A van is defined as "a covered or closed in boxlike motor vehicle having side or rear doors often used for transporting goods or people"

There are many different sorts of van in the UK most are used for commercial purposes however there are a growing number of vans or pick-ups such as the Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux and Ford Bronco that are being used for personal use. This can be for a number of reasons:

1. The new style vans, including double-cabs, are getting so much more comfortable that they have the comforts of a car with the load capacity of a van

2. New diesel engines are much more economical so making them a better choice

3. It is possible to claim tax breaks for certain commercial vehicles - however it is worth researching this thoroughly before endeavouring to claim

Its also worth checking the cost of vehicle tax for light goods vehicles and vans - check Directgov for full details of changes to vehicle taxs

Ford Transit

The Ford Transit is one of the most common vans in the UK. It has many different variations starting with the obvious length:

Short Wheel Base (SWB) with a gross payload weight of up to 1,555kg, a choice of two roof heights (low and medium) and a load length of 2,582mm

Medium Wheel Base (MWB) with a gross payload weight of up to 1,677kg, a choice of three roof heights (low, medium and high) and a load length of 2,949mm

Long Wheel Base (LWB) with a gross payload weight of up to 1,586kg, a choice of roof heights (medium and high) and a load length of 3,399mm

Jumbo Van with a gross payload of 2,265kg a high roof and a load length of 4,107mm

Choosing the right van for you

As with choosing a car it is vital that you do a number of things before you buy a new or used van:

1. Work out what you will be carrying in the van - as you can see from the Transit descriptions above the LWB doesn't have as heavy a payload capacity as the MWB so do you want to carry long loads or heavy payloads?

2. Work out your budget - this includes buying the van upfront, what optional extras you need, what the tax bracket is for the van, work out the fuel consumption (and thus the engine size), do you need a van or will an estate car do the same job?

3. Once you know the above do some research online to find out about the vans that fit your short list - don't just read the manufacturers description find reviews written by real drivers of the vans

4. Get some insurance quotes for the different vans on your short list - there can be considerable differences in annual premiums between similar types of vans

5. Go and look at the vans on your list in daylight and in dry conditions - poor light and rain can hide a multitude of sins

6. Test drive all of the vans, go for a good long drive as you will be spending a lot of your time in the van so you should give it a good drive - be impartial while driving them even if you prefer the look of one test them all

7. If buying a second hand van, check over the van, inside and out, to find any problems, scratches, marks, dents, chipped windscreens or worn tyres and get the garage to fix them before you take it. Don't be rushed when doing this as its harder to get the garage to fix things once you've taken the van away.

8. Find out what optional extras come with the van and what you can haggle into the bargain, pick ones that you will find most beneficial - things like roof racks, internal panelling / racking, parking sensors, bluetooth integration are all useful things so haggle hard - especially now as its a buyers market

9. Never, ever, pay the list price and if you can pay cash! Don't be afraid to negotiate and play garages off against each other - after all this is your hard earned money that you are parting with