personalised number plate as they are dateless and you can get meaningless numbers and letters from £399

also vans benefit from the fact that they rarely get updated. The t5 transporter has been in service for a very long time. Pimlico plumbers use the old version of the t5 transporter but they always look smart, clean and the vinyl makes it look smart.

 

[contracthireacar.com]

Go the other way and get noticed, by a vintage van and do it up

For obvious reasons we probably shouldn't say this, but you have a point - some vintage vans with bright, attractive liveries really help draw lots of attention.

 

[Karimbo]

For obvious reasons we probably shouldn't say this, but you have a point - some vintage vans with bright, attractive liveries really help draw lots of attention.

I've seen some "fun" businesses do this. Notably independent brewers. You will have mileage if your product is a FMCG or a mass market product. But if it's a little bit more niche then it's probably a wasted expenditure.

Also I'm sure the independant brewers who use a vintage probably gut out the whole car and put modern brakes, engines, gearboxes, etc which is costly. Not to mention a paint job (with all the rust repair to go along with it)

Also you need to consider the frequency of exposure of your liveried van. People will need to see the van 2,3,4 times before it registers and they remember the brand. If they will only see it once it will probably get forgotton abot. So if you're in a small locality where your customer base will see you around all the time then it will work. If you're a manufacter-distributor that will be based in somewhere in the country and then deliver to all the big cities across the country than you probably wont get the repeat exposure to the same person, therefore it wont be as effecitve.

 

[contracthireacar.com]

How about this?

A rare vehicle and especially unmissable with added branding.

 

[Karimbo]

i's good but the graphic designer did a bad crop job. He's got the plants from a white background and it's left the white marks around the edges.

 

[Designanddetail]

Get a few year old one, get it wrapped/sign written and get a private plate, then no-one will know the age. Private plates can be had for £300-£500 so a lot less than new van. And keep it clean..

 

[Ra5ax]

get an old one that you can own outright. work it out we went through this last year on pick up trucks basic figures below

Ford Ranger New - total cost over two years -£7000
Nissan navara 8 years old buy outright total cost over two years £2000

We went for the navara and we will sell in a years time and do the same again.

 

[Karimbo]

get an old one that you can own outright. work it out we went through this last year on pick up trucks basic figures below

Ford Ranger New - total cost over two years -£7000
Nissan navara 8 years old buy outright total cost over two years £2000

We went for the navara and we will sell in a years time and do the same again.

I wanted to get the navara too, it looks great as well as having a decent load space. I asked me mechanic and he asked me to avoid the navara and only go for the hilux. It's well built, retains value and has a decent purchase price as well.

 

[Ra5ax]

I wanted to get the navara too, it looks great as well as having a decent load space. I asked me mechanic and he asked me to avoid the navara and only go for the hilux. It's well built, retains value and has a decent purchase price as well.

I'd get a second opinion and also drive both, I can tell you I test drove almost all of the pickups except for the Amarok even tried thessangyong the hills was by far the worst for normal use driving. Great on a field but It was in my opinion very poor on road the navara drives and feels like a car well as close as it can, other than that the newer shape ford rangers are excellent. The navara has a few known issues but there relatively easy to repair cheap if you don't go nissan direct and they are such better vehicles if your spending under 10k on a truck, I'm looking to change it but I can't find anything close for less than 16k and then it would be a ford ranger.

 

[Mitch3473]

Interesting thread, I'm having the same thoughts right now. For collection and deliveries we have a Peugeot Expert, probably the best van I've driven. Great on fuel,reliable and will get me out of trouble quicker than I got myself in trouble. Was looking at leasing its newer model or maybe something larger, business is improving month on month and size and space will be an issue later this year. I'm not convinced that driving a new van would impress my customers. Then I washed it, it's a great van again. Maybe next year......

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I have made more money over the years with older vans than I ever have with new ones .
I do have a workshop and do most of the maintenance myself . At the moment I have a 12 year old Astra van with 250k I brought it on 98 k . I also have wait for it .!!! a x reg 1999 ish LDV flat bed .I brought this from Izamabard Brunell when he finished building the railway bridge in Plymouth in 1854 It has 185 k on the clock . I have a 2007 Renualt Master with 102 k but thats only a baby The rest I spot hire as required

I would take these vehicles anywhere they are paid for and brought with peanuts so after parts its all profit I used to subscribe to the smart new vehicle theory but these days they are only there to make money . The customer does not care as long as the vehicle is smart and does the job .

Most of the independent courier companys n Devon and Cornwall that run new vans are no longer here !! A fact that cant not afford to ignore

 

[contracthireacar.com]

On the subject of the Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux and other pickups, we spent a week with a new Mitsubishi L200 Warrior series 5, so thought you might be interested in our road test report:

http://www.contracthireacar.com/blo...ishi-l200-warrior-series-5-double-cab-pickup/