The best lease van for your trade

As a tradesperson, your choice of vehicle is essential. The size, power, efficiency, adaptability and design of the van or truck is crucial, so it’s important that any lease decision should be well-considered.

Before you start choosing which van might be best, in terms of practicality and efficiency, there’s one other matter that you should consider; branding. The trades below will all presumably require some form of promotion on the van, and it’s worth contacting us to discuss exactly what is and isn’t allowed when leasing a van. One option is magnetic signs, which are easy to install and remove at the end of your lease period.

Construction

Size, the ability to carry big payloads, and the adaptability to reconfigure the interior to carry tools, materials or anything else required are the main selling points here. The lack of manoeuvrability and speed need to be traded off with pure strength and ease of access,

Your options here depend on what exactly you’re carrying. An Isuzu Truck/dropside van, for example, will allow you to carry heavy and unusual-shaped objects. A tipper van will enable you to deposit gravel, sand and the like more easily. The Ford Transit has a reputation for reliability and versatility – models such as the connect come in two models with a low roof/short wheelbase or high roof/long wheelbase.

There are numerous pick-ups that might be suitable such as the VW Amarok and Toyota Hilux, which are sturdy and versatile for jobs in more rugged conditions. The Hilux has a huge interior and a 171bhp, 2.5 litre diesel engine – and available in single, extra and double cab bodystyles.

Florist

The size and payload of the van probably won’t be of too much concern for the florist, but what does matter is the opportunity for branding and the ability to drive effortlessly in all environments. You’ll be parked up for short periods, anywhere from office car parks to busy side streets to blocks of flats, with many stops per day – so a large van won’t really fit the bill. Efficiency and reliability are vital.

Your options include the VW Caddy C20 diesel, which comes in 1.6 litre or 2 litre and features a side door so you don’t have to lean across flowers to bring bouquets and bunches out. The Fiat Punto is a cheap and cheerful car/van (with optional Tomtom nav system), and the Peugeot Partner is an ideal light utility van for day to day driving - with an e-HDi system upgrade that will let you squeeze even more out of your fuel, up to 60.1mpg.

Removals

If you’re thinking of launching your own removals business and think any van will do, think again. A medium or long wheelbase van that can carry heavy loads will presumably be ideal as carrying weights above this could be illegal, but what about other considerations – for example, will you want optional seats to carry passengers? Is height important? Do you need side doors?

Let’s go with a tried and tested option to begin with; the Citroen Relay. It ticks most of the boxes you’ll need, with a hefty payload of more than 1500kg, a height of nearly 2 metres and a length of nearly six, which should be big enough for mid-sized items. The Peugeot Boxer is another simple classic for smaller loads (precious items etc), with a good load length of over 3.7m and a payload of more than a tonne and a half.

For bigger items you might consider the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, it’s fuel efficient and has the biggest payload of vehicles of its type, with a reliable drive ideal for commercial jobs -such as removals. Other options are the various Isuzu trucks mentioned earlier, which should be able to carry anything from a bed to a wardrobe to a sofa suite.

IT/web

Again, branding is important for your company, whether it deals with computer repairs or design or web services or marketing, or any other aspect of the tech world. Presumably you’ll be carrying expensive equipment and you’ll also want a vehicle that looks modern enough to convey that you’ve got your finger on the pulse of 21st Century cutting edge tech.

The Mercedes-Benz Citan looks great, and is available in long or compact versions that make is perfect for deliveries and business in an urban environment. Another small and distinctive looking vehicle is the Renault Kangoo Diesel ML20, which boasts a huge range of additional extras such as DAB radio, Tom Tom Europe, and R Link Multimedia System. One final option could be the Transit Courier, built on Ford’s B-platform to give it speed and elegance.

Perishable goods/food

Really, any enclosed van should be capable of transporting and preserving perishable goods such as food. Space is important for transporting food, as the cost of extra journeys is much more expensive than the cost of a slightly heavier pallet or set of pallets. You might even consider sharing space with another small producer, which can cut costs for both. Before leasing, find out how easy it is to run power to the back of the van, for cold storage/freezing etc.

The van you choose might depend on the amount of food you’re transporting at any given time, but safe bets include the Toyota Proace, the Fiat Fiorino and the Citroen Berlingo.

Other

Lease Van has many more options for you, depending on the length of the lease you require and your budget. Sssangyong’s muscular Korando and Musso are stylish and rival other established competitors. Indeed, The Korando boasts the largest boot in the compact crossover class, as well as parking sensors as standard. The Rexton bills itself as equally adept on- and off-road, so it’s suitable for less urban environments as well as city work.

On a similar note, the Ford Ranger pickup is an iconic and imposing presence, which can tow up to 3,500kg and venture through water of up to 800mm depth. Combine that with voice and touch control technology through the Ford SYNC 3 system, and you’ve got a robust pickup capable of transporting boats and other small vehicles, or heavy machinery - perfect for those who like working outdoors in farm, field or forest.

There are many more options – give us a call to find out more.