Van-based alternator and starter delivery round
Keep common alternators and starters in your van and deliver same day to garages on a regular round.
- £5k-20k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
6,399 UK companies in this field, 31% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 45310 “Wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A mobile trade supplier. You carry a stock of popular alternators and starter motors, visit garages on a regular route, and make urgent deliveries. You collect old units for exchange where the supplier requires it.
Your first three steps
- Map garages within an hour's drive and note which are busy independents without a nearby trade counter
- Agree trade terms with a remanufacturer or wholesaler, including a returns and exchange process
- Buy a starter stock of fast-moving units and visit garages to offer same-day delivery and a first-order discount
Who pays
Independent garages, tyre and exhaust centres, mobile mechanics and small commercial vehicle repairers.
How it makes money
Margin on each part sold. Speed and local availability let you charge more than a distant online seller, and regular garages give repeat orders.
Skills that help
- Knowledge of common vehicle electrical parts
- Route planning and reliable driving
- Building relationships with garage owners
Watch out for
- Tying up cash in stock, start with fast sellers and expand slowly
- Motor trade insurance or goods-in-transit and public liability cover for your van and stock, check with a broker
- Late-paying garages, consider account limits and clear payment terms
- Handling old units and any fluids or batteries, check waste and scrap metal rules with your council
- Vehicle costs: fuel, servicing and time on the road eat into margin
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: van-based alternator and starter delivery round
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an alternator and starter delivery round?
Startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £20,000, depending on your van and how much stock you carry. These are estimates. Starting with fast-selling units and expanding slowly helps avoid tying up too much cash in stock.
How much can a van-based parts delivery round earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on your route, the garages you supply and the stock you carry. These are revenue estimates, not profit, and fuel, servicing and time on the road all reduce your margin.
What insurance and rules should I check before starting?
Check motor trade insurance or goods-in-transit and public liability cover for your van and stock with a broker. Also check waste and scrap metal rules with your council for old units, fluids and batteries, and set clear payment terms for garages.
Other ways to run this business
Online alternator and starter supplier to garages
Sell remanufactured alternators and starters to local garages from home, with parts sent direct from a wholesaler.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- From home
Alternator and starter reconditioning workshop
Rebuild and test alternators and starter motors in a small unit and supply them to garages and repairers.
- £15k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
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Photo: markusthomasde on Pixabay