Few things will chase away a customer faster than pulling up in a beat-up junker. Your transportation is part of your image as a company. On top of that, it plays a huge role in your expense and efficiency.

When you’re shopping for a used van, you clearly want to consider how it looks. But there are other features that can make your job easier. From our commercial van experts, here are a few things to look for.

What to Look For in a Used Van

We could rattle off countless commercial van features you should want. But there are a few you should focus on:

Cargo Management Customization

Commercial vans are often customized for the individual owner’s purposes. The type of racks and organization will change from one owner to the next.

To make it easy, you could look for a van whose previous owner had a similar business. It might already have the cargo management you want.

Of course, this would be a challenge to find. Instead, find out how much it would cost for van upfitting to adjust the van to your needs.

Appropriate Sizing

“The bigger the better” does not always hold true in this case. Do you deliver to downtown areas of a city? Do you need to park in tight spaces?

If so, you look for a more compact commercial van. Figure out the minimum and maximum space you need to conduct your business. Find a used van that is as close to that maximum need as possible.

Monitoring Features

If you’re a business owner with employees driving your vans, monitoring is important. Today, there is software available to ensure that your rules are being followed.

For instance, Ford MyKey is a feature which allows owners to set a speed limit, audio volume limit, and more. If the driver exceeds these limits, it will trigger an alarm.

There are other options for monitoring software as well. Consider GPS monitoring so you can see the routes your drivers are traveling.

Some used vans may be equipped with these options already. But if a van doesn’t have it pre-installed, don’t take it out of consideration. Ask if the van could have an aftermarket monitoring software installed.

Rearview Camera

This may sound like a modern luxury, but it’s more of an often overlooked investment. Especially for vans without back windows, a rearview camera makes all the difference.

A backup accident can cause expensive repairs. But it can cost even more in raised insurance premiums. And if it’s your customer’s property that you’ve damaged, it can cost you their business.

Look for a van that has a built-in rearview camera or one that can have an aftermarket camera installed. This is especially true if you have younger drivers who are used to this technology.

Final Tips for Buying Used Vans

Our one core piece of advice is this: Don’t get hung up looking for a van that already meets your specifications. Look for one that can be customized as needed.

It’s a good idea to get upfitting estimates for vans you’re considering. This lets you know the full price upfront and make a more informed comparison.

To start shopping, search for used vans for sale near you, then contact us to ask about an upfitting quote.