Britannia AuctionsCommercial vehicle and fleet auctions in Manchester
Most of the vehicles we sell around Manchester come off the big estates on the edge of the conurbation rather than the centre. Trafford Park alone has distribution and recycling operators running everything from car derived vans to hook loaders, and the logistics sheds along the M62 towards Heywood and Rochdale turn over tractor units and curtainside trailers as contracts change.
That mix suits auction. A haulier winding down a depot has trailers that need to go by the date the lease ends. A wholesaler that has moved to a single site has a spare fleet of Luton box vans with tail lifts. A recycling firm that has lost a council contract has skip loaders and a few tippers. A food producer that has outsourced its deliveries has fridge vans standing idle.
We catalogue at the depot, run the sale online over a week or two, and buyers collect within an agreed window. Bidding is not limited to the area, with Salford, Bolton, Stockport and Warrington in reach of a viewing day.
Tractor units and trailers off the M62 corridor
The haulage yards between the M60 and Rochdale run on contracts, and a contract that ends leaves a row of tractor units and trailers earning nothing. Road tax and insurance carry on, and yard rent does too. Selling them at auction puts a date on that row, and the M62 makes it a straightforward trip for anyone who wants to view or collect.
A few things affect the price. A recent MOT and a current tachograph calibration certificate are the first things a unit is judged on. Sound curtains and a plated test date are what a trailer is judged on. Where a unit or trailer is off the road, we say so in the catalogue and let the price reflect it.
Bidding is open to owner drivers, small hauliers and larger fleets alike, and the older end of a fleet is usually where export interest sits.
Skip loaders and hook loaders from the recycling trade
Waste and recycling firms across the region run vehicles that most dealers do not want to touch. Skip loaders, hook loaders, roll on roll off units and refuse bodies have a narrow market, and a dealer prices that risk into the offer. An auction that is open to bidders well beyond the area puts them in front of the operators who run this kit rather than only the firms within driving distance, which is what a narrow market needs.
We describe the body equipment in detail, because that is what these buyers care about. Hydraulic operation, ram condition, chain and hook wear and the age of the body all go in the catalogue with photographs. Lifting gear on these vehicles usually has a thorough examination report, and that should be handed over with the V5C.
At Openshaw, Newton Heath and the other older sites in the east, we check the approach and the standing during our first visit and plan the days around what we find.
What these sales can include
- Panel vans
- Long wheelbase vans
- Luton box vans with tail lifts
- Tippers and dropside trucks
- Refrigerated vans
- Rigid lorries
- Tractor units
- Curtainside trailers
- Flatbed and skeletal trailers
- Minibuses and welfare vehicles
- Pickups and 4x4s
- Car derived vans
- Plant trailers
- Vehicle mounted equipment
How the sale runs
We photograph and describe each vehicle, record the mileage and note known faults. The vehicles are listed in an online timed auction and the catalogue is marketed to trade buyers, hauliers, owner drivers and export buyers. Bidders can inspect on a viewing day, usually at your yard or ours, and lots close in sequence on the sale date.
Lots are offered as seen under the auction terms, and buyers are expected to inspect before bidding. The buyer pays the hammer price plus a buyer's premium, with VAT charged where it applies and shown separately on the buyer's invoice. Your charge is a separate commission, with any costs agreed in advance, deducted from the proceeds.
Reserves can be set on individual vehicles where there is a clear reason, such as a finance settlement figure.
The commercial vehicle and fleet auctions page covers when auction suits a fleet, paperwork that affects the price, livery and fleet kit, after the hammer.
Questions about selling in Manchester
- Our depot lease at Trafford Park ends at the end of the quarter. What order should we do things in?
Contact us as soon as you know the date. We will visit, catalogue the vehicles and set the auction to close far enough before the lease ends for a collection window straight after, with the gap set by the number of lots and the access. That leaves time to deal with anything unsold and hand the yard back clean. Gather the V5C documents and MOT certificates while the catalogue is being built. A vehicle on finance stays with the funder until the agreement is settled, so start those conversations early.
- Will you sell vans that are still in our livery?
We will, but we recommend stripping vinyl livery first. A plain white van is easier to bid on than one carrying another firm's name, and vinyl removal is cheap. Where the livery is painted rather than wrapped, leave it and we will note it in the catalogue, along with anything a buyer would want to know about resprays. Either way we photograph the vans as they are and describe them honestly, because a bidder who is told what to expect does not argue at collection.
More questions about vehicles and fleets
Related services
Guides
- Selling a commercial vehicle fleet
Fleet sales turn on paperwork as much as on price. This guide covers the V5C, MOT and plating documents, clearing finance before listing, keys and livery, recording mileage and tachograph data, and how to defleet in batches while still trading.