5 reasons why now is a great time to buy a new van

There is no denying that 2020 has been a turbulent sort of year, but now the nation has begun returning to work, and the roads are getting busier again. Lots of traders and fleet managers have taken the opportunity to evaluate their fleets and their commercial vehicles over the quieter period of lockdown, and now that we’re getting back into the swing of things, there are plenty of reasons why now is a brilliant time to start taking a look at the best new van deals. Here are five of our top reasons why!

Stay ahead of new Clean Air Zones, and other emissions regulations

As environmental concerns have continued mounting over the last few years, staying ahead of evolving emissions regulations has become an ever more pressing priority for traders and fleet managers. We’ve already covered London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone in detail on the blog before, which is setting tough restrictions on the level of emissions that vans and other vehicles are allowed to emit while travelling within its boundaries. In short, any that don’t meet the required emissions standard set by the regulation will be subject to an additional daily charge, which means that older, more polluting vehicles will soon become very expensive to drive through the city boundaries.

But now multiple cities throughout the rest of the UK are also following suit by developing their own Clean Air Zones. This includes Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton, the latter five of which are actually developing their Clean Air Zones according to a government mandate.

As you’ve no doubt guessed, all this means that it won’t be too long before driving an older, more polluting vehicle anywhere in the UK is probably going to become extremely costly, extremely quickly. Upgrading to a brand new van can help you stay ahead of that particular curve!

Take advantage of London’s scrappage scheme for vans and minibuses

London is currently operating a carrot-and-stick approach to improving its toxic air. The ULEZ and Clean Air Zone is the stick, but the carrot is undoubtedly their scrappage scheme. Essentially, it supports businesses with up to 50 employees to scrap up to three older, more polluting vans, as long as they meet certain conditions. You can apply for one of three different grant payment options, the full details of which you can find in that link to the government’s website. It is designed to make it easier for organisations, businesses and charities to successfully make the switch to newer, cleaner vans and commercial vehicles.

A new van can give great PR value to your business

The emergence of Covid-19 into our lives has been a uniquely devastating event across the globe, but amongst all the upheaval, there have been a few positives. Much has been made of the global drop in emissions that resulted from nationwide lockdowns across continents, and hundreds of thousands of people are determined not to return to the emissions levels that we were previously producing as a species.

As a result, people are being more conscientious with how they consume and how they shop, and they’re looking for businesses to show Corporate Social Responsibility – in other words, a commitment to the welfare of the environment and society around them. A brand new environmentally-friendly van is just one great way that you can tangibly demonstrate your own CSR, and in today’s increasingly climate-aware marketplace, it might just make all the difference as to whether certain customers choose you over your competitors.

Newer vans hold their value better

As more legislation and changes come in to make older, more polluting vehicles increasingly obsolete, we’re likely to start seeing gradually sharper drops in their resale value. When renewing your fleet, timing is everything – newer vans will naturally have a higher resale value, so you’ll get more for them when you go to sell them later down the line. So if your current commercial vehicles are already starting to show their age, it’s worth considering an investment sooner rather than later – it will make all the difference the next time you come to renew!

A new van just looks better!

This is more of a bonus than anything – we realise it’s not going to be something that sways anyone’s minds all on its own. But if you’re thinking about renewing your vehicles anyway, it’s worth remembering that a shiny new van always looks better than turning up to jobs in a beaten up, dusty vehicle. It’s no stretch to say that in many ways, your van is an ambassador for your business just as much as any of your employees are, and for some of your clients, it may even end up constituting the entirety of their first impression of you. A brand new van always makes a good one!

If you’re weighing up which new van to buy, we’ve got no shortage of choice right here at The Van Discount Company, with cheap new van deals available from a huge range of manufacturers. On average, buyers save 40% off the recommended retail price of a brand new van, and right now, we’ve got some exceptionally great deals on Ford Transit vans for sale. Call our van experts today on 01282 872 530 to see what we can do for you!