Things are going from bad to worse in the new vehicle sector – and there is little sign of improvement ahead, according to experts at EurotaxGlass’s.

But, according to commercial vehicle editor George Alexander, the used van market continues to stride ahead.

He said: “Nearly every tidy van up to 2.8 tonnes is proving popular, with the relationship between supply and demand being in balance.”

However, he warned: “Despite this much-improved sentiment in the used marketplace, prices for late-year vans are currently close to £2,000 below the highs reached 18 months ago.

“Deep into a recession, with new prices having risen sharply, concerns are being voiced over the gap between ‘list’ and ‘transaction’ prices for late-year used.”

Experts at CAP, meanwhile, noted that used van prices rose slightly in June and the market remained stable although, as usual, condition remains paramount and the strongest bids are for vehicles in above average condition with enhanced extras.

In the panel van sector, the Ford Transit accounts for one |third of all sales and CAP said the Citroën Dispatch, Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato were notable for their absence.

Current valuation manager Ken Brown said: “As a result of this, any models in reasonable condition are sure to attract strong bids, especially when in metallic paint.”

Damaged bodies and lack of pre-sale preparation are problems in the panel van sector, with many failing to make even CAP Average prices by a large margin.