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Hauliers dubious about used automatics

19th January 2006
Page 71
Page 71, 19th January 2006 — Hauliers dubious about used automatics
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Keywords : Truck, Vehicles

"I certainly can't charge a premium for an automatic," he adds. "Buyers take the view that while the technology is fantastic when the truck is new and under warranty, it could prove less desirable when it's five or six years old, it's 3am and snowing on the M6 and the box starts to play up.

"Remember that a lot of operators who buy trucks from me employ older drivers who much prefer a manual box because it's what they're used to. They want to drive the truck — not have the truck drive them."

Paul Prewett of Scania dealership TruckEast agrees that customers for used tractors mus prefer manuals:"They're frightened to death 1 automatism If I've got two units that are idenfic apart from the fact that one's a mum and one's an automatic then I can &no guarantee sell the former before I sell the latter. That will be the case eve if the automatic unit is in betterconditic than the manual, and even if it's done lower mileage."

"Used buyers would rather have manual box, no question about it," sa: Allan Hilton, used vehicle salesman Daf dealership Ford and Slater's brans in King's Lynn, Norfolk. "But in oi experience those who have taken tt plunge and gone for an automatic swo by it, and automatics haven't caused any problems."

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