sprinter van – Page 10 – Commercial Van Solutions

cargo van, Commercial Van, Ideas & Tips, Van Ladder Racks

5 REASONS TO BUY A VAN WITHOUT A BUSINESS

Posted on June 12, 2020June 12, 2020 by commercialvansolutions

Businesses and tradespeople typically use vans and other light commercial van (LCV) for work-related activities, whereas cars are normally purchased for the daily commute or leisure activities.

Due to their size and structure, vans are well-suited to carrying large and heavy loads, making them a better and more efficient vehicle of choice for businesses. Often overlooked by non-business owners, vans could also be a viable option for traditional car buyers.

We’ve compiled a list of reasons why you should consider buying a van even if you aren’t a tradesperson or own a business.

VERSATILITY

Although vans might look rigid from the outside, they’re actually very flexible in terms of what you can do with the space inside. Depending on the size of van, they either come with two or three seats in the front; if you need to transport more people, you can add a second row of seats increasing the capacity to five or six people.

These extra seats are easy to add and remove so you can have more storage space or seating depending on what you’re doing. Choosing a van with six seats gives you at least one extra seat over most cars and the passengers in the second row will have more space compared to the majority of seven-seater cars.

The space behind the cabin is very versatile and can be converted into almost anything you can think of. Small modifications include installing hooks or shelving for a more organised area, or you could do something bigger by transforming the space into a fully functioning living area with electricity, running water and space to sleep.

TOWING CAPACITY

Normally used for carrying heavy loads, vans are built to be able perform under strain and stress which makes them perfect as towing vehicles whether you need to transport a caravan, trailer or horse box.

Even a medium-sized van can have a towing capacity up to 2.5 tonnes, whereas some large vans offer towing capacities up to 3.5 tonnes thanks to their higher maximum rear axle weights.

Most vans don’t have a rear view mirror; to compensate for this, they have much larger door mirrors so that the driver still has a good view of everything behind them. This is also a massive advantage when you’re towing, especially as vans are typically wider than cars, so you might not need to install towing mirrors.

SPACE FOR FAMILY ADVENTURES

Estate cars, saloon cars and some larger SUVs provide a lot of boot space so that you can pack everything you need for a family trip with accessories such as roof racks and boxes for additional storage solutions.

However, if you choose a van, there’s a massive load area that can securely store bikes for the whole family alongside the camping equipment without needing any exterior accessories for a weekend away at the campsite.

All of your possessions and equipment are safer in the back of a van, especially if it’s a panel van without windows looking into the cargo area. Everything can be locked out of sight and you can add heavy duty locks for extra security.

EASY ACCESS THROUGH SLIDING SIDE DOORS

Travelling with small children can be a stressful experience, particularly if you only have a three-door car and have to battle with a folding front seat and a wide open door to get them into the car seat in the back.

Most vans come with at least one sliding side door – some are available with twin sliding doors – which makes accessing car seats in the second row much easier.

Despite their wider dimensions, sliding doors also make it easier to get in and out of the van when it’s parked in a car park bay which are notoriously slim. If you don’t have a second row of seats in place, the sliding side door is useful for loading and unloading at the roadside.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Although this isn’t a benefit for everyone, a van is the easiest type of vehicle to modify when wheelchair accessibility is needed. They naturally have a high roof which can accommodate a passenger in their own wheelchair.

The sliding side door and 180° opening rear doors provide different accessibility options and the interior can be configured to optimise for storage or passenger space.

A wheelchair accessible vehicle provides the wheelchair user with a more comfortable travelling experience because they don’t have to transfer themselves from the wheelchair onto the seats in the vehicle.

Vans are well-rounded vehicles that may fit your lifestyle better than most larger cars, especially if you have a family that you take on lots of adventures, whether that’s camping in a tent, riding bikes in the woods or staying in a caravan.

It’s clear that vans aren’t just for businesses and tradespeople; in fact, if you have a multi-purpose lifestyle, buying a van just makes sense.

Commercial Van, Ideas & Tips

Is an electric van right for you?

Posted on May 8, 2020 by commercialvansolutions

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard all the talk of electric vehicles – and how they could come to play a vital role in the UK’s vehicle market. But if you’re looking to buy or lease a van, should you consider making the change? As with any big purchase, there are lots of things to consider.

First, the good points. Electric vans are – first and foremost – far better for the environment than their fossil fuel-guzzling counterparts. But that’s not all. They’re also incredibly cheap to run, and more and more charging points are popping up across the country, making it easier to top up your vehicle on the go. Moreover, there are also financial incentives in place that can help make the initial purchase more affordable. And with an emissions-free van, you’ll be able to breeze through the planned Ultra-Low Emissions Zones with ease. What’s more, they’re also virtually silent – providing a more pleasant experience for both drivers and residents when your vehicle is passing through a quiet neighborhood.

But what’s the catch? Of course, the big concern is when and how you will keep your vehicle charged. And with home charging stations taking hours to fully charge an electric van, there are obviously some obstacles in the way of long-distance travel. While there are some petrol stations that also offer electric charging points, you’ll need to meticulously plan your journey to take these into account. On top of that, electric vans are expensive – even when taking advantage of the various financing options. And if you decide to sell on, it’s worth bearing in mind that there is currently not much of a market for second hand electric vehicles.

So, as you can see, there are both pros and cons to purchasing an electric vehicle. If on the other hand you are looking for sprinter work van then commercial van solutions is your ultimate destination.

Commercial Van

5 things to consider when buying a new van

Posted on May 4, 2020May 8, 2020 by commercialvansolutions

It can sometimes be amazing how little consideration some people and even some organisations put into buying a new van. Even though most of us put a huge amount of thought into every minute detail of what we want from our next new car, a lot of people still see a van as a box on wheels where all that matters is how much it can carry and how much it costs to buy and run. While those are obviously major considerations for any sprinter commercial van purchasing decision, there’s now so much more to think about, more we can have, and so much more we should expect in today’s market. To give you an idea of what we mean, here are some of the things you really should expect from your next new van.

1. Emissions

Unless you’re only driving around a rural area and you never venture into major towns or cities, you’re going to have to pay more and more attention to what comes out of your van’s exhaust pipe as time goes by. Of course, we should all be aware of minimizing our exhaust emissions and our carbon footprint for the good of the environment, but if you’re a commercial operator, your vehicle’s emissions can have a big impact on your bottom line.

Even if you don’t travel near London, you’re sure to have heard about the congestion charge, the new Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and the clean air zones that are popping up all over the country. This means drivers of older, more polluting vehicles will have to pay a fortune to enter these areas. If you’re buying a van and intend to keep it for a few years, don’t be surprised to see similar schemes being rolled out in all the major cities within the next couple of years. Make sure you understand the emissions ratings and think carefully about buying a van with emissions as low as possible. Keep in mind that regulation in this area is only going to get more stringent, so be prepared.

2. How it looks

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the look of your van isn’t important – it is. We don’t mean you need to go for the sleekest, smartest-looking van you can find, because that’s not what we’re talking about. Your vehicle is a direct representation of your business, and it can have a big bearing on how new and existing clients perceive you. For example, if you trade with clients in a segment where margins are tight and times are hard, you might not want to be rocking up in a big, bright, blinging new Mercedes Sprinter. On the other hand, if you want to create the impression of being a successful, prosperous and impressively high-end operator, that might be exactly the type of van you want to be driving.

3. WLTP

At the moment, the UK is in a transition period between vehicle excise duty being levied using the old NEDC system and the new Worldwide harmonised Light-duty vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) rating system. To avoid a sudden, painful, cliff-edge jump in VED rates and company car tax, as well as to give manufacturers a decent chance of achieving new, stringent CO2 fleet emissions targets of 95g/km by 2020 that was set using the old NEDC data as a benchmark, the UK government will continue working with NEDC figures until next year. The impact of this on you, the buyer, is that stock levels and choice are greatly reduced. However, you also need to be aware that these new vans manufactured to meet these new targets will inevitably cost quite a lot more.

4. Configuration

It might be tempting to buy a 2+2 sports car and try and make it work when what we really need is a proper five-seat family vehicle – choosing a less-than-ideal van configuration can be a much bigger disaster. Choosing the biggest model your budget can run to might give room for your business to grow, but in the meantime, you’re going to be paying for space and weight you don’t need. On the other hand, you could buy a van that is just enough for your current needs at a great price, but what if you soon need to carry something that’s a little larger than you do at the moment? What doors do you need, do you need dual rear wheels and a reinforced rear axle, and do you need a degree of off-road capability? Sit down and think about what you need your van to do now, and just as importantly, what you might need it to do before it comes time to trade it in for your next model.

5. How to fund it

Vehicle technology is moving on at quite a pace at the moment, but so is vehicle finance. The days of a straight choice between writing a cheque for the whole cost of a van or taking out hp or a bank loan are long gone, and the changes are not finished yet. We now have different forms of hp, leasing, lease purchase, and rental agreements, and new subscription models are in the pipeline too. Look into your options carefully as it can make a huge difference to your finances, and you could also get a lot more van for your money than you might imagine.