How often you maintain your van depends on how important its longevity is to you, and if ensuring a high resale value is a priority. Regular maintenance, however, is also necessary to ensure that your van runs without any problems during your ownership. The three most important things to regularly check are the coolant, oil and tires.

Oil:

When you check the oil, make sure that the colour is as dark as treacle and that it is clean without any bits in it. Any change to the colour or consistency of the oil should be immediately investigated.

 

Coolant:

Coolant is extremely important as it safeguards your van against overheating and damaging the engine and other mechanical parts under the bonnet. Top up as soon as you notice that the levels are running low to avoid your engine overheating.

 

Tyres:

Regularly maintaining the tires is vital to ensure that your van performs as well as possible. Low tire pressure means that your van will consume more fuel. The tread on your tires should also be regularly examined as bald tires are illegal.

Keeping your van properly secured with alarms and locks is another sensible way of protecting your investment. Deter nosy opportunists by having tinted windows or curtains. Using a heavy-duty immobilizer in the ignition circuit will stop the fuel flow and hopefully act as a deterrent to any thieves in the vicinity. Make sure that your van does not look like an easy target, as a botched burglary attempt can easily damage the appearance of your van and have a negative impact on its resale value.

Lastly, remember to keep the interior looking spruce by using protective covers and mats where appropriate, and giving it a hoover and wipe-down once in a while with suitable interior-cleaning products.

Following the above tips should help your van to run smoothly and keep its resale value, whether you plan to trade it or keep it.