The average price of vans sold at auction rose by 5.1% during Q3, according to Manheim Auction Services.
The Cox Automotive company said the £8,590 average came alongside a 6.2% increase in first-time conversion rates, to 85.2%, and a record low average of 11.2 days to sell.
Manheim saw sold volumes up by 23.2% compared with the previous quarter, helped by a 17.4% year-on-year increase in active vendors.
Manheim UK director of commercial vehicles Matthew Davock said: “This quarter, we saw a clear shift in buying strategies. Buyers arrived at the lanes more informed than ever, tracking retail values and mileage much more closely and bidding with precision.
“Combine this with better-prepared vehicles and smarter release strategies from our growing pool of vendors, and Q3 went above and beyond our expectations.
“This success was further bolstered by the success of our Gloucester operations, which processed more than 8,000 commercial vehicles through its two dedicated auction lanes alone.”
According to Manheim, the success has come despite a shifting economic landscape and evolving fleet strategies, with van operators extending vehicle lifecycles due to ongoing cost pressures.
It said vans once cycled out between 36-48 months were increasingly being held for 60 months or more, resulting in an increase in older, higher-mileage stock arriving across auction sites.
Davock said: “The decision to run vans for longer is a pragmatic one, given current market conditions and uncertainty regarding the outcome of the Autumn budget.
“Fleet operators need to be aware of the impact this will have on stock performance. Lower mileage vehicles, for instance, are commanding stronger prices, an important factor to take into account within fleet disposal strategies, as releasing lower mileage stock at the right time can maximise overall finance results.”
