If it can be afforded, purchasing a new van fresh of the production line can actually save you money in the long run new research has found.

Savings of up to £800 can be made for those who drive new commercial vans rather than second hand types, so say rental firm Europcar. Unreliable second hand cars should be avoided if at all possible during these credit tightened times.

The study shows that new vehicles saved drivers on average 31 per cent in fuel costs compared to older makes due to the van being more efficient due to its newness. Other tips for saving money included driving smoothly without sudden acceleration and deceleration, unnecessary revving, futile speeding and turning off air conditioning.

Tim Bailey, Europcar's fleet director, said: "The driving style adopted plays a huge part in the fuel economy you can achieve in the real world."