Used van prices: August improvement says BCA

Used prices buck August ‘dip’

USED VAN prices bucked the seasonal trend in August with values on the rise, reports auction house BCA.

Traditionally, the holiday month of August is weaker, but BCA says it recorded unseasonably strong demand.

Average values for fleet & lease, dealer part-exchange and nearly-new vans all rose.

In BCA’s Pulse price report, average August used van values improved by £179 (5%) to reach £3,745 – the highest point since April 2008. Year-on-year values were ahead by over £500.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager commercial sales, commented: “August proved to be a remarkably strong month for LCV sales and certainly outperformed the customary ‘summer holiday season’ market.

“With supplies of good retail quality vans relatively limited, there was strong competiton for the best examples – particularly in the fleet sector where competition intensified.

“Professional buyers who would usually buy stock exclusively from corporate sources were having to look further afield and were bidding on younger or older vehicles to stock their forecourts.”