WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2012
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The supply of units is likely to be more constrained in 2012 than it is now, predicts Volvo used trucks director Peter Groome, but they will still be available. “We can say that with some confidence because we know what we’ve got coming back next year,” he says.
A number of those vehicles could end up back in the hands of well-known fleets rather than being purchased by owner-drivers or exported.
“Some operators who run new trucks buy used ones too, as it makes more economic sense to run a used one rather than a new one on some of the contracts they have,” he says. “In certain cases, they opt for used because they need trucks immediately to service a new customer: and used trucks can be delivered quickly.” Buy new and you will probably have to wait many weeks before they arrive. Wary of saddling themselves with unsold new stock, manufacturers almost always build to order these days. Having lots of unregistered chassis sitting around in fields waiting for someone to buy them is an overhead they simply cannot afford.