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
187
188
189
190
191
192 
2006 off to a
Page 70
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
flying start
The used truck market is much livelier than expected at this traditionally quiet time of year.
DEALERS AROUND the country are reporting a strong beginning to 2006 as far as used vehicles are concerned, with more enquiries than anticipated.
"The phones have been red hot," says Stuart Wolstenholrne.used truck sales manager at the Manchester branch of Scania dealership West Pennine's Middleton."It's been a really positive start to the year."
That view is echoed by Lee Smith, a director of West Thurrock, Essex-based independent dealership Hanbury Riverside: "We've come back from the holidays with all guns blazing. There's been no let-up and I can't complain at all. We're getting a lot of repeat business."
"Normally things are quiet at this time of year, but inquiries have been coming through quite nicely," says Paul Prewett, general manager, used vehicles,at newly formed Scania dealership TruckEast."I think there's a good market out there. I don't think operators have forgotten about the high price of diesel but they seem to be accepting that it's something they've got to live with. "It also seems that their customers are at last accepting that the price of fuel means they've got to pay more for transport.
"Something I've certainly noticed is that hardly any hauliers are contacting me because they want to dispose of their fleets and leave the industry and that's a good reason for optimism," Prewett adds.
So what are operators looking for? "As far as used tractor units are concerned, it's a minimum 420hp," says Smith. "Both 460hp and 480hp engines are very acceptable too these days because they make the unit a good allrounder. They mean it can do pretty much whatever you want it to; tackle container work and bulk work, say, or go to Italy and back."
Smith adds that buyers are favouring 6x2s over 4x2s by a very wide margin: "We're getting hauliers coming in and wanting to swap 4x2s for 6x2a"Prewett agrees with this. "The majority of people want to run at 44 tonnes."
As far as cabs are concerned, bigger is better because it's what drivers expect,says Smith, but owner-operators are taking a different view: "They aren't prepared to go for the biggest cab on the market, regardless of cost. If they can't afford it they'll take a low cab instead. They're more concerned about their pockets than their egos."
"While I wouldn't say things are buoyant they're picking up after the holidays and we're getting more inquiries," explains Mike Curtis used truck sales manager at Daf dealership Watts. Its new site at Worcester is due to open soon.
No-interest finance is still able to pull in customers, Wolstenholme reports: "Back in November we had 22 X-registered 420hp RI24 units dating back to 2000, and from a wellknown fleet, to get rid of, so we offered them with a 0% deal. We only had six left by the first week of January.
"Interestingly enough, though, only three ot the customers actually took the 0% we were asking for a 25% deposit but it clearly helped get them through the door."