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First-half sales break records
Page 86
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Business is booming for most, but not all,
used truck dealers. Steve Banner reports.
USED TRUCK sales remain buoyant throughout most of the country."We're doing 20% more business than we were doing this time last year, prices are holding up well and it's not just late-year,low-mileage vehicles that are selling," says independent dealer Peter Hassan of Lympne, Hythe, Kent-based Eurowise Truck and Van.
"A lot of our older part-exchange bargains are going straight out of the door too," he adds "We recently sold a 1988 Leyland Cruiser and a 1993 Iveco Ford Cargo 1718."
Business is booming despite the recent bank holidays "I hate them," Hassan groans. "Everybody in the country switches off for three days before and three days after, and a long weekend turns into a week off."
"I'm seeing no indication of a downturn," says Lee Smith, a director of West Thurrock, Essex independent dealership Hanbury Riverside. "I can't complain at all. We're still getting plenty of enquiries, and they're coming from all over the country.They're coming from the Republic of Ireland too."
"Our financial year started in October, and our first six months were the best first six months we've ever had,"says Steve Smith of Widnes independent dealer Smith Brothers"We're hoping that the second six months will be equally as good, although things have tailed off a bit recently. Prices are holding steady though."
While everybody seems to be searching for high-power tractors, Smith is finding that trucks with more basic specifications can be just as hard to locate. "I'm think* about daycab tractors and standard late year 4x2 Scania tractors at 380hp," he explains.
Hassan reports that particularly desirable vehicles are selling extremely quickly, almost before they've arrived in his yard: "We recently had a 500hp Volvo FH12 tractor on a 52 plate dating back to 2003 come in on a Friday, and a customer turned up the following day and bought it on the spot.
"I have to tell people who ring me that I can't sit on a vehicle until they come along to see it — it will go to the first person who gets here and says he wants it."
Franchised dealers are reporting buoyant sales too. "Sales have been pretty strong over the past month, probably because I've had the right stock," says Derek Lowis, used truck salesman at Hampshire Daf dealership Adams Morey. "Now all I've got to do is replace it, and I know that won't be easy."
By no means every dealer is busy, however.
"We're finding that things are very quiet, although we're still receiving the odd inquiry for 7.5-tonners up to two years old," says Nigel Sharp, used truck sales specialist at the Sheffield and Leeds operations of Daf dealership Chatfields.
"We were in the same situation at this time of year a couple of years back, however, so hopefully things will pick up over the next few weeks.
"Late-year used Dafs are scarce anyway," he points out."People are hanging on to their existing vehicles."