The phrase ‘White Van Man’ is often used with derogatory intent, however, in recent years white vans have become rare and are not as common as you might think. In the past, vans were seen much more as utilitarian items rather than the objects of desire they are now. When it comes down to it, tradespeople don’t care what a hammer looks like, just that it does the job and at a reasonable cost; appearance would be secondary.
Economical White Paint
Nobody really paid attention to how vans were coloured, so long as they did what they had to do. White became the go-to option since it was cost-effective for manufacturers to purchase paint in bulk, making their production lines more efficient and avoiding any adjustments for different hues. It appears white was also the most economical colour to produce.
White is an ideal colour for vinyl graphics to promote your business, making it easy to match when repairs are needed. In summertime, white reflects heat, helping to keep the cab and storage space cool, thanks to its lack of air conditioning until recent years. Additionally, its visibility in low light conditions ensures other road users can see it clearly.
Comfort and Colour Matter
We want our vans to offer more than just being a tool. We have no desire to leave the comfort of our cars, with their alloy wheels, flashy colours and driver assistance innovations only to be met with a bare van. For some individuals, their van is the primary and only form of transport, and they need it to look as well as feel outstanding.
The marketing teams at all the van manufacturers are now taking their cue from car models and replicating colours in their van ranges. Van buyers identify with the trends and colours, perhaps not consciously realising the correlation between a Ford Transit they’re considering and the high-spec Ford cars they see on the roads around them.
Look at the advertising
When was the last time you came across promotional material (adverts, brochures, webpages) for a van that showed vehicles in only white? (the Crusader Vans website has a kaleidoscope of colours among its pages0 Are manufacturers being influenced by changing demand or is the demand being influenced by them?
When a new van is launched, manufacturers usually pick an eye-catching colour that accentuates the vehicle to its greatest advantage, (while these colours are great they may no look so great on your driveway) alongside chrome and body coloured parts such as bumpers. This colour is also then used prominently in their press material and as the shade of car that reporters are loaned for reviews. Subsequently, this gives us the photos we see in online and newspapers articles every day.
Popular Colours
Currently, both red and blue remain popular, but silver has dropped out of favour. Black isn’t as sought after either; it could be due to the difficulty of keeping it clean with regular washing being time consuming and sometimes not a priority.
Manufacturers now offer a huge range of ‘non-standard’ colours for vans, far more than used to be available. From deep orange to turquoise and yellow to purple, those who want to really make their vehicle stand out from the rest have plenty of options.
Metallic Paint
Most van customers now demand a metallic paint finish, which can be beneficial to those looking to lease. If you choose a metallic or pearlescent colour when getting your quote, it may be the same price as a white van, even though it would cost more on the manufacturer’s price list. This is because used van buyers also prefer these colours and therefore this increases the resale value at the end of the leasing period, making for lower depreciation costs and therefore lower lease rates.
Having a van with a nice colour can be great, but there are some drawbacks. While modern technology has made it easier to match the colour of repaired panels, it’s still not unheard of for one panel to look slightly mismatched. If you’re purchasing rather than leasing a vehicle, then your colour choice could affect the resale value if you find that others don’t appreciate it as much as you do. Thankfully, if you are leasing the van, this is a risk taken on by the finance company.
Crusader Van Leasing
So, if you want a van in any colour Crusader Vans can help you. With Crusader Vans you can lease the perfect van for your business in pretty much any colour you can imagine. Call the Van Leasing Experts today on 01825 701 200
