THOMAS HARDIE AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AUCTIONS
Page 34
Page 35
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THOMAS NAME WS
"The FL cab is still not perceived as being dated and operators have no reservations in buying models fitted with it"
Graham Smith
Graham Smith is a director of Thomas Hardie UVS, based at Middlewich in Cheshire, which carries a stock of 80-90 Volvos. "We used to concentrate mainly on trucks of 17 tonnes and above but recently we have taken in more lighter models and so now cover the complete weight range better," he says. "There are more 8x4 F112s about than tractive units. They are used for all types of eightwheeler application, but with 340hp and an engine brake they have been popular in the more hilly regions of the country.
"The smaller number of tractive units available is not to the detriment of the FL12," he adds, "but more to do with the competitiveness of the established FL10 which operators liked and trusted during the short period that the F112 was produced. Having said that, there is a niche market for them, and when we want one we have difficulty in finding one, The eight-wheelers are also in demand, and when we get them in they sell quickly. The FL cab is still not perceived as being dated and operators have no reservations in buying models fitted with it.
"We have just sold an 18-month-old FL12 340 8x4 for £53,000," Smith reports, "A 6x2 380 tractive unit getting on for three years old could have been expected to fetch between 125,000 and £27,000. However, because of the road-tax situation threeaxle tractive units with the appropriate power option have improved in value. As far as the FL12 double-drive examples go, there are just not enough of them in the used market so they get snapped up very quickly."
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AUCTIONS
Chris Wright, managing director of independent Commercial Vehicle Auctions at Doncaster, has a throughput of some 400 trucks and 300 trailers a month at his twice-monthly mid-week sales, but he has yet to sell an FL12 and doesn't know anyone who operates one. "They are pretty rare so it would be an easy sale if one did come up at auction," he remarks.