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Record breaker
Page 70
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The latest figures suggest 2004 will be a record year for used commercial vehicle transactions.
Initial figures for used vehicle transactions in the first six months of the year suggest 2004 should break all previous records. Figures published by the SMMT show that to the end of June more than 476.069 vans and trucks changed hands, well on track to beat last year's total of 839,361.
Transactions are up 40,771 units against the same period last year. The increase is the product of several factors, but mainly that there is a better registration system, the V5 document.This notifies DVLA when vehicles are scrapped, privately exchanged, sold to trade or returned to the manufacturer.
It certainly explains why last year's figures jumped 63,123 to 839,361 transactions.
This year's first half increase has also risen with a trend of buyers turning to the used sector for lateyear clean models and a flourishing export market rather than buying new. Manufacturers, too, have been actively seeking exports to clear the deadwood and relieve their own used networks.
Trucks
So far 2004 has seen monthly figures consistently break the 7,000 figure, whereas last year passing that benchmark was exceptional. June failed to deliver more than 7,000, and only April and May, peak new plate time, did not surpass 2003.
In all, used truck registration above 75tonnes are up 1,448 over the first six months of the year with April the strongest performing month. Leading the way in the used truck market is Iveco with 4,088 units, thanks largely to its 7.5-tonne market leader. the Cargo. Daf products are second with 2,473 units and Mercedes-Benz is third with 2,322 units.
Vans
The light commercial sector is also flourishing and between January and June. 433265 exchanges. sales, registrations and handovers took place up 39,323 on last year.That increase is double the rise from 2002 to 2003, suggesting the used sector is going from strength to strength. February recorded 77.341 unitsthe highest number since records began in 1999.
No prizes for guessing who leads the way with 67,193 transactions. Just behind Ford with 27,221 is Land Rover, a registered commercial vehicle. But in our case it is Vauxhall with 18,138only 49,055 units off the pace. Volkswagen is next with 12,243. •