Questions about buying and financing used vans and pickups

Yes. Several lenders on our panel fund sole traders who have just started out, with no filed accounts yet. They look at your trade experience, your credit history and whether you own a home. We have funded a newly self employed bathroom fitter and paid out inside 24 hours; the case is below.

A used van from a VAT registered dealer is normally sold at a price plus 20% VAT, which a VAT registered business can reclaim. Some vans are sold with no VAT, usually by private sellers or under the margin scheme, and there is then nothing to reclaim. If you are VAT registered a plus VAT van is often cheaper overall; if you are not, compare the full price you will actually pay.

Not always. Many no deposit deals still need the VAT paid at the start, plus any advance payment or fees. A £20,000 plus VAT van can mean £4,000 or more leaving the account on day one. Ask for every amount due before collection, in writing. Our pickup case below shows exactly how that worked.

Yes. A van used for your business can usually be claimed through capital allowances, often in full in the year you buy it under the Annual Investment Allowance, and on hire purchase you can claim from the day it starts work. Sole traders can use simplified mileage instead. Your accountant will confirm which suits you.

Hire purchase suits most sole traders: fixed payments, the van is yours at the end and you can claim capital allowances. Leasing gives lower payments but you never own the van and mileage limits apply. Paying cash keeps you debt free but ties up money you may need for tools and materials. A broker can compare all three for you.

Since April 2025, HMRC treats most double cab pickups as cars for benefit in kind and capital allowances, even with a one tonne payload. Single cab pickups and most extended cabs are still vans. If you or your staff will drive a double cab privately, ask your accountant what it will cost before you buy.

Check the service history and MOT history online, and compare the mileage with both. Look for rust on the sills and wheel arches, damage in the load area, and wear on the driver seat and clutch that does not match the miles. Make sure the side and rear doors close cleanly, check for warning lights, and run a finance check before paying.

Five years gives the lowest monthly payment, but you pay more interest and the van is older before you own it. Three years costs more each month and less overall. On a van that is already a few years old, the shorter term often makes more sense. Our three year Peugeot Expert case below explains why one business chose it.

Yes. A fleet can go on a single agreement with one set of paperwork and one end date, and on a larger fleet some lenders can defer the VAT so it does not all fall at once. Our case below shows seven vans funded together with the VAT deferred.

Yes. Pickups like the Hilux, Ranger, Navara and L200 have a deep used market and predictable values, which lenders like, so three to five year old pickups are funded routinely, sometimes over five years with no capital deposit. Check the chassis for corrosion and the load bed for heavy use.

Part exchange is easiest, but the offer is usually the lowest figure in the deal because the dealer needs to resell it. Selling separately often gets more. Check any finance still owing first, then compare the money you will actually be left with. In our case below a business got £500 more than the part exchange offer.

Diesel vans that meet Euro 6, generally those first registered from 2016 or 2017 onwards, meet London ULEZ and most UK clean air zone rules. Older diesels may face a daily charge. Check the registration on the Transport for London and gov.uk checkers before you buy if you work in a city.

The government plug in van grant has applied to new electric vans, taken off the price by the dealer at the point of sale, so it does not help with a used van. Check gov.uk for the current amounts. A used electric van is often already priced well below new, and lenders on our panel fund them.

Anything from 12 to 120 months is possible across our lenders, but most used vans run over three to five years. The term usually follows the age of the van: lenders prefer it to end before the van gets very old.

Every listing shows an illustrative monthly payment on business hire purchase over 48 months, with the VAT paid as the deposit. Your actual rate depends on your business, the machine and the lender.

Every listing is checked against the dealer's own website every night. Machines come off as soon as the dealer marks them sold or takes them down.

No. Van Monthly is a trading style of CW Asset Finance, a credit broker. We search a panel of more than 60 UK lenders and are paid commission by the lender when an agreement completes.