AutoVett

AUTOVETT BUYING GUIDE

Used cargo vans for work: picking the right tool

For a plumber, electrician or delivery driver, the van is the business. The wrong one costs you in fuel, downtime and Tetris-level loading every single morning. The used market splits into compact vans (Transit Connect, ProMaster City, Mercedes Metris) and full-size vans (Transit, ProMaster, Sprinter, Express) — and the right choice is about your load, not the logo.

Match the van to the load

Compact vans sip fuel and park anywhere, but top out around 1,500 lbs of payload. Full-size vans carry 3,000+ lbs and stand-up height in high-roof form — at real fuel and tyre costs. If you carry ladders, pipe or pallets daily, buy the full-size and don't look back; if it's tools and parts, compact vans earn more per mile.

What your budget buys

$12,000–$16,000 buys a solid compact van under 100,000 miles, or a higher-mile full-size. $18,000–$25,000 is the full-size sweet spot: 2018+ Transit or ProMaster with reasonable miles. Sprinters hold value stubbornly — diesel running costs decide whether that's smart or sentimental.

How AutoVett helps

Describe the trade, not the spec sheet: “van for a plumbing business, room for tools and a water heater, under $18k.” AutoVett scores live listings against that need, estimates your potential costs (tyres, next service, insurance, fuel), and vets top matches by VIN for recalls and market price.

Try it — describe your need

These example searches open AutoVett with the words filled in. Press "Find it" and every live match gets a score; the strongest ones can be fully vetted by VIN.

Cargo van under $15k, low miles, for a plumbing business →Work van with room for tools under $18,000 →Van under $20k for deliveries →

Transit, ProMaster or Sprinter?

The Transit is the safe all-rounder (parts everywhere). The ProMaster's front-wheel drive and low load floor suit city trades. The Sprinter is the nicest drive and the priciest to keep — brilliant if maintained, expensive if not. The Metris is the compact van grown up: strong payload for its size, Mercedes running costs.

What should I check on a used work van?

Service history first, then sliding-door and rear-door hardware (they live hard lives), transmission behavior when cold, and recall status. AutoVett's VIN vetting covers recalls and price-versus-market; a pre-purchase inspection covers the rest.