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Late-plate scarcity drives ul luction prices

27th September 2007
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Page 70, 27th September 2007 — Late-plate scarcity drives ul luction prices
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The make up of buyers is changing at Commercial Vehicle Auctions as the late-plate drought drives up

prices. Kevin Swallow reports. When demand exceeds supply available lateplate stock makes decent money, leaving those who have failed to secure them to battle it out for the makeweights.

For Matt Brookes, in his first year as general manager at Commercial Vehicle Auctions, sales have been good. "With the lack of stock about the nice stuff is making fortunes. Late-plate stuff prices are really up," he says.-The battle is getting hold of them."

One of Brookes' regular stock vendors had 3018-tonne rigids coming off fleet, but word got round that they were due to be sold and the seller's phone never stopped ringing.

The entire hatch was sold before they made it to auction.

Benchmark prices are being met and surpassed for vehicles coming to auction from the finance houses and leasing companies."They are happy to use the auctions, they're auction wary and know the pitfalls, but the evidence is there in the cheques we are sending them," says Brookes.

He picks out several examples at recent sales where prices have exceed expectations—an 01-Y Scania Topline classic sold for £26,000 (up £8,000); an 8x4 tipper on a 53-plate went for £38,000 (up £8,000); and an 04/53-plate M-B Actros 2546 MP2 went for £4,000 more than expected.

Over the odds

Those buying top-end stuff and paying over the established odds these days are as likely to be end users as they are to be in the trade or export sectors, as they, too, have orders to fill.The lack of stock has also boosted prices for decent but unremarkable fleet tractors up to five years old.

"The run-of-the-mill stuff is still doing well," says Brookes. "The market comes down a bit to pick and choose the better stuff, those in good condition, and we are seeing a price increase on the middle ground income as exporters, end users and trade with some franchised players bid.

-Here it's age critical at five years old," he adds.

Auctioneer Ross Dalton says: -If we had 100 tippers we'd sell them all.Tippers are strong: eightwheelers, anything from 1980 to 2005, are going overseas.

A 1989 M-B SK cab-tipper sold for E8,000," he adds. "Dealers are finding them and bringing them to auction knowing they will sell. Many are going to African nations."

At the moment CVA sales include 250 trucks and 100 trailers, which helps generate Elm. Council-maintained 7.5tonners continue to raise good money as end users are buying well-looked-after stock and the trailer market is supplementing the main sale admirably.

Repossessed trailers Two 2007 trailer repossessions. from an operator financing SDC extendable flatbeds but going under before they turned a wheel, sold for £3,000 over list price, says Brookes.

The normal retail price information came from the buyers and not SDC,says Brookes, as the trailer axle shortage means the extra money justifies instant delivery and use. •


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