Campervan Part Exchange: How It Works and What It Costs

Part exchange sounds like the easiest way to move your old campervan on: the dealer takes yours, you drive away in theirs, and there's no advertising, viewings or awkward negotiations. But the convenience comes with a cost. Here's what's really happening when you part exchange.

How a part exchange works

You agree a price for your old van and a price for the new one, and you pay the difference. The dealer gives you a "trade-in allowance" for yours — typically 15% to 25% below what you'd get selling it privately — and makes their margin on the new vehicle too. Both numbers are negotiable, and dealers often move the discount between the two to make the deal look better.

The hidden cost of convenience

The trade-in allowance is lower than a private sale because the dealer has to buy your van, clean it, repair it, market it and carry it on their books until it sells. That margin is your convenience cost. On a van worth £20,000, the difference between part exchange and a private sale can easily be £2,000 to £4,000 — the same van you hand over today could be on their forecourt next week for close to retail.

When part exchange makes sense

• You need your next van now and don't have the cash to buy first.
• You want a single, no-fuss transaction with no buyer enquiries.
• Your van is older, high-mileage or needs work — the kind of van that's slow to sell privately.
• The dealer is offering a strong discount on the new van and the combined deal genuinely beats selling both separately.

When to sell privately instead

If your van is in good condition, worth more than a few thousand pounds, and you can wait a few weeks, a private sale usually wins. The maths is simple: sell privately for retail, buy your next van with the proceeds. See dealer vs private for the full comparison, and value your van before you let anyone put a number on it.

Negotiate it like a cash deal

Never accept the first trade-in figure. Ask how the number is made up, get a price for the new van as a cash purchase first, then compare the two. Know your van's realistic private value so you can push the allowance up. If you're not part exchanging, a straight cash deal is a different conversation entirely.

Always get the part-exchange figure in writing before you commit to anything.

If you decide to sell your van yourself, list it on Campervan Market and you keep the full retail price in your pocket.