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Sweet eighteen
Page 73
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The 18-tonne used market is a steady ship.
Manheim Auctions' Jeremy Martell gives CM the
lowdown on a hard-working but underrated beast.
When you roll up at any auction site and look through the catalogue,18-tonners don't jump off the page. From a trade perspective they aren't the fancied truck even though they perform an indispensable role in road transport.
Think day-cabs and multidrop and the 18-tonner will come into view.They, like the 7.5 tonner, tend to be treated indifferently by drivers being seen as little more than a stepping stone to better work.
But for the boss it's an essential tool for road transport carrying as much responsibility as a 44-tonne six-axle artic. This is seen in a 60% buying ratio at Manheim Auctions towards end users.
What operators are looking for is a late-year model which can be turned around and back on the road earning in quick time.Trade will shy away from late year once it has reached its trade value as it will start to eat into profits, unless they are selling on to Roman Abramovitch, but don't let that fool you. It's a strong market for 18-tonners.
Around half the 18tonners coming back to Manheim Auctions are from finance houses and lease companies, having normally served around three years.
Older stock will have arrived from trade, but more likely from end users who are upgrading. Stock levels for 18tonners have dropped since 2000 and Martell believes that is partly down to a change in purchasing habits led by the retail industry.
It's more likely a 7.5-tonner or artic will deliver to the supermarkets rather than an 18-tonner.The 7.5-tonner is quicker and the artic more versatile. •