1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186 
Why second thoughts pay off
Page 70
Page 71
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
British Car Auctions' Duncan Ward assesses the 75-tonne market and advises that vehicles with a sensible specification and the right colour can maximise returns when disposed of in the right way.
The 7.5-tonner can come to the used market in a wide range of guises, with bodies and equipment ranging from simple utilitarian box vans to more specialist tipping dropsiders with cranes and even roadside recovery units.These factors combine to make remarketing, and sometimes even valuing, a 7.5-tonne truck less straightforward than a LWB van.
But adhering to some basic common-sense rules will help owners maximise the value of their vehicles when it is time to sell. With auction buyers made up of trade and well-informed end-users, satisfying their requirements is half the battle.
The best time to think about remarketing your vehicles is when you first acquire it. Specifying a vehicle with the second user in mind can save a considerable amount of work later on. It's not always possible, but is worth considering where you can and it will certainly test how joined-up' your organisation is.
How a vehicle looks at the end of its working life is critical to its success Any 7.5-tonner that conies to market looking fit for the breaker's yard is likely to end up there with the appropriate value attached to it.
It must look right
Condition and appearance isjust as important to commercial vehicle buyers as in every other sector; vehicles in prime shape will invariably get the buyers' attention and attract a flurry of bidding.The retail trade is always looking for late-plate vehicles in good, straight condition and these commercials also attract the enduser buyers who invariably want a vehicle in as near to retail condition as possible.
Trade-name-deletion (TND) is an absolute must and this is one area where a bit of planning at the front end can really help. By using vinyl decals you can have your cake and eat it.
Putting your vehicle in company colours from wheels to roof while retaining a sensible base colour to help it sell at a later date helps.For a base colour— white is fine — try to avoid the obvious corporate utilitarian colours— brown, red, orange, yellow and green if you want your vehicles to stand out.
Wherever possible, ensure the colours you choose are proper factory finishes. Even with vinyl decals, simply stripping them off four or five years later is not going to do the job.
If it is not done correctly it can actually devalue the vehicle because the stickers form a weatherproof surface. So once removed they reveal pristine paintwork which may not match the rest of the vehicle.
Welded stickers
Then there are the examples where the stickers have almost welded themselves into place over time.The decals should be professionally removed and the exposed panels polished back to a consistent finish.
If you are selling curtainsiders and the curtains are branded, consider changing them for a clean white set-There is also the potential for problems to arise when livery is painted on rather than using removable vinyl stickers. While modern preparation technology allows most surfaces to be treated without any problem, it is important this is done professionally, not simply obliterated with more paint.
As well as TND, a degree of pre-sale preparation will make the vehicle look its best again. While SMART (smalllmedium area repair techniques) repairs are largely used by car vendors, they can be equally useful in the commercial market, provided vehicles are chosen carefully For a 12-month-old vehicle at 10,000 miles in good condition, but with a few small dents, paintless dent removal can be a cost-efficient choice for the vendor.The return on the investment to bring a five-yearold/I00,000-mile CV back to showroom condition is likely to be less rewarding.
A SMART choice
Sellers are finding the SMART detailing service valuable for older vehicles, as it presents them in the best possible light. Here, following1ND, the engine is steam cleaned, the exterior paintwork is polished and degreased, and the cabin is cleaned. The end result is a well-prepared vehicle that looks its best,whatever its age and condition.
High mileage is not too much of a problem if the condition is good, but a full service history helps, with separate tests for ancillary equipment such as tail-lifts, cranes or fridge units—vital in these health-and-safety-conscious times.
A company vehicle should have been well-maintained, so a full service printout is the bare minimum buyers expect to see. along with any other relevant documents such as all relevant MoT certificates.
At the moment buyers are brand sensitive, with MercedesBenz. Daf and lv-eco enjoying a good following. Whatever the body, go for the more powerful engine option as buyers prefer the 150hp and 170hp engines at 7.5 tonnes—the 130hp feels underpowered to many used buyers.
Dropsides and flatbeds are always in demand because they are useful in many trades. Aluminium bodies are always sought after because they are longer-lasting and harder-wearing than steel; Futons are popular this year with no signs of demand waning. Examples with tail-lifts are generally welcomed, but some buyers just see lost payload and would rather go without.
Tippers with Hiab or Atlas cranes are sought after by building and landscaping operators; again aluminiumbodied examples are much in demand. Specialist [ridge or freezer bodies will find a ready audience if they are not overworked —buyers like lower mileage, younger examples in good condition, preferably with service and maintenance histories.
Buyers look for dual-fridge capability and compartmentalised interiors, with easy access via rear-leaf doors. Freezers must have fully insulated slab-doors, with side and back access.
If you run vehicles with specialised bodies it may be worth recycling the bodies and offering the resulting vehicle as a chassiscab. Some large corporate vendors have enjoyed good results with this approach, with the added benefit that front-end conversion costs can also be cut.•