OBSCURE TRAILERS WORTH LESS
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Operators who buy an obscure make of trailer because they're offered a 21,000 saving will pay dearly for their decision when they sell it three or four years later. "It will fetch 12,000-3,000 less than a trailer made by an established manufacturer," says Rod Pybus of dealer SDC Northern.
"We refuse to take some of these unknown trailers as partexchanges, even if it means walking away from a deal," he adds. "That's because we know we won't be able to sell them."
In business for almost 15 years, SDC Northern sells about 1,000 new and used trailers a year.
"Things are pretty buoyant so far as we're concerned, and although margins have fallen this year, sales have certainly risen," Pybus reports. "All in all we've had quite a reasonable 12 months.
"Customers are looking for 13.6m curtainsiders able to operate at 44 tonnes, sliding skeletals, and late tippers. It always amazes me that there continues to be a demand for sensibly priced used trailers, despite the problems the haulage industry faces, and we're getting a lot of enquiries for new trailers too."