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Maintaining momentum

25th January 2007
Page 70
Page 70, 25th January 2007 — Maintaining momentum
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

An unexpected sales rush between Christmas and new

year has continued into 2007 for

Scania dealership West Pennine.

The festive season was busier than expected for Stuart Wolstenholrne, used truck sales manager at the Middleton, Manchester branch of Scania dealership West Pennine.

Just before Christmas he acquired 10 Scania Topline Classic 580hp 4x2 tractor units and a pair of Silverline Classic 480hp 6x2 units from an operator who was closing down.

Dated from 2002 to 2004, they had clocked up from 230,000 to 600,000km.

"I put them on the website the day before Christmas Eve and the phone started ringing immediately" he reports:As a consequence I ended up working between Christmas and new year for the first time for many years, and we managed to sell the lot for top prices."

Both 2004 vintage, the 6x2s went for just over a healthy £49,000 apiece.The 4x2s fetched various prices, with the 2002 models —"one of which had a £7,000 paint job"— changing hands for £30,000 to £34,000.

So was it just a piece of good fortune in what is otherwise a tough market? Not so, says Wolstenholme:"So far we've managed to keep up the momentum. In a single day after new year I sold a left-hand-drive Volvo, a yard shunter and a 6x2 curtain-sided rigid.

"What's more, we've got some low-mileage 2004 units coming through that we're managing to sell in advance of their arrival."

Still in demand

Even quite old trucks remain in demand if they are a little unusual. At the time of writing Wolstenholme was off to inspect a 1996N-registered 3-Series rigid with a flatbed body and a crane.

"OK, it's an 11-year-old motor that's done 700,000 to 800,000km, and the crane has a capacity of only three tonnes," he says. "But if I buy it,! know the phone will start ringing. People still like the 3-Series."

Following a couple of demonstration days,West Pennine's customers are also beginning to appreciate Opticruise boxes. Wolstenhohne says: "I've now got people asking me for them, and that wasn't happening before." •

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Locations: Manchester

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