Our quick guide to van body types

Vans come in a range of different sizes and body types, all of which are designed to suit different purposes and jobs. So, whether you’re in need of some temporary transport for work, or you need something larger for helping you move house, we’ve got the perfect van hire deals for you right here at Intack Self Drive. Here’s our brief guide to the types of vans we can supply you with, and the functions they serve.

Panel vans

Panel vans are some of the most popular and versatile vans with both private buyers and tradespeople alike. They can be used for a variety of different applications, such as transporting tools and materials, or furniture removal. Panel vans don’t have rear or side windows, which stops passers-by from peering in the window and getting a good look at your cargo, making the vans extremely good at deterring potential thieves. On top of this, panel vans have much bigger side mirrors when compared to cars, which gives the driver an improved visual of what’s behind them.

As one of our largest commercial vehicles here at Intack Self Drive, our long wheel base jumbo panel van offers almost unrivalled capacity, making it ideal for moving bulky cargo or large volumes of goods. Whatever you’ve got in mind for your jumbo panel van, you can count on us here at Intack Self Drive to make rental process as quick and easy as possible.

Luton bodies and box vans

Sometimes known as ‘box body’ vans, Luton vans feature a tall, box-shaped cargo bay, and have one of the most generous load capacities of all the vans we stock here at Intack Self Drive. They’re particularly handy for transporting large bulk items, and can be accessed from the rear doors. However, due to the height of the cargo doors when compared to other vans, we’d always advise using a lift to load it.

Tipper Vans and Dropside Vans

Tipper vans are a type of flatbed van that’s technically a subtype of a pickup van. Sounds complicated, but allow us to explain - tipper vans have an open load area that make them perfect for transporting bulky items. The difference between a tipper van and a regular flatbed van is that a tipper has a handy hydraulic arm that raises the bed at the front in order to tip the contents out the rear. (Hence the name, ‘Tipper’ van.)

On the other side, a dropside van is basically another type of flatbed van, but one that features fold-down side panels. Dropside vans are favourites of the construction trade, as they often find themselves having to move large amounts of aggregate like soil or building waste.

All this is just a brief intro, of course – if you’ve got any more questions about any of our vans, don’t hesitate to ask one of our experts at Intack Self Drive. All of our rental vehicles come with the option to rent through daily hire, or our outstanding Flexi hire service, so wherever your intended destination, we’ll have a vehicle that suits your requirements. Ready to get started? You can browse the best hire deals right here on our site, or give us a call on 01254 57811!