‘Fragmented’ used van market reflected in Aston Barclay’s June LCV Desirability Index

Concerns over interest rates and cashflow are impacting SME buying decisions on used vans, leading to a fragmented market, according to Aston Barclay.

Its used LCV Desirability Index for June is headed up by Citroën Relay, with the VW Amarok in second and the Mercedes-Benz Vito in third place.

The fact there is a large panel van, a pick-up and mid-size panel van in the top three reinforces just how fragmented the market currently is, according to the auctions and remarketing specialist.

No one size or type of LCV is dominating the used market; instead it is all about dealers sourcing more affordable vehicles for their SME customers mindful of continuing higher borrowing rates and protecting their working cashflow.

Four medium-size LCVs sit in the June index – the Mercedes Vito and Citan, the VW Transporter and Ford Transit Custom, while the Citroën Relay, Peugeot Boxer and Iveco Daily prove that larger panel vans are still in demand in the current new market. Three pickups – the VW Amarok, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max – make up the top 10.

“The market has slowed since Xmas and dealers are having to work harder to sell used LCVs to SMEs who are still feeling the pinch of higher interest rates and a higher cost of living. Many SMEs continue to hang onto their current LCV rather than replace it, but this cannot continue forever as vehicles continue to age and cost more money to keep operational,” said Geoff Flood, Aston Barclay’s head of LCV.

“The demand for used LCVs continues to sit at below £10,000 and generally those vehicles in good condition, a high spec and metallic paint are making more money than the entry-level lower-spec vehicles,” he added.

Aston Barclay’s monthly desirability index takes into consideration three key metrics: web views prior to sale, number of physical and online sale bids, and sale price achieved as a percentage of CAP average.