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Is it time to sell my van?

  Thursday, 25 August 2022

Your van gets you from job to job, carries your tools and advertises your business. You may not be able to do without it. Sadly, however, the time will come when you will need to replace your van.

Light commercial vehicles are no different to cars – they too will develop common faults after they have been on the road for a while. If you find your van needs regular repairs, and has a long service history, perhaps it is time to sell and invest in a new van.

Depending on the condition it is in, scrapping your van could be the best option. In this guide we look at signs your van needs to be replaced and how to prepare your van to be sold or scrapped.

Signs you need to sell your van

1. Age

Like any vehicle, the moment your van left the forecourt its value was depreciating. According to the motor valuers Parkers, the biggest losses, an average of £14,000-£15,000, occur during the first three years of a van’s life. So it is not advisable to sell during this time. Manufacturer’s warranties are also likely to cover you for all or some of this period. Your van will be running at its best at this stage.

After three years the loss to the value of your van will slow and will give you the best return on your investment (if you decide to sell). Value will fall more slowly still after five years, and you could run the risk of wear and tear making the van worth very little. However, you need to balance this out against the usage you will still get out of the vehicle, how well it runs and the number of repairs it needs.

2. Transmission failure

Any van owner will have to deal with common problems as any vehicle ages, such as clutch issues, exhaust, brakes. All these issues can be fixed fairly quickly and at manageable cost. However, problems with transmission are more serious. These are some of the tell-tale signs that your van has transmission issues:

• Difficulty switching gears, or gears slipping
• Clutch dragging
• Leaking transmission fluid
• Grinding or shaking when changing gear

3. Head gasket

Signs your head gasket might be failing is a van prone to overheating, chugging or suffering loss of power. It may also be failing if you have thicker than usual engine oil, or white smoke coming from the exhaust. Replacing the head gasket can be very expensive and is one of the issues that may force you to wonder if it is time to say: ‘thank you van, but goodnight’.

Prepare your van for sale

• Tidy up cosmetic damage

  Rusty wheel arches, scratches, chipped paintwork, tears to the seating; all these little things will reduce the price a private buyer is prepared to pay. Get them tidied up, if possible, before you put your van on the market.

• Remove branding

  If you are considering a private sale, and it is possible to do so, remove any personal branding on your van. You don’t know where your old van is going to end up, plus you will get a better price if it is a blank canvas for its new owner.

Sell your van at ASM

ASM Auto Recycling will buy your van for scrap or assess what parts can be recycled. There are some deciding factors on what price you will get. These will be its mileage, service history and overall condition.

ASM Auto Recycling offers a hassle-free way to sell your van. We are an authorised and regulated yard with decades of experience in car and van buying. Get your instant online van valuation from us today.

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