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High-tech fears boost demand for Euro-3
Page 68
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Concerns over digital tachographs and Euro-4 are prompting many operators to buy late-registered Euro-3 trucks. This is according to Mike Curtis, used truck sales manager at Oaf dealership Watts.
Buying Euro-3 allows operators to postpone getting to grips with key changes changes that seem to terrify some of them. "As a consequence we've been doing welt with high-powered top-of -therange low-mileage late-plate tractor units, with lots of interest in XF95s at 480 and 530hp," Watts reports.
The firm's new Worcester site on the A38, just 4km from the M5, got off to a slow start. "We've worked at it though and we're now making some progress," Watts says. "One thing we're finding is that we're selling quite a few 7.5tonners boxes and tippers for instance -to local businesses because we're here and we've got them in stock.
"The trouble is there's a big shortage of late-registered trucks because operators who don't want the new technology yet are hanging on to them for as long as possible," says Curtis. "With 7.5-tonners, for example, the rental companies are saying they won't dispose of their analogue vehicles and switch to digital until they have to."
He believes that a shortage of late stock may be helping to keeping prices stable, although not quite at book retail levels.
Oaf dealership F&G Commercials opened a site on Barnsley's Carlton Industrial Estate a few weeks ago, and Nigel Sharp, who heads up used sales there, agrees that desirable late-plate Euro-3 stock is at a premium.
When he gets hold of a really desirable example the phones jangle into life, even at this time of year: "We recently advertised a 55-plate 2005 Renault Magnum 480 6x2 mid-lift unit with-111,000km recorded. It had a fridge and air-con but was trimmed with cloth rather than leather upholstery."
He took eight calls from prospective buyers, including several from Scotland: "We eventually sold it for £45,000. We don't get offered a lot of part-exchanges when we sell used vehicles, but on this occasion we took in a 480hp Oaf 85 6x2 Space Cab dating back to 2004, and we're retailing it."