Truck buyers take a break
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The used market is anticipating a drop in sales over the next few weeks as the summer holiday season kicks in. Our man on the inside digs out the shades, shorts and string vests.
The summer holiday season is in full swing with auctions and dealers preparing for business in the used market to drop off. Recent trends indicate that most dealers are looking for quality rather than quantity when it comes to trading, with an increasing export market picking up the slack. So this summer is set to be a little different to previous years when volume was the key to boosting margins.
By and large the decent deals, late-year products and rarities will still be coming through the auction houses or finding their way to the forecourts of independent dealers; but the buyers might not be around in their usual numbers. That can lead to the authorised dealers and stock handlers offloading more vehicles to the open market and other less used channels to stop vehicles backing up on the manufacturers' books.
This could well be the season for non-franchised dealers to accumulate stock and hit the ground running in September when business picks up again.
They may well be happy to hold vehicles for a few weeks for good customers. •