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 
Dealers inflating prices
Page 46
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A yawning gap is opening up between prices for used trucks at franchised dealers and independent outlets.
Independent dealer Martin Rhodes says it's because manufacturers are attempting to keep the prices of ex-contract trucks artificially high, and not offering dealers sufficient margins to 'wheel and deal'.
"In 80% of cases, their prices are unrealistic," he contends. "They're not In touch with what the used market Is actually doing, and what their products are really worth."
He dismisses the argument that franchised dealers are entitled to charge more because their trucks have undergone a multi-point check, service, MoT and come with a warranty. "None of that justifies the premium they're trying to charge," he says. "As for the warranty they offer, it's easy to buy one that's Just as good off-the-shelf, if that's what you want.
"It will be the same as the one provided by manufacturers. but packaged differently. As for the aftersales support provided by franchised dealerships. some of the leading independents are as big as many franchised outlets and offer many of the same facilities."
Commenting on the general state of the used truck market, he says that while there's usually a downturn in the summer months, some sectors of the trade are quite busy.
"Run-of-the-mill stuff struggles, but anything with unusual specifications will always find a buyer," he remarks.
"It also seems to be the case that anything priced at up to 110,000 will sell," Rhodes continues. "That's the sort of sum a lot of people have available to spend—and it will buy you a lot of truck.
"it'll certainly get you a V
registered 7.5-tonner, although prices clearly vary a bit depending on the chassis.
"It'll get you an S-registered tractor unit too," he reckons.
"You'll definitely be able to buy a Renault for that sort of money, and you'll have no trouble at all getting an Ivaco," concludes Rhodes.