Vans are in demand
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• There's plenty of activity at the van sales run by British Car Auctions, says Duncan Ward, BCNs business development manager, commercial vehicles.
"The most recent multi-manufacturer Ad-Van-Tage sale at our Measham auction centre attracted over 70 professional buyers," he reports. "With competitive bidding for the stock on offer, this would indicate that retail activity is strong in the late-year, low-mileage sector."
Ad-Van-Tage sales feature just this sort of vehicle, entered by manufacturers, rental fleets and leasing companies. Bidding for vehicles from companies such as GE Capital and Lex Vehicle Leasing suggests that supply and demand are cur rently well-balanced, says Duncan.
BCA is in a good position to judge, he points out—around 2,000 light commercials a week come under the hammer at the various types of sale it runs.
"The van market will stay buoyant just so long as there remains an underlying economic optimism in the small business sector," he contends. It's the builders, plumbers and electricians who buy the second-hand ex-fleet vehicles; and if they stop buying, the used market suffers.
Sample prices realised at BCA sales include: a 1998 Ford Transit 190 van on an S-plate with 34,000 miles on the clock fetched £i0,850 (129% of the CAP guide price); a 1998 Ford Transit 190 dropside on an S-plate with 24,000 miles on the clock fetched £10,500 (123% of the CAP guide price); a 1998 MercedesBenz Sprinter 208D on an R-plate with 37,000 miles On the clock fetched £6,800 (112% of CAP); a 1999 Fiat Scudo TD 900 T-reg van with 6,000 miles on the clock sold for L8,575 (107% of CAP); and a 1998 Volkswagen Caddy 1.9-litre SDI van on an R-plate with 45,000 miles on the clock fetched £4,400 (103% of CAP),
• Still with light vehicles, Leominster, Herefordshire specialist four-wheel-drive auction house Russell Baldwin and Bright has changed its name to Brightwells Country Vehicle Auctions.