Both BCA and Manheim saw increases in the average value of vans going through the auction halls in May, while in the new van market sales continued to plummet.

BCA’s Commercial Pulse Report shows a month-on-month improvement of £122 to reach an average selling price of £3,595 last month, while Manheim’s Van Market Analysis saw values rise by £55 to £3,125.

For Manheim this was the fifth consecutive monthly increase in values this year, following a 5.5% rise in January, 1.8% in February, 3.6% in March and 8.7% in April.

At BCA, May’s performance sees it approaching last year’s market peak of £3,868 recorded in January.

As a result, both auction houses are optimistic for the market for the next few months.

BCA “remains confident that values should remain firm over the summer months”, while Alex Wright, Manheim’s sales director, commercial vehicles, said: “As we enter the summer months I believe that values will now begin to stabilise, but there may still be some upward price movement in specific vehicle segments.”

Sectors performing well are car-derived vans, with values up by 9.9% in May at Manheim, while large panel vans up to 3.0 tonnes increased 5.5%.

BCA has seen vans in ‘retail-style’ specification (featuring extras such as metallic paint, air conditioning, uprated interior trim and satellite navigation) selling well.

Duncan Ward, BCA business development manager – commercial vehicles, said: “Buyers are paying the best prices for vans in good condition, and particularly boasting enhanced specification.”

The bright picture painted by the latest auction reports stands in stark contrast to the bleak picture in the new van market, where May saw sales of vans of 3.5 tonnes and under drop by 50.2% to 12,819 units, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).



Year-to-date, the market stands at 75,463 units – a reduction of 46.4%.

SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: “There are some early signs of improving consumer confidence, but van companies continue to face difficult economic conditions.

“Businesses across the economy remain cautious about their future prospects and it will take a little while for improving confidence to register in the marketplace.”

Among the biggest losers were Ford, Vauxhall and Mercedes-Benz, which saw registrations fall by 51.3%, 62.9% and 52.3% respectively. LDV, which remains in administration, sold just 59 vans, down from 345 in May 2008. 

All are from existing stock as the plant has been idle since the end of 2008.

Van Registrations June 2009