The Only Two Certainties In Life Are Death And Taxes is often attributed to Mark Twain, those others have argued it is a quotation from Benjamin Franklin in a letter, penned in 1789. Regardless of who said it, there is some truth in it and 250 years later, we could probably add others – one is that property appreciates in value and cars and vans depreciate.

But is that true in 2021?

If you bought a new car in years before Covid 19, you could guarantee (generally) a 20% fall in a vehicle’s value as you left the forecourt. Obviously some cars wouldn’t do this – due to rarity and exclusivity, like a Rolex. And yet.

The pandemic has seen vehicle values increase

If you’ve enquired about a new van or company car for your business, the trade in value may have pleasantly surprised you. We know of people expecting £6500 for an older Transit and being offered £9000 and more. Used values have held firm and actually increased.

Why?

Without getting into politics, Brexit has impacted on the supply chain of cars and commercial vehicles, with it being fairly common knowledge that a new van has a 9 – 12 order run-in time, largely because of shortages of semi-conductor chips.

Unprecedented times.

People have also got a taste for working from home and the ranks of the self employed and freelancers have swelled with these people investing in a company van to carry out their new work.

Many businesses and individuals have been crushed economically by lockdown, but there’s also been winners. We may have seen Debenhams, Top Shop, Top Man and others disappear from the high street, but online retail has exploded with companies like ASOS buying out Top Man and Top Shop. Many people are spending less too – those commutes on public transport or via car have ceased for many and the peripheral spending on a latte, sandwich and cake has diminished. Many, who are in work, are better off, we think. Though many are worse off.

What has this to do with vehicle graphics?

We’ve been a business who stalled at the onset of the pandemic but have survived and started to pick up again. Those legions of self employed want a new website, social media channels and a wrapped vehicle as part of their marketing and branding. They want others to see and mentally note their print advertising on the M60, Deansgate or out and about on the streets of Greater Manchester, as it is a durable and cost-effective marketing medium.

But.

There’s always a but isn’t there?

The long wait times for new vans has deterred many

At Manchester Van Signs, we don’t do negativity and like to offer solutions. Instead of getting a new van and waiting up to a year, look at your existing one and give it a revamp. It’s amazing what we can do with a 5 or 10 year old van with new bespoke graphics. It can even have a partial wrap, to save money and time.

We’ll make it turn heads, even if it’s 10 years old.

Then as your sales increase from your new vehicle marketing and the supply issue eases. you can invest in a new van in a year or two’s time – and come back to us in Salford for brilliant vehicle marketing graphics.