Before making the choice of a van, a series of factors must be considered, such as size and capacity, although they are not the only ones.
There are many van offers, so professionals will be able to choose from a wide range of models and brands, both new and from the used market. Here are some issues to keep in mind before choosing.
The size
When we are going to acquire a van for our business, the first thing we should look at is the length. Thus, we have vehicles with lengths ranging from L1 to L4. It is important to know this nomenclature, as it is the one used when describing vans in advertisements.
In turn, it is also necessary to see what the height of the roof is. This ranges from H1 to H3 and will tell us the height of the objects we are going to load.
If we convert it to cubic meters, these range from the 2 that a small van (L1H1) has to the 15 that an L4H3 vehicle can reach.
What combination of length and height to choose?
This will depend on what is loaded inside and where the van is going to move. You shouldn't think that the largest is always better, as this is not true.
The most extreme sizes should be avoided at all costs, unless they are strictly necessary. A vehicle of these dimensions will allow us to load almost anything, but in exchange for high fuel consumption and difficulties when maneuvering in the city.
In urban areas, a more contained size is always convenient. In fact, many times it will be better to make two trips than to carry an L4 or L3, as they will be impossible to park and you will always be receiving fines.
Electric vans are interesting in some circumstances
There are already several models of electric vans, although the truth is that their autonomy is quite limited, not exceeding 200-250 kilometers. In addition, you should know that it will be less if we load it with many kilos.
Despite this, the truth is that in some cases it can be an interesting option. For example, those delivery drivers who do not leave the city will take advantage of its advantages, as will those who make deliveries in the areas close to their business.
Automatic or manual gearbox?
Vans can be purchased with automatic gearboxes, which provide comfort, but have a shorter lifespan and require more maintenance.
You have to think about how long we are going to keep the vehicle. In this way, if the idea is to squeeze it until it has several hundred thousand kilometers, it is best to opt for a manual gearbox as it is more resistant.
On the contrary, if we are going to sell the van with few years and not too many kilometers, it will be a good idea to decide on an automatic gearbox as you will not have to fix it or hardly maintain it in that time.
