High volume of used trucks brought retail prices down nearly 23 percent last year

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Updated Apr 18, 2017
Used truck prices are being driven down by an influx of aerodynamic, fleet-spec’d 3- to 5-year-old trucks returning to the market.Used truck prices are being driven down by an influx of aerodynamic, fleet-spec’d 3- to 5-year-old trucks returning to the market.

An influx of used aerodynamic, fleet-spec’d trucks is driving down prices, reports CCJ sister site Successful Dealer.

December capped off a year of falling used truck prices, which began back in mid-2015 when post-recession truck purchases started filtering back into the market, says Chris Visser, senior analyst with J.D. Power Valuation Services.

Retail prices for sleeper tractors were down nearly 23 percent in 2016 when compared to 2015. Additionally, these trucks lost approximately 30 percent of their value at auction in 2016.

“Depreciation generally accelerated in the second half of 2016,” Visser says. “From January to December, trucks of model year 2013 lost about 22 percent of their value, trucks of model year 2012 lost about 37 percent and trucks of model year 2011 lost about 32 percent.”

Visser also projects an 8.1 percent increase in the number of 3- to 5-year-old sleepers returning to the market in 2017 compared to 2016, which will further drive down prices.

This report is part of a series of stories from Successful Dealer on used trucks.