| The world of used fire truck sales is not all that | | | | on having the most units. Instead, they are more |
| different from used car sales. There are many hard | | | | focused on having the best units for the right |
| working, honest companies out there trying to | | | | customers. |
| provide quality apparatus for fire departments | | | | When you work with a dealer, ask them what they |
| nationwide, but the bad business practices of a few | | | | go over when they do a full service inspection of |
| unethical dealers can greatly damage the reputation | | | | your vehicle. Do they change the filters and fluids? |
| of every dealer in the industry. | | | | Check lighting systems and warning devices? Verify |
| When fire departments are in the market for an | | | | pump, aerial certification, and other vehicle safety |
| updated fleet of fire trucks, the two most common | | | | systems? Even simple checks like brakes, tires, |
| choices departments have is choosing whether to | | | | steering and more? |
| buy from a broker or a dealer. Both types of | | | | While listing services do appear to have the most |
| apparatus sellers can provide different levels of | | | | variety in their inventory, all listing services do is take |
| service. This article will examine the pros and cons of | | | | your information, pass it along to a dealer, and then |
| both types of seller, and provide a quick list of things | | | | collect a check for passing along your information. In |
| to consider when choosing between working with a | | | | order to save costs for yourself - take out the |
| broker or dealer. | | | | middleman cost and work with a dealer. |
| Both types of sellers are interested in finding a unit | | | | Below are a few questions you should answer for |
| for their buyer. Listing services often have the | | | | yourself about any type of company you are |
| appearance of having hundreds of units in their | | | | considering purchasing a used fire truck from: |
| inventory. However, in most cases, listers don't | | | | 1. Does your dealer personally search for and buy its |
| actually "have" a single truck in inventory. As opposed | | | | entire inventory? Dealers don't simply list a truck or |
| to dealers, listing providers list the apparatus other | | | | engine for another department - they sell the units |
| fire truck dealers own and charge a commission to | | | | they own themselves. |
| the dealer for providing access to a sale. While | | | | 2. Do they offer any competitive warranties on the |
| brokers are interested in selling units, they don't care | | | | engine and transmission of their apparatus? |
| which unit you buy. | | | | 3. Who takes care of the lettering on the vehicle? Do |
| Another option to working with a listing service is | | | | you have to take the vehicle to another location to |
| shop for your used fire truck directly from a dealer. | | | | have this complete, or can the dealer do it? |
| Dealers buy their units directly from fire departments, | | | | 4. Who takes care of delivery of the unit? Is there |
| cutting out the middleman and avoiding an increase in | | | | an additional cost? |
| costs. Most used fire truck dealers try to find late | | | | 5. If the dealer takes care of unit deliver, do they |
| model vehicles in their best condition and focus less | | | | insure the until you receive it? |