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CVA sale slowed by an ill wind that blew no good
Page 70
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The first sale of the year normally means big business for Commercial Vehicle Auctions, but atrocious weather across Ireland, northern England and Scotland stopped many major players from getting there.
The purchasing power from Ireland in the used truck market is never to be underestimated. A trip from the Emerald Isle to seek out secondhand trucks in deepest Yorkshire means a lot of travelling and expense.A two-day round-trip for no more than a chat, a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea ,however appealing, would hardly be seen as a successful excursion.
But the gales that hit the Irish Sea earlier in the month weren't to be underestimated either.They held up a P&O ferry, stopped all flights into and out of Ireland, and prolonged the holiday season by an extra week for those caught either side of the Irish Sea.
Blown off course
The first date on the CVA calendar normally hits the ground running but even though Charlie Wright was able to make 230 sales he reports that the sale was hampered by the absence of the Irish contingent.
"The weather hampered the sale; those high winds stopped some influential buyers from attending.Their purchasing power can turn an average sale into a good one as they come to do business," he says.
Wright might well have been disappointed by the opener but improving year-on-year figures still give him plenty of reason to be upbeat: "We've got better and better really, and last year we got better from the summer onwards."
Vehicle numbers at sales have been passing the 450 mark and the used export market has figured strongly in CVA's continued success as word of what is on offer spreads."We have sold much more direct to overseas customers," says Wright. "We have fresh faces turning up each week, which is good for business."
To safeguard against any problems Wright asks for a deposit from new exporters before the auction so they can bid for vehicles and a further deposit on every vehicle bought, although nothing is released until the price is paid in full.To date only a couple have let CVA down — and one person walked away without paying. As usual the strongest performers have been those with big cabs and big engines.And that's not likely to change until the latest models like the Mercedes-Benz Axor, Iveco Eurocargo and Stralis.and the latest generation of Volvo FM and FH with I-Shift, hit the used market. •