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Bright forecasts for 2005 in the used truck market
Page 72
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Dealers are hopeful as the New Year gets off to a vibrant start. But Glass's Guide warns, enjoy it while you can. Steve Banner reports.
THE USED truck market is getting off to a flying start this year. "During the first six working days of January we sold nine vehicles," says independent dealer Peter Hassan of Lympne,Kent-based Eurowise Truck and Van. "A couple of the sales came from contacts we received before Christmas, but the rest were the results of completely new enquiries. As fast as we get stuff in, it's going out again.
"Tractor units make tip two-thirds of what we sell, but we're getting a lot of enquiries for eight-wheelers. We've even had somebody from Barbados ask about a 3.5-tonner via our website."
"We're very confident about the corning months, and we've already done several deals," says Lee Smith. a director at West Thurrock, Essex-based independent dealership Hanbury Riverside."We've had a lot of people ringing us to ask what we've got coming in. Prices are holding up well, but once again there's a shortage of good,clean equipment."
And Keith Whitaker, who handles truck sales at Renault Trucks South's Southampton branch, adds: "It's still early days, but the feeling is that it's not going to be a bad year. I'm fairly optimistic."
"February and March should be very healthy," according to George Alexander of Glass's Guide. "The start of April is the end of the tax year, and many operators may want to buy ahead of the likely election."
However, he adds a note of caution: "While there is little reason to suspect that the used truck business will not flourish over most of 2005, any enthusiasm should not translate into residual value forecasts being set today that will bring pain three or four years down the road.
"Things are about as good as they are going to get, so it is only reasonable to anticipate more testing times for the second half of the year."