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Don't be put off by a high mileage
Page 73
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EVEN 1FTHEY'VE been well looked after by a reputable operator and a full service history is provided, operators remain wary of buying high-mileage tractor units.
Anything that's covered more than 500,000km seems to make them nervous, says Mike Curtis, used truck sales manager at Daf dealership Watts Gloucester. That's despite the fact that truck manufacturers now state that their engines should last for a million kilometres or more.
"We recently acquired a number of units from a wellknown transport company that had covered anywhere from 400,000km to around 550,000km," he says."They had all been wellmaintained, had a full service history and dated back to 2000.
"A lot of customers were interested, but as soon as we mentioned the mileage there was a sharp intake of breath." That said, he's managed to sell all but two of them.
It's the same with rigids, Curtis continues."We had a three-yearold,Y-registered tipper in stock that had covered 300,000km.The first three or four people who enquired about it didn't want to know once we'd told them how many miles it had done.
"We sold it to somebody who was going to use it on short, local runs, which meant that the existing mileage wasn't such an issue,he adds.
"We struggle to sell anything that's high mileage," says Matt Hammond, used vehicle sales manager at West Thurrock,Essex, dealership Harris Daf. -Yet an X-plated tractor unit that's done 500,000km really isn't high mileage at all when you consider that the container hauliers we deal with average around 160,000km a year. If you can produce a full service history however then that certainly helps." Keith Whitaker is responsible for used truck sales at Renault Trucks South's Southampton branch. He reports: "Highmileage, ex-contract trucks are usually acceptable because the prospective purchaser knows they've been properly looked after.A high-mileage vehicle that's been taken in part-exchange from a small haulier tends to be viewed as rather a different proposition."
"We find that customers want a tractor unit that's four-and-ahalf years old to have done no more than 450,000km." says Ian Hamilton, used sales manager at Peterborough Mercedes-Benz dealership Intercounty Truck and Van. "However, I think that the message that engines last far longer than they used to is beginning to get home."