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for used Magnums
• Despite all the dire warnings about a recession, Bruce Allison as yet sees little evidence of it in the second-hand truck market. As used vehicle director at Renault Trucks he's instead witnessing an accelerated growth in demand.
"I wish I had another 20 good quality used Magnums available," he sighs. "I just can't get enough of them."
He's not short of Premiums, and believes that the company's policy of promoting 38ohp models rather than 34ohp ones when they were sold new is now paying off because second-hand buyers definitely prefer the more powerful option.
"Only 6% of all Premiums sold have had the 34ohp engine," he observes. "We haven't gone after supermarket business in the way that some of our rivals have."
Tractor prices across the market could be better, he admits.
"A three year old unit sold today will typically fetch around to to 15% less than one of
a similar age sold 12 months ago," he remarks. "The rate at which prices are declining is starting to level out, but the curve isn't flat yet."
As for six-year-old units, they really struggle, he says. "Finance houses are wary of advancing the money to prospective purchasers, and many overseas countries— traditional export markets—won't take them because they won't allow in trucks that are more than five years old."