An Expert Look Into The Best Low Cost Vans
Finding the best van when you’re on a budget can be quite challenging. Many businesses and sole traders depend on vans to keep their business going and it’s not easy to find one that’s both cheap and reliable.
As a business owner, you’ll want to keep costs down and finding a low-cost van can be crucial. One of the most affordable solutions for businesses can prove to be hiring a van. But let’s take a look at what solutions you have.
What do we mean by low-cost vans?
No, we’re not talking about the cheapest vans to buy. We’re talking about finding solutions to get not only affordable, but also reliable vans. You don’t want to buy the cheapest van on the market, only to find out that it costs you a lot to maintain it. Or that it uses way too much fuel. And fuel doesn’t come cheap these days.
You’ll want to find a van with great fuel economy and miles per gallon (MPG) ratio to help you cut down business costs. Or you’ll want to try an electric van, for that matter. You’ll want a van with good loading capacity, but still affordable.
While most low-cost vans tend to be on the smaller side, there’s a solution for anyone and you can find a budget van to accommodate that high payload as well.
Van hire – the best solution to get low-cost vans for your business
No matter how cheap a van is, it still doesn’t always make sense to buy it outright. For one, you’d be paying a lot of money at once, even for the cheapest option. Then, there’s asset depreciation. Vans tend to lose their value pretty quickly.
Leasing is an option, but is it the best? Think about this: your business takes an unexpected turn, and you find yourself needing another van than the one you originally chose. With leasing, you’re stuck with that van, sorry! Leasing can also have stricter terms and you can’t terminate the contract early without some serious penalties.
That leaves the option of finding a van to hire. Low-cost van hire gives you the most flexibility and has the least consequences. Not only do you avoid the hefty purchase costs, but you can change the van if you need to, and you can adapt your requirements regularly. Besides, if you want to end the contract early, you’ll probably have to pay a small charge, but the terms are not as strict as for leasing.
iCompario tip:
Hiring a van means you can choose pretty much any van you want. Whatever your needs are, you can be sure to find a low-cost option. You can choose based on your payload needs, on your brand preferences or if you want an electric van. You get to fulfil all your requirements, while keeping the costs down.
Let’s talk van hire options
There are multiple options you can choose from depending on your business needs and we’ll have a quick look at all of them. But keep in mind that when you’re looking for low-cost vans, long-term hire might prove to be the most affordable option.
- Flexible van hire. This is a great option for short term contracts or if your business needs are really flexible and changing. Hiring a van on a flexible contract is perfect for companies and sole traders that take short-term, varied contracts and need all sorts of vans for short-term.
- Sale and hire back. This could be a business saving option if you’re looking for a cash injection. It means you sell your company vans and then hire them back. You get the cash you need to invest elsewhere and you keep your usual vans. Plus, the new owners will have to pay for upkeep and maintenance.
- Long term van hire. This is the best choice when you know what your business needs are for an extended period. It’s the cheaper option of all available options, so it’s the best choice when looking for low-cost vans.
iCompario tip:
Searching the market to find the best van hire can be complicated and exhausting. So, let the experts do the job for you. Just tell us what your business needs are and what your budget is, and we’ll find the best low-cost van hire options for you.
Why choose long-term contracts for low-cost van hire?
As we mentioned above, long-term van hire can be the most cost effective.
So, when you’re looking for a low-cost van, it only makes sense to look at the most cost-effective solution.
But that’s not all. Long-term hire comes with added benefits, such as:
- You can reclaim up to 100% on VAT.
- You don’t have to worry about upkeep and maintenance costs, as these are usually covered by the hiring provider.
- You don’t have to worry about the value of the van going down. That’s on the provider, not you.
- You can manage your expenses better. It’s easier to control your costs when you pay a monthly fee to use the van.
- It’s one of the cheapest ways to get the van you need for your business.
Top 5 best low-cost vans
1. Ford Transit Courier
This is not only a low cost, compact van, but also one of the most reliable on the market. You can hire one with prices starting from £85.00 per week.
It can achieve an impressive average of 57.6mpg with the 75hp 1.5 Duratorq diesel engine. Also, the Transit Courier is one of the few vans that come with petrol power as well.
The Transit Courier is aimed at businesses with low payload needs that operate within city areas. It’s a small van, which makes it easy to park and perfect for narrow city streets.
Payloads range for 645kg to 660kg, which is pretty impressive for such a small van.
2. Mercedes eVito
This might come as a surprise, because when you hear Mercedes, you definitely don’t think cheap. But it’s one of the best low-cost vans on the market because it’s electric.
It’s really affordable to run an eVito. Just think how cheap electricity is compared to diesel.
So, even if you can’t afford to buy a Mercedes eVito, that doesn’t mean you can’t afford to hire one. And the running costs are really low. Plus, if you’re business operates within the Ultra Low Emissions Zone or cities with congestion charges, you don’t have to worry about that as the eVito is exempt.
If you need a larger van, the Mercedes eSprinter is also a great option for an electric van. If you’re intrigued, check out our guide to Mercedes electric vans.
3. Peugeot Boxer
This is without question one of the best low-cost vans among large panel vans.
With an impressive average of 47.1mpg, the Boxer is an ideal van hire for businesses who are looking for a large van with high payload that’s also economical. That’s right! With an impressive payload from 1,125kg up to 1,570kg and great fuel efficiency, the Boxer is an ideal choice for a van hire.
Prices to hire one start from £85.00 per week, so get your deal now.
4. Ford Transit Custom
We’re circling back to Ford, but believe us, it offers some great vans.
The Ford Custom is one of those mid-size vans perfect for any business need you might have. It’s compact and offers a very much car-like driving experience, so it’s ideal for driving around the city.
It has an impressive payload of up to 1,459kg and it was the best-selling vehicle in 2021.
On average, it can achieve a fuel efficiency of 49.6mpg, which is quite economical.
Its plug-in hybrid version, the Ford Transit Custom PHEV can achieve an impressive fuel efficiency of 94.2mpg. That’s what we call low cost to run!
5. Nissan NV400
If you want a low-cost van, you’ll want one that does well for fuel economy. And the Nissan does very well. It can manage up to 48.7mpg and even at its worse, it can still achieve an average of 39.2mpg.
It’s a large van, ideal for businesses with large payloads, with lots of room to spare. You can get up to 1,441 kg of cargo capacity in that van.
Are you ready you find your next low-cost van hire? At iCompario, we’re here to make it easy for you. We compare long-term hire providers to find the best deals for you.
All you have to do is give us some details using our free quote tool and we’ll find the van that best fits your business needs.
