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Something for everyone
Page 70
Page 71
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You can buy almost anything CV-related from Roy Humphrey's yard; Emma Penny headed east to check out his selection of wagons.
There's no mistaking Roy Humphrey's yard. Judging by the firm's classified advert in CM you might assume it was a used vehicle operation like any other — but how many dealers can fill a 35-acre site?
We took the A140 north of Ipswich to find out how far the business has come since Humphrey launched it from the garage on the side of his parent's house.
The used truck business is only part of the story. Other enterprises on the site include one of the largest CV bodyshops in the UK, a recovery operation, car sales, truck and trailer hire, an MoT test station, a car stereo business, a safety clothing counter and a workshop for all types of vehicles.
Truck sales run to new as well as used vehicles; while you're there you could also pick up a new trailer or downsize to a new or used van.
Humphrey's independent deal ership has no affiliation with any manufacturer, but it specialises in new and used Renaults, especially the range-topping Magnum. Sales manager Tim Hodgson reports that truck sales are running at about 300 a year with a 50-50 split between new and used. He believes the firm could sell more used trucks if it could find the right stock: tractors, which account for 80% of its sales, are in particularly short supply.
Confidence
"We're trying to concentrate on big-cab, big-engined 6x2 units," Hodgson explains. "We're constantly out in the field looking for vehicles, and will buy the best kit. We want to sell with confidence, and we don't want to sell problems."
The company is not averse to going the extra mile to snap up the right vehicle; salesman Jamie McDonald flew to Aberdeen recently to buy a particularly nice Volvo FH12. He doesn't expect it to be in the yard for long. Humphrey specialises in tractors registered in 2000 or later."However, if it is a bit older but ultra clean and well maintained we will look at it," says Hodgson. "We try to stay out of auctions and source either via word of mouth or through people ringing us."
The firm supplies operators all over the UK, but it does have a strong local following:"Many of our customers round here are involved in the fruit and veg business and are running abroad," says salesman Chris Moore. "A lot of local owner-drivers and small fleets come here to buy used vehicles, but we'll deal with anyone, anywhere – we sell a lot to Ireland. Many of the trucks we get are sold before they come in."
One of the most recent arriv als is that FH12 fromAberdeen. It's a mint condition 4x2 Globetrotter XL that was registered almost exactly two years ago. Since then SVO2 KZW has covered 360.000km, all with the same owner-driver, it's been maintained by Volvo throughout.
Well looked-after
Features include 1,200-litre fuel tanks. It's very tidy inside and has obviously been well looked after with only a few stone chips and a small amount of damage from a low-flying pheasant. This has now been repaired, which is more than can be said for the pheasant and is on the market for £43,000.
A more unusual truck catches our eye — an almost-new lefthand-drive 4x2 480 Magnum. It's only two months old with a mere 2,000 klicks under its belt.At 1385 litres its tank's even bigger than the Volvo's; driver comforts run to a fridge, air-con and cruise control as standard. Come up with £48,000 and Moore says you can skip the 12-week wait to get one off the Renault line.
• Contact: Chris Moore or Jamie McDonald at Roy Humphrey Commercial Sales on 01379 870666.