Factors to Consider Before Buying a Commercial Vehicle

When you are buying a car for your personal use, you take many factors into consideration before finalizing your purchase. Imagine how much thought and care would go into investing in a fleet of commercial vehicles for your business. Not only should they offer premium safety, but they also need to be highly affordable and fuel-efficient to ensure profitability.

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It doesn’t matter whether you are looking for heavy-duty trucks, tractors, tippers, or light-duty business vans that require long traveling hours during day and night, the vehicles should offer you efficiency and affordability.

If you are planning to invest in a fleet of commercial vehicles for your business, here are a few factors you must take into account before burning your cash.

Consider the engine size

When you are purchasing a commercial vehicle, deciding the right engine size is crucial. For example, if you are looking for heavy-duty trucks that will be used for transporting regular-sized, heavy items, or for every day commute, a four-cylinder engine would be enough.

However, if you invest in a full-sized truck with eight cylinders, it might not be cost-efficient given your business’s needs.

It’s vital to choose the optimum engine size to keep your fuel and maintenance costs to a minimum. This will ensure that your business expenses are kept as low as possible to maintain positive cash flows and profitability.

Cabin size

Since commercial vehicles are usually used for long-haul trips, a suitable cabin size must be determined before making a purchase. As returning or replacing your commercial vehicles is not a simple task, you should consider such factors keeping the nature of your business in mind.

A two-door truck has enough capacity to seat three adults, while four full-sized door vehicles can comfortably seat up to six passengers. The cabin size however may affect the length of your truck’s bed. The truck’s bed is generally 5 to 8 eight feet in length. However, some companies may also provide you with an option to extend the bed size.

That’s why it’s essential that you compare the cabin sizes available in the market to match your requirements.

Don’t compromise on safety features

All commercial vehicles come with necessary safety features such as seatbelts and airbags. However, you should carefully review the safety gear before buying a vehicle.

Since commercial vehicles are used for long trips and to transport expensive goods on different terrains, they need to offer optimum safety and security for the drivers as well as for the merchandise.

Moreover, a lack of basic safety features may impact the number of insurance claims in case of an accident. For example, if your vehicle doesn’t have seatbelts or emergency brakes, the insurance company may refuse to accept the claim and pay for damages.

Dealership

When you are investing in a fleet of vehicles, we recommend that you look for a dealership that can handle your special requirements. Depending on the size and reputation of the dealership, they can also recommend better financing options to ensure that your cash flows are not disrupted.

A well-reputed dealership will have a committed department that can provide you with the latest details such as competitive features of the most suitable commercial vehicles for your business.

Consider all the financing options

Choosing the right financing options for your commercial vehicles is very important. You will have to weigh different options against each other to determine which one offers you the best interest rates and installment plans to lease your vehicles.

It is also recommended that you narrow down the dealership options and consult them to find the best financing options available for commercial vehicles. Depending on the financing you choose, it can significantly improve your business’s cash flows and keep monthly expenses to a minimum.

Test drive

Another important part of the buying process is testing the vehicles you are buying. Ask your professional drivers to take the commercial vehicle for a spin before you finalize your decision. They will examine the primary controls of the vehicle such as its wheels, brakes, gears, and engine performance. They will also be able to ensure that all the safety gears are working perfectly.

Maintenance plans

Since your vehicles will be used regularly on long routes, they are bound to get worn out after every few months. In order to keep your maintenance and repair costs to a minimum, you should consider maintaining your vehicles at a single dealership. This will allow you to avail any discounts and other offers since you will have many vehicles requiring basic maintenance frequently.

Regular maintenance will also ensure that your investment is safe and there are no potential hazards for the drivers to commute on longer routes. Due to extreme driving conditions, your vehicles are prone to damage and, if neglected, may require extensive repairs that can significantly add to your business costs.

Insuring your commercial vehicles

It’s important that you insure your commercial vehicles in case of an accident. Commercial vehicle insurance will cover the whole fleet of vehicles and any vehicle damages in case of an accident.

Depending upon the type of insurance policy, commercial auto insurance may cover the following damages:

Uninsured motorist coverage: if the motorist is not insured, then the insurance policy may cover the property damage and the injury incurred by the motorist.

Property damage: if the vehicle involved in the accident damages another person’s property, then the insurance policy may pay for the property damage.

Physical injury: the policy will cover the business if their vehicle was responsible for an injury or death of another person. It may also include any coverage for the passengers and driver even if the injury occurred due to their fault. 

When you are investing thousands of dollars in your commercial vehicles, it’s wise that you secure your investment with car insurance. If you’re looking for commercial auto insurance services in Indian Orchard, Western Mass Auto Insurance can help you.

We also offer free, no obligation insurance quotes that allow you to compare our policies with those of other insurance companies. Our experts are always here to guide you to shop for the best insurance policies for your business explaining the pros and cons of each policy.

Our affordable insurance policies make sure that you get the best value for your money with great customer service.

Our company also offers reliable auto insurance services and home insurance services in Indian Orchard. Contact us today to learn more about our insurance services.