Top trucks fetch top used prices
Page 51
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• If it's late-registered, powerful, has a high—or unusual—specification and comes from a well known source, then it is going to sell. That's the message from British Car Auctions at Belle Vue, Manchester.
"Directly entered stock from major leasing and rental operations is generating a great deal of interest in the auction hall," says commercial vehicle manager John Connolly. Volume vendors, such as Lex Transfleet, Royal Mail, The Leasing Group, BT and MercedesBenz Finance, are regularly achieving nearly icto% conversion rates. That compares with sold conversion rates averaging at about 70% across the board at Belle Vue. Sold performance is some 25% ahead of 1999, year on year, Connolly reports.
"The market for late-model vehicles—prime two to three-year-old stock—is strong and residuals are reflecting this demand," he adds.
"In the 7.5-tonne sector buyers are competing strongly for Iveco Ford Cargo 75E15s, Mercedes 8145, MAN 8.153s, Daf 45 Series, and Mercedes Ategos in particular.
"High-powered, high-specification tractive units (Scania, Volvo, and Mercedes, for example) are relatively scarce, and selling for premium prices," says Connolly. "Similar conditions apply in the trailer market, where there is great demand for late-year triaxles."
Specialist chassis are attracting especially keen bidding and fetching considerably higher prices than expected. `A 1991 Leyland Daf 80 o cement mixer recently realised £14,750," he says.
Despite the strong pound, the export market is increasingly buoyant. Domestic or export, enquiries from buyers are "at an all-time high", says Connolly: "They're attending our sales in large numbers, and there's a lot of confidence about."