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Page 52
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II Independent used truck dealers are positive about 2002, and their bullish stance is shared by used-vehicle salesmen at the franchised dealerships. "There's quite a bit of optimism about. We're not seeing a downturn, and we're buying stock in," says Steve Smith of independent Smith Brothers Services, based near Widnes.
Top-of-the-range, late-model tractors with big engines and spacious, well-specified cabs are fetching extraordinary money, he reports: "Daf 95XF Super Space Cab tractors are particularly sought after, as are MANs with Roadhaus sleeper cabs. On the rigid side there's lots of demand for 23, 24, and 26-tanners as well as 17-tanners with sleeper cabs. After 11 September a lot of people held off buying, but confidence has come back into the market.
"Used tractive units that are pre-Euro-2 are having a tough time, however, especially if they are 6x2s. That's because so many hauliers want to run at 44 tonnes."
David Morgan, used sales manager at Midlands Mercedes-Benz dealership Gerard Mann, is also looking forward to a healthy year: "I think we'll achieve a slight increase in volume terms over what we did during the previous 12 months. We've had a busy December, and hopefully things will continue that way during January and February. I think buyers have gat their confidence back. Having said that, tractor sales are fairly slow and are likely to remain so over the next couple of months."