Used light commercial vehicle values at BCA fell in April but “remained resilient” as the market maintained a higher value profile.
Values across the firm’s LCV auctions averaged £7,990 in April, down 3.3% or £277 from March and 4.3% or £360 compared to April 2024. Despite this, values remained in line with the higher-value profile experienced since the turn of the year, reversing the trend seen across the latter part of 2024 when the market came under significant pressure.
Sold LCV volumes averaged more than 2,000 each week during the month, with sale conversions staying high as buyers competed for stock.
LCV values continued to outperform guide price expectations, averaging 102.7% across the month, as strong levels of wholesale demand continued and retailers continued to report strong interest from buyers while also managing low inventory levels on forecourts.
Competition remained fierce for clean condition, lower-mileage vehicles, with values routinely exceeding price guide expectations by a considerable margin, particularly where customers appeared to be buying to order. Older, higher-mileage stock also found a ready audience, providing the condition was fair and valuations were realistic.
But vehicles with a combination of high mileage and poorer condition proved to be more challenging, with extra effort required to align bidder and vendor expectations.
Stuart Pearson, BCA’s chief operating officer UK, commented: “We have continued to see a very competitive marketplace for LCVs in 2025, with good levels of demand and rising numbers of buyers within our sales programme.”
Pearson also said BCA’s Online Commercial Vehicle sales programme, which sells seven days a week, has totally challenged the concept around when is the prime time to sell.
“Understanding that this means a different thing to every customer is important, and the flexibility of the programme, combined with the volume and selection of stock on offer means that we’ve been able to satisfy the needs of more buyer customers, which helps to drive sales performance for our sellers.”
Pearson added: “We continue to deliver enhancements and improvements to our services for LCV buyers and sellers and remain committed to ongoing investment in technology and infrastructure to support all parts of the buying and selling process as growth in the commercial vehicle sector accelerates.”
