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It's quiet... but not too quiet
Page 74
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With summer finally getting under way, Steve
Banner has been finding out how the holiday
season is affecting demand for used vehicles.
BANK HOLIDAYS. school half-terms and the prospect of summer breaks have all dampened down the used truck market in recent weeks as buyers start thinking about things other than purchasing vehicles.
"It's been a bit quieter than usual, but we've had a lot of success with late-registered highspecification tractor units," says Paul Banks, sales manager at Manchester Mercedes dealershipTruck World.
"Sprinter vans are doing well too," he adds, "especially long-wheelbase examples."
"There have been fewer inquiries than we would normally expect, but we've managed to keep sales at the level achieved in previous months," says Phil Holmes,used sales manager, eastern region, at Scania dealership Keltruck."Prices are holding up quite well too.
"One thing we're finding is that there's a healthy demand for P-cab 4-Series tractor units at 340hp.They're difficult to come by and we've been pleasantly surprised by the number of people ringing up about them. The fuel economy is brilliant.
"We're finding lots of interest in R-cab 4Series at 380hp too, but there aren't many of those around either," he adds." OK, you might arrive at your destination in one five minutes later than someone driving a unit that has 420hp on tap. but they're very frugal."
Ralph Porter, used truck sales specialist at Cardiff Dat says everything went quiet for about a week or so recently."The phones were silent," he explains, "and we couldn't get hold of anybody.That apart, it's been a pretty good year so far."
"The phones may have been quiet, but we haven't suffered too badly because we've had a lot of repeat business to rely on," says Allan Hilton, used vehicle salesman at Ford & Slater Daf s Kings Lynn, Norfolk, dealership."One thing we're noticing is that horsebox buyers are starting to appear and are eager to get an older 7.5-tonner to mount a box on."
So far as tractor units are concerned, Ford & Slater Daf dealerships — especially the firm's Leicester site — are being kept busy disposing of a steady stream of three to four-year-old exDawson CF85 430 4x2s and 6x2s, as well as CF75 360 4x2s. Mileages have ranged from 200,000km to Sprintervans: 650,000km; they have all Much in demand been looked after under repair and maintenance contracts: and there are plenty of buyers.
"With all the holidays the silly season is clearly upon us, but we're still managing to sell a few," says a spokesman for Rowley Regis, West Midlands dealers C&W Commercials. "Specialised kit always sells well: low loaders, trucks with cranes — and the bigger the crane, the better."
Any dip in the market is most probably a seasonal one, says George Alexander, chief commercial vehicle editor at Glass's Information Services.
"The used truck market has now enjoyed around 30 months of healthy demand, and this pattern is likely to continue throughout the rest of the year," he predicts. -There is strong interest in all tidy chassis with adequate power ratings."
One reason for this,according to Porter, is that operators are still finding it difficult to get hold of new trucks given the long lead times being quoted.
Alexander reports: "Daf,Volvo, MercedesBenz and Scania tractors and rigids are in continued demand and with shortages of truly nice stock, prices should hold firm for all but the poorest examples.
"The export market continues to perform strongly, but is changing," he continues. "Several countries that used to accept older trucks from the UK are either imposing import restrictions on vehicles registered before 2000, or are discouraging the import o. right-hand-drive models. At present. however, global demand, particularly from the old Soviet bloc, for quality used trucks and trailers is still outstripping supply."