Go for the alternative Operators who are, rightly or wrongly,
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fearful of the effect Euro-6 will have when it comes into force next January may be tempted to acquire a new Euro-5 truck while they can. Alternatively, they may elect to buy a second-hand example instead.
There is another route they can pursue, however, says Matt Hammond, used vehicle sales manager at West Thurrock, Essex-based dealership Harris Dat They can opt for a late-registered Euro-4 model — and save some cash. "A late-registered Euro-4 is usually between 5% and 10% cheaper than an early Euro-5 of equivalent or near-equivalent specification," he points out.
The argument against going down the Euro-4 route is that the regulations governing the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) are bound to change in such a way that Euro-5, rather than Euro-4, will become mandatory if daily charges are to be avoided. It is an argument that Hammond has often heard, but he says there is no substance to it.
"So far as I'm aware, there are no plans to make Euro-5 the LEZ standard either now or in the foreseeable future," he says.
The LEZ requirement is, of course, for trucks to comply with the Euro-4 standard for particulates and the Euro-4 and Euro-5 particulate matter standards are identical. Euro-5's NOx limits are tighter though, and city authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about NOx emissions.
No Euro-5 limit in the LEZ just yet However, Transport for London confirms that there is no intention to make Euro-5 the new LEZ hurdle for trucks. Only buses will be affected by stricter LEZ limits from 2015, says London mayor Boris Johnson. In a recent speech, he also announced plans for an ultra-low-emission zone for the city centre to be introduced in 2020.
Being willing to consider Euro-4 and Euro-5 models gives prospective purchasers more choice, points out Hammond. The former standard was compulsory for all new trucks registered from 1 October 2006 to 1 October 2009, when Euro-5 came in, covering 36 months of registrations (although 2009 was admittedly a disastrous year for new truck sales).
Operators may be only too glad to consider the merits of Euro-4 trucks if demand for Euro-5 examples starts to rise later this year, making them pricier and harder to come by. At present, however, the market is quiet, says Hammond.
"As things stand, we're selling a few three-year-old ex-contract tractor units, typically XFs rather than CFs because they are what was supplied new in the first place and generally with about 350,000km to 450,000km recorded," he says.
"If operators are in the market for a unit that's on its second life, they usually want something that's done less than 500,000km.
"Generally, they're after a 460hp 6x2 Space Cab," he continues. "In the past, customers would want a Super Space Cab with an eye to retaining their existing drivers or recruiting new ones, but that seems less of an issue now given that quite a few operators have got trucks parked up."
As a result, hiring drivers may be easier in some parts of the country than it was in the past. • HARRIS OAF A family-owned business founded by the late Frank Harris in 1975, Harris Daf operates out of sites in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as well as Witham and West Thurrock in Essex. Sister companies include MAN dealership Purfleet Commercials and tanker operator JW Suckling.