Does a double cab save costs compared to multiple vehicles?

Yes, a double cab van often saves considerable costs compared to multiple vehicles. After all, you only pay insurance, road tax and maintenance once, while still being able to transport your team as well as materials. The administrative burden is also lower because you only have to manage one vehicle. Whether a double cabin is the best choice for your situation depends on your team size, working area and daily transport needs.

What costs do you actually play when you have multiple vehicles?

When you have several commercial vehicles in your fleet, costs quickly pile up. You pay insurance, road tax, maintenance and MOT separately for each vehicle. There are also fuel costs and depreciation for each vehicle.

The insurance premium for a commercial vehicle averages between EUR 800 and EUR 1,500 per year, depending on the type of cover and use. Road tax for a van up to 3,500 kg is around 120 to 180 euros per quarter. That means that for two vehicles, you can easily spend an extra 480 to 720 euros per year on road tax alone.

Maintenance and MOT are also recurring costs. An average maintenance package will cost you between 300 and 600 euros per year per vehicle. The MOT costs around 50 to 70 euros, but any repairs can add to that. With two vehicles, these costs obviously double.

Don't forget the administrative burden either. Each vehicle requires its own paperwork, registration certificate, insurance papers and maintenance records. This takes time and energy that would be better invested in your business. For many entrepreneurs, this is an underestimated cost that does weigh on the overall business.

Depreciation is another factor you should not underestimate. On average, a company car depreciates 15 to 20 per cent per year. With two vehicles of 20,000 euros each, you will therefore lose 6,000 to 8,000 euros in value annually, compared to 3,000 to 4,000 euros with one vehicle.

What are the direct cost benefits of a double cab?

A double-cab van combines passenger transport and material transport in one vehicle, so you only pay the fixed costs once. You have one insurance premium, one road tax and one maintenance contract. This results in immediate savings of hundreds or even thousands of euros per year.

Let's make it concrete with a calculation example. Suppose you are considering buying two separate vehicles: a passenger car for your team and a van for materials. The annual cost would then look something like this:

• Insurance: 2 × 1,200 euros = 2,400 euros
• Road tax: 2 × 600 euros = 1,200 euros
• Maintenance and MOT: 2 × 450 euros = 900 euros
• Total: €4,500 per year

With one double cab, you pay:

• Insurance: €1,400 (slightly higher due to larger vehicle)
• Road tax: 650 euros
• Maintenance and MOT: 500 euros
• Total: €2,550 per year

That is a savings of almost 2,000 euros per year on just the fixed costs. Over a period of five years, that quickly saves 10,000 euros, money you can invest in growing your business.

It also lightens the administrative burden. You only have one registration number to manage, one insurance policy to keep track of and one maintenance schedule to follow. This saves you time and prevents you from overlooking things. For many entrepreneurs, this simplification is at least as valuable as the direct financial savings.

Depreciation is also more favourable. Instead of having two vehicles that both depreciate, you only have one. Although a double cab can be slightly more expensive to buy, the total depreciation over the years is lower than with two separate vehicles. Moreover, the residual value of a well-maintained double cab often remains stable, as these vehicles are popular in the second-hand market.

When is a double cab the best choice for your business?

A double cabin is especially cost-effective when you regularly travel to project sites with a small team and need to carry tools or materials at the same time. Think of construction companies, installers, landscaping companies or maintenance companies where two to five employees work together.

Team size plays an important role. With a double cab, you can comfortably transport four to six people, depending on the model. If you work with a larger team, you may still need to use multiple vehicles. If you usually work alone or with a maximum of one colleague, then a single cab with more cargo space may be more practical and cheaper.

Your working area also matters. If you mainly drive locally and regionally, then a double cab is ideal. Your team will get in together, drive to the job and have all the necessary equipment immediately to hand. For companies working nationwide or internationally, where employees often travel separately, the flexibility of multiple vehicles can sometimes be more convenient.

The type of work also determines whether a double cab will fit. For jobs where you need to transport a lot of material, you need to look carefully at the cargo space. A double cabin logically has less loading space than a long single cabin because of the extra row of seats. If you mainly transport tools and smaller materials, this is not a problem. If you regularly need to carry large or bulky goods, then a single cab with a larger cargo space may be a better fit.

Flexibility is another concern. With one double cab, you are dependent on that one vehicle. If it is under maintenance or breaks down unexpectedly, your whole team is at a standstill. If you have two vehicles, you can continue working in such a situation. For companies where continuity is important, it may be wise to have a smaller reserve in addition to a double cab.

Also think about the future. Is your business growing rapidly and do you expect to take on more employees soon? Then a double cab now could be a smart investment that scales with your growth. If, on the other hand, you plan to downsize or outsource more, it might be wiser to opt for a simpler and cheaper vehicle.

How Van Den Hurk helps choose a cost-efficient company car

We are happy to help you make the right choice between a double cab and multiple vehicles. With more than 60 years of experience in commercial vehicles, we understand exactly what entrepreneurs encounter. We think with you about what best suits your specific situation and business activities.

This is what we offer you:

• A wide range of 400 commercial vehicles, including several double cabs from reliable brands
• Personal tailor-made advice, where together we calculate the cost savings for your situation
• Transparent pricing with no surprises, so you know exactly where you stand
• Flexible leasing options via financial lease, which means you don't have to invest a large amount right away
• Practical calculations that help you compare total costs over several years

Whether you choose to buy or lease, we guide you from advice to delivery. Thanks to our handy search function and stock alert service on www.vdhurk.nl, you stay informed about newly arrived double cabs that perfectly suit your needs. Visit our showroom in Helmond or contact us for a no-obligation discussion about the most cost-efficient solution for your company.