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Deliver the Best Transportation for Your Small Business

Adam Groff

February 04, 2014

Buying a fleet of vehicles for your small business can stretch your company's budget past the comfort zone, but there are ways to get a great line of vehicles for an even better price. From delivery vans and trucks to fuel-efficient sedans and specialty cars, buying fleet doesn't mean you have to overspend.

Here are just a few ways you can save your small business truckloads of cash when buying fleet vehicles:

Buy Gently Used

A used car is always cheaper than a new one, but not all used vehicles are as gently used as others.

When shopping for fleet vehicles, choosing used over new will save you money, you just have to make sure how "used" the fleet vehicle really is.

Chances are used fleet vehicles are lease returns, which means they're likely to have low mileage and low wear and tear.

If this is the case, either leasing or purchasing used is a financially savvy, safe bet because the vehicle will have plenty of life left.

Shop for Last Year's Models

Shopping a model year behind doesn't necessarily mean you're buying used. In fact, many dealerships have the previous year's models well into the middle of the following year, especially when it comes to the huge inventories you're likely to find with fleet vehicles.

Early in the year is usually the best time to shop for the previous model year, as there is still an influx of these vehicles on the lot.

Come summer, last year's inventory is pretty much gone. Just remember, when buying a new fleet vehicle that is already a year old, you have more bargaining power than with current year vehicles.

Extend the Lease

More often than not, small business owners who don't want to deal with outright ownership and maintenance usually lease fleet vehicles rather than buy them. For cases such as this, extending the lease can result in savings too.

By agreeing to a 36-month lease rather than a 24-month lease, the overall monthly payments are reduced in most cases.

In terms of poor credit, leasing is a nice alternative to purchasing, which is why bad credit doesn't have to mean driving a used car, truck, van or any other type of fleet vehicle.

Buy in Bulk

In the eyes of the dealership, the more vehicles that leave the lot, the better.

That's where the bargaining power behind buying in bulk comes into play. And, in the world of fleet vehicles, buying in bulk happens more often than not.

Depending on the number of fleet vehicles your small business needs, bulk buying or leasing gives you the opportunity to lower overall purchase prices or monthly payments, which can save you money in the short and long run.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

The biggest potential money-saver to remember is your ability to walk away from a deal that doesn't meet your needs.

You, the buyer, have options and plenty of other fleet dealerships to choose from, but the salesman doesn't. So, be prepared to walk away and see what the dealership offers you to stay.

Buying a flock of fleet vehicles doesn't have to cost your company a ton of money as long as you know your options.

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