Buyers Guide for Second Hand Commercials

At used commercials we understand that with all the excitement etc. experienced while searching for and buying second hand commercials, certain things can be easily missed or overlooked.  For that reason we have compiled a buyers guide to help buyers look at every aspect and ensure that each step throughout buying used commercials is given the time and energy it requires.  Although this should be an enjoyable process, we just want to make sure you don’t forget anything.

 

Items to consider when buying second hand commercials

 Many people will know exactly what they want before buying commercial vehicles, although very often people will change their minds before a purchase is made.  For instance people searching used vans for sale may want some small used vans and are pretty sure they want to purchase a Citreon Berlingo.  Although from doing some searching of vans for sale they may realise that the new Volkswagen Caddy, which they never knew existed, is equally as practical and, to them, is more aesthetically pleasing and therefore decide the Caddy is the used vans for them.

Therefore, the first piece of advice we would offer to people is to have a look around.  Although you may be fairly sure of the vehicle you want, spend a little time researching other makes and models which could also be an option to you without jeopardising function or practicality.  The benefit of this is, if you have now decided that three different makes of vans for sale would be suitable for you, you have now tripled the selection of used vans to choose from.

So if you have decided to take this piece of advice, used commercials is the place to begin searching.  Use our search categories to check out various makes and models to see all options available.

 

Using Used Commercials to find Commercial Vehicles

Used commercials is very simple to use, making it easy for you to find the second hand commercials you require.  The system has been designed to be very user friendly.  It is fairly simple and self explanatory, but I will run through the steps with you.

 

Home Page

You will select from one of the four categories:

Trucks for sale

Vans for sale

Buses for sale

Trailers for sale

 

Choose Initial Search Parameters

After being brought to your initial search category you will be asked to choose your initial search parameters.  The search parameters differ in each category.

For example, if searching for vans for sale you will be presented with the options of ‘Make’, ‘Model’, ‘Location’ and ‘Keyword’, but if I search trailers for sale I will have the options of ‘Axle Configuration’, ‘Maximum Age’, ‘Location’ and ‘Keyword’.

You can use these search parameters to narrow your search results to the most suitable commercial vehicles.  Or, on the other hand, if you have no preference and are just searching for all sorts of used commercials you can view ‘all’ in each category.

As used commercials accommodates sellers from throughout United Kingdom and Ireland we would advise buyers to browse vehicles within different regions.  This may seem too far away in some occasions to be viewing a vehicle, but a buyer browsing in Ireland may see suitable trucks for sale in UK at a much better price.  This is not always the case, but may be worth a look.

 

3.  Results

You will now be presented with a list of used vans matching your initial search requirements.  You can further prune these results by adjusting the filters such as ‘Fuel Type’, ‘Max. Age’ etc. 

 

4.  View this Vehicle

If you click on ‘view this vehicle’ from the results menu this will allow you to look at a particular vehicle in greater detail.  You will be presented with all the details which have been provided about the vans for sale.  For the majority of adverts you will be able to view numerous photos of the used vans etc. from different angles etc. (providing the seller has uploaded more than one picture).  As well as this you will be presented with seller contact details etc. at this time.

 

5.  Add to Compare List

If you are browsing through used vans and come across a vehicle which you are interested in, click on ‘add to compare list’.  This will store all the vehicles which interest you in one place and can save a lot of time, rather than going back to find a vehicle you came across earlier. At any time you can then click on ‘compare list’ to be presented with the list of vehicles you chose to compare.  This is a great way to compare vans for sale and when placed together is sometimes easier to way up the pros and cons of each against another.

Although the above example concentrates on used vans, this also applies for used trucks, buses for sale and trailers for sale.

 

Contacting a Seller of used trucks etc.

The sellers contact information will be provided along with every advert.  There are different ways of making contact with sellers to enquire about commercial vehicles, with the most common being a phone call.

Generally we would advise buyers to use their own judgement on how to enquire about commercial vehicles.  On most occasions a phone call would be most suitable, although many users prefer to use the ‘contact this seller’ which is available on each advert.  This allows a buyer to provide some contact details and a message which will be emailed to the seller.  This will result in the seller contacting the buyer at their earliest convenience.  This is often used by international buyers who are living within different time zones.

When making contact with the seller, let them sell the vehicle to you.  Let them do the talking.  If a seller has a decent vehicle to offer they will verbally sell the vehicle to you, mentioning as many positives about the commercial vehicles as possible.  After they have said their piece you can take a few minutes to ask any questions on areas they may not have covered.  You will find that most sellers are very accommodating to answer questions as they want you to buy their used trucks etc.

In most cases sellers tend to give an honest reading of a vehicle over the phone, because otherwise they will be wasting their own time as well as yours when you go to view a vehicle which has been falsely advertised.

Therefore if all seems good, you should arrange a viewing of the used trucks.  We would advise to always arrange to view the trucks for sale etc. at the sellers yard or house.  This lets you know the seller is genuine.  If a seller is insisting to meet you in a public car park or service area, be very weary of them.  There may be some reason they don’t want you to know where they live and this is why we would advise against this.  If a seller is selling a genuine vehicle and has no hidden defects or problems, they should have nothing to hide from you.

When arranging a viewing always allow enough time to give the used trucks etc. a thorough viewing.  Remember, you do not want to be rushing into a decision of whether or not to purchase the trucks for sale.  Allow yourself plenty of time to inspect the vehicle, as well as some thinking time and time to negotiate a price.

 

Viewing the Vehicle

When viewing a vehicle, as before, let the seller try to ‘sell’ the used trucks to you.  Let the seller point out any positives or any defects to you at first.  Following this you should spend time inspecting the vehicle and feel free to ask lots of questions.

The main piece of advice here is to take your time.  Do not be pressured into rushing around because the seller is in a hurry.  It is also their responsibility to allow enough time for a viewing. 

 

Things to watch out for when purchasing commercial vehicles

There are a number of items you should be looking out for when viewing any commercial vehicles for sale.  Many of these items may seem obvious and not thorough enough, but this is to be used as a guide only.  Sometimes the simple items can be overlooked at the time and it is advisable to make a checklist of items to check before viewing second hand commercial vehicles.

 

Although many of the same items need to be looked out for when viewing any type of vehicle, there are other items which may only apply to certain categories.  For example, there will be a larger checklist for viewing buses for sale than there would be for viewing trailers for sale.

 

 

Items to consider when viewing used vans

General Condition

The initial thing to look for when viewing vans for sale is the general condition of the vehicle.  This can often tell a lot about how used vans have been treated.  If the van is dented and scuffed all over, you can generally make an assumption that the previous keeper was fairly rough and the used vans were likely driven in the same way.

Although used vans are generally an essential item for an owner, and not normally a luxury, you should expect to see a certain amount of marks dents etc., depending on the age of the vans for sale.  If it is possible to find out the nature of what the used vans were previously being used for, this may also help.  For instance if a van for sale was previously being used for a postal service and another van was previously being used by a builder carrying heavy loads, it would be much more advisable to go for the used vans which has had less abuse.

Sometimes an inspection of the inside of the vehicle will give the buyer a good impression of how much care the previous owner had taken of it.  If you are finding different knobs and handles missing or broken off it may suggest that little care was taken.

 

Documentation

Before committing to buy any vehicle, always make sure the owner has all the necessary documentation in his presence.  You should be sure that the log book etc. being presented with the vehicle matches the van for sale which you are viewing.  Check that the registration and the chassis number on the log book match that on the used vans.  If you are unsure or unhappy about something you should contact the DVLA (or other governing body) to check if the log book is genuine.

 

Mileage for used vans

Many people regard mileage as the most important item to consider when buying used vans.  Although, on the whole, this may be a fairly good judgement, it is not the best choice of elimination for all used vans.  An example of this is because a van for sale with 80,000 miles and has been used for light work, may be a better buy than a van for sale with 60,000 miles and has been used for carrying heavy goods.

The first thing to check is the mileage for the used vans are genuine.  The mileage is very often backed up, especially in modern vehicles, with a service history.  This will show when each service was carried out and what work was completed on the vehicle at each service.

Outstanding Finance

We would advise buyers to be extra careful to check the data when buying used vans.  For a small fee a buyer can carry out a vehicle data check.  This will generally make the buyer aware if the vehicle has any outstanding finance, was ever reported stolen, or was ever written off etc.  This is very valuable information when considering buying any vehicle.  Remember if you purchase some used vans which have outstanding finance owing on them, there Finance Company are within their rights to lift the vehicles and you may be the one to suffer.

 

Items Specific to the Vehicle

Below we have given a brief guide of items buyers might want to look out for when viewing commercial vehicles of different categories.  But the one piece of advice I would give is to check the expensive items first.  We all know that if you buy used trucks today and a headlight is broken, it will not be overly expensive to repair, on the scale of things.  But, on the other hand, if you purchase some used trucks to find the engine needs replacing, you will find this proves to be very expensive and could really increase the overall cost of your vehicle.

 

Items to consider when buying Used Trucks

When viewing trucks for sale, many of the items to consider will be the same as when viewing vans for sale.  There are certain items which may be less important to buyers of used trucks than used vans.  For instance if you are a buyer of used trucks you will be less likely to be as particular on mileage as a buyer of used vans.  There often seems to be less emphasis placed on the mileage of trucks.

Trucks for sale will vary greatly due to the large selection of different body types etc., so therefore it is hard to give advice for viewing these vehicles.  But considering you are a buyer of used trucks and are viewing a specialised vehicle, we will assume you will know which areas to concentrate on and will use your own initiate to inspect these areas.  For example, if you are viewing some used trucks with beavertail bodies you may want to test the hydraulic ramps etc., where as a buyer of trucks for sale viewing oil tankers will want to test the pumps etc. on the tanks.

 

Items to consider when viewing Buses for Sale

Again, many of the same items should be considered as mentioned above for viewing vans for sale and trucks for sale.  But when viewing buses for sale a really thorough inspection should be given to the inside of the second hand buses.

As second hand buses are bought for transporting people they should be inspected thoroughly to ensure that all seat belts are functioning properly.  You should also check for rips or tears in every seat when inspecting buses for sale.  Other areas you will want to consider when viewing buses for sale is the condition of the carpet or vinyl on the floors as well as the cloth on the ceiling etc.

If the buses for sale are used for transporting wheelchairs etc. you will want to ensure that this equipment is working properly also.

 

Items to consider when viewing Trailers for Sale

Viewing trailers for sale will have a very different checklist than that used for other commercial vehicles.  Of course, the condition of the trailers for sale will still be an issue, but other checklist items such as mileage will not.  Like when viewing used trucks, the items needing inspection depend on the trailer type.  For instance tipping trailers for sale will have tipping gear which will require inspecting, where as fridge trailers for sale will require a different inspection.

Therefore items to check when viewing used trailers will vary depending on the use.  Although regardless of the use, all trailers for sale should be checked for brakes, axles and condition of chassis.

 

Striking a Deal

If you have viewed the commercial vehicles for sale and are happy with all documentation etc. you may have decided you want to purchase the vehicle, so this is where the negotiating process begins.

It is always a good idea to not let the seller see that you have fallen in love with a vehicle.  Try to play it cool and possibly make the seller aware of the selection of other vehicles available elsewhere which you may view.  If the seller thinks you are not set on buying his vehicle and considering viewing others he will be more willing to negotiate on price, rather than loose a sale.

Some sellers are reluctant to reduce prices or negotiate a price, but from the buyers point of view it’s worth a try.

 

Making a Payment

There are various different payment options when purchasing second hand commercials and are generally agreed between the buyer and the seller.

Normally after striking the deal the seller will require a deposit from the buyer as a security to hold the vehicle until the balance is paid.  We would advise buyers to ask for a receipt for any deposit given, stating the deposit amount, the total amount to be paid and the details of the commercial vehicles which the receipt relates to.  This can reduce any disputes at a later date.

As stated above, different forms of payment can be accepted including, bank draft, cheque, cash or finance agreement.  Generally a buyer should accept that a seller will not release the second hand commercial vehicles until the cleared funds are in their account.

  

Buying Used commercials, used trucks, used vans, trailers and buses in UK and Ireland.