Was flicking through commercial motor and noticed lots of dealers selling new trucks.
I can understand if it’s something like a rigid with a crane or specialist bodywork that may have a long build time but a normal tractor unit seems odd.
Also how can they buy it cheap enough to get enough margin on it to sell it at a competitive price.
if you can guarantee to buy a set amount each month,then you get a set discount.lower overheads means mega profits from the non franchised dealers…in 2005 i wated to buy a vw transporter van here in northern ireland.i wanted the full pudding,alloys,metallic paint,2 single comfort seats,air con,cruise control,tints,electric pack etc.just what i considered to be full spec with all the toys.the 2 main dealers here wanted 21500 or thereabouts.i bought it from a mob in bristol who ordered it straight from vw,6 weeks later i flew over,lifted it from bristol,and chugged it home on the ferry.it was a uk van,uk spec,not a import of any description,had it serviced myself and got a local joe bloggs garage to stamp the book,then put it into the main dealer when there was a month left on the warranty for some different faults…for not using a vw dealer to buy the van.instead of 21500,it cost me 12750 though i had to lift it in bristol…7750 in my pocket seemd a fair saving to me.normal garages dont have the up their own ■■■ premises to upkeep as well as being hand in hand with the manufacturers.they are obliged to provide warranty claims on uk vehicles no matter who you bought it from.
Last place I was TM at bought all their trucks new but none ever came from dealers they came from two big hire co’s. The big hire co just added what they wanted to their order then we went and picked them up after they were delivered to them.
Downside was it had to be the exact same spec as the hire co had but plain white 7.5t and 18t boxvan and tail lift was exactly what they would have bought anyway. The one hire co was the manufacturer’s biggest UK customer for 7.5 tonners and I think the saving was knocking on for £10k per vehicle and obviously the hire co must have been making a couple of £k to make it worth doing.
Intresting stuff. I knew the warranty had to be met as long as the vehicle had been serviced but never knew that non franchise dealers could get trucks direct.
I spouse the likes of stobart would also deal direct with scania/volvo etc.
I’ve seen a lot of tippers for sale ready to go but I know getting a tipper fitted with a body is very slow at the moment.
Someone I know ordered ten new 8 wheel tippers this time last year scania could have all the chasis at the body builders within a month but there was a 12 month wait to get them all fitted with bodies and the last two went on the road this week.
I think Stobarts may go through the dealer network. I remember when I was at Somerfield that they wanted to go direct with DAF but they always refused and supplied through Adams Morey. It only seems to be the really big hire and lease finance co’s that get to go direct maybe because they wouldn’t be classified end user. It didn’t used to be unusual to get the odd haulier where they also have a main dealer franchise but you don’t seem to see that so much now.
They may not be coming direct as such but sold on from somewhere else that does deal direct.
Yes I remember Richard Reed was an ERF dealer at one time.
Moody international has a new high spec scanias in stock some lhd so I thought he may buy in mainland Europe and through currency changes may come out in front but maybe he has a deal with scania too.
Moody is sole trader selling bluest ream scandal I believe
Ain’t moody the sole distributer of the blue stream Scania in the uk
It’s a valuable through scanoa dealers but he has some new ones in stock
I know a guy who got a quote from a DAF dealer and a quote from an independent for the same truck and the independent dealer was actually cheaper than what Daf could see their own truck for! As has been said before if a dealer is buying say 20 trucks a month of a main dealer they’re gonna get good discount.
Matt.
scotstrucker:
Ain’t moody the sole distributer of the blue stream Scania in the uk
Is he going to stop you going to Holland (where he gets them from) and buying one if you want one?
I wouldn’t think he could do much about it as that would be the customer choice
I’ve noticed a lot of Merc Arocs 8wheelers for sale “new and unregistered” with various bodies on. A few new Daf CFs and the odd MAN but I don’t recall seeing any Scanias.
Rental company LC Commercials have had a brand new Antos 6w grab for sale for a while; Bloody hideous thing, it looks like an 8wheeler with the second axle removed with a big body to match. Chris Hodge now has an identical one for sale, I don’t know who specced these things but I doubt they drive 6w tippers much. 
Not seen scania tippers ready to go be good if you had some as they are going like hotcakes round here.
As you say a few mercs and Renault about and kelbergs have dafs.
Thompson have upped production and had a new paint booth fitted to try and keep up with demand.
We’re still looking for a grab but for 6wheelers there isn’t a lot of decent kit about secondhand. No point buying anything older than 08 reg or the crane’s bound to be knackered. Kelberg are just up the road from us but they only have 8wheelers, although they’ve had a new MAN and an Arocs sat in their yard for ages. I think my boss would go for new eventually (all our trucks were bought new) but would like a secondhand one first until we get established as a grab haulier.
Isn’t Richard Reade a MAN dealer now.