Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) has highlighted data which it says shows the importance of extended warranties for UK LCV operators.
It said data from the Freight Transport Association showed that unplanned vehicle downtime cost UK businesses more than £2.4 billion a year, with the average cost of LCV downtime ranging from £500 to over £1,000 per day, depending on the sector.
WSG head of commercial vehicle sales Mark Bobbins said: “Every hour a van is off the road is an hour of lost income, missed deadlines, or dissatisfied customers. For many small businesses, the vehicle is the business and breakdowns aren’t just inconvenient, they’re commercially damaging.”
Bobbins pointed out that many SMEs and sole traders would not have the spare vehicles or in-house repair teams available to larger fleets.
He said: “If you’re a plumber, electrician, or courier with just one van, a day in the garage can mean cancelled jobs, lost revenue, and disappointed customers.”
WSG said its own warranty claims data showed that the most frequently reported faults, including turbochargers, diesel particulate filters, gearboxes, clutches, and ECUs, were not only high-cost failures, but also ones that typically caused immediate and extended vehicle downtime.
Bobbins said: “These aren’t just mechanical issues, they’re operational roadblocks. And what’s especially frustrating is that many of these failures could be avoided or mitigated through preventative maintenance and structured warranty cover.”
