Many van owners will need to dispose of a van due to it becoming “beyond economical repair”. We go on to discuss eight of the most likely reasons that an owner may decide a van has to be sold or scrapped.
1) Accumulation of small faults
Rather than one major fault area, vans are often uneconomical to repair due to an accumulation of small faults. The repair/sell is all about the costs of repair and simply put if there are enough small faults this could cause a van to become uneconomical to repair. Examples of faults could be bodywork problems, brake issues, minor suspension problems, tyre faults, etc. Sometimes these faults are discovered through annual roadworthiness tests (e.g. MOT in the UK), where the van can’t be used again until all faults are repaired so the test can be subsequently passed.
Vans can experience many faults which may make them beyond economical repair
2) Cambelt
Cambelts are a service item which need to be replaced based on manufacturers guidelines, which vary considerably from between every 40,000 to 100,000 miles. Whilst in most cases the cost of replacing a cambelt as a service item won’t necessitate a van being sold, the consequences of a broken cambelt often will.
When a cambelt breaks its impact is unpredictable but the failure is likely to cause catastrophic engine damage to components such as valves, gaskets and the cylinder head, etc. So, the combined cost of cambelt replacement and the consequential damage costs are highly likely to take a van off the road.
3) Differential
Van owners won’t really think about their differentials until they fail, causing a van to become undrivable. Differentials come into use when vans turn around corners and will often fail due to neglect and lack of gear oil. The cost of repairing a faulty differential can be quite considerable, with much labour-intensive dismantling being required to access the affected area (and re-assembly afterwards). Adding to the labour charges are parts such as seals and gaskets, many owners will just decide the repairs make the van uneconomical to repair.
4) ECU
The ECU (short for Engine Control Unit) is effectively the brain of the van and controls the actions of much of the van such as braking, engine and transmission management. When problems with the ECU develop (and they do!), they are notoriously complex and time-consuming to fix. In many cases, garages will recommend buying a replacement ECU to avoid the labour charges or owners can opt to fix/re-program the existing ECU. Either way, the costs may prove prohibitive and may cause the van to become uneconomic to repair.
5) Engine
Anything concerning the engine can be quite “pricey”. Whether the issue is consequential damage from a cambelt, broken engine components, a blown engine or lack of oil the costs can be very expensive to fix. In many cases, the van will simply be scrapped as there are few buyers for vans with damaged engines.
6) Gearbox
If the gearbox fails, as with the engine it can prove very expensive. Often due to a lack of lubrication (gear oil) or through “wear and tear” a faulty/broken gearbox is a serious mechanical issue. Owners can sometimes opt for reconditioned gearboxes which can do a job but are still expensive. As a working gearbox is essential it’s repairs like these, which often force a van to become unusable and necessary to sell.
7) Suspension
Particularly where a van has been involved in an accident, issues with suspension can arise. The suspension affects the very roadworthiness of a van, causing it to become unusable unless the repairs are made. Suspension issues can arise due to rust, wear and tear, hitting bumps in the road, etc. and are likely to require significant repair fees to make the van roadworthy again.
8) Wiring loom
The wiring loom manages the electricity supply of the van and whilst it’s working it’s great, but when it fails as with the ECU it can be difficult to diagnose why. Installed out of sight, the wiring loom can be tricky to access and identify where short/trapped circuits arise, why wiring has worn and in the case of a fire, which wiring areas need replacement. Many owners decide with serious wiring issues to just sell or scrap the van.
Options for owners when disposing of a written off van
When selling a van, there are three main options open to van owners:
- Repair – the van could be repaired, but this will only be an option for van owners with practical “hands on” mechanic skills
- Scrap – the van could be scrapped for its metal and parts value at a local scrapyard
- Sell – the van could be sold either privately (which is difficult when the van has faults) or to specialist buyers of vans with faults
Prevention is often better than cure
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and would always advise to regularly service vans and keep fluid levels topped up. This approach will dramatically reduce the risk of some of the eight faults mentioned arising and extend the life of the van.
