Motor Auction Group (MAG) has attracted more than 250 trade buyers to the initial sales at its new £5 million light commercial vehicle (LCV) auction centre in Goole in Yorkshire.
Within its first two sales, the motor auction site sold over 200 LCVs, drawing interest from more than 150 online buyers across the UK and over 100 physical attendees keen to experience the new facility.
MAG revealed in January that it had acquired the five-acre site in Yorkshire, located just 0.5 miles from junction 36 of the M62 and close to the M18 and A1M, which had capacity to store more than 600 vans and pick-up trucks.
Since its launch initial results have been particularly encouraging. The stock on offer has ranged widely, from panel vans under £1,000 to high-specification pick-ups achieving over £30,000, indicating a healthy diversity of inventory and appetite across different price segments.
Justin Lane, Motor Auction Group’s group operations director at MAG, said: “We were able to go live with our first auction within a week of relocating the LCV operation from our Bawtry site. Our refurbishment and valeting team is fully operational on site, and we’ve made it easy for our logistics partners to move vehicles in and out efficiently.
“Feedback from physical buyers has been extremely positive, especially regarding accessibility and parking.”
MAG also runs used car and van auctions at its two other locations in Corby, Northamptonshire and in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Lane added that only minor finishing touches remain: “Aside from fitting a new canopy and resolving some internal snagging, the site was fully operational just two months after acquisition. We couldn’t have asked for a better launch period.”
Commenting on broader market dynamics, Geoff Flood, MAG’s head of LCV, noted that demand remains strong for vehicles between three and five years old, provided they are in sound mechanical and cosmetic condition.
“The economic climate is favouring used vehicles,” Flood said.
“Many buyers see better value in purchasing a £10,000 used LCV outright rather than committing to finance a new model at £40,000. That trend is working in the sector’s favour.”
He added that poorly presented stock continues to struggle, particularly units requiring parts or cosmetic repair due to delays in getting vehicles retail-ready.
While niche models such as Luton vans have seen slightly slower movement, Flood expects the strong performance of Q1 to carry into Q2.