Hi Iain -
Good question well presented.
Can of worms mate but I shall give you my opinion.
The trouble with corporate firms is when one of their MV's becomes more trouble than it's worth - they give them a spray job and sell them as excellent runners etc - only for the new owner to find themselves with a pile of junk for which they paid above the going rate.
My own experience is I went to see a Cent ARV which was advertised as a good runner with rubber tracks. When I spoke to the chap who shall remain nameless - he assured me I just needed to add two new batteries and some fuel and the tank would be up and running.
I drove a considerable distance only to stand in front of a rusty pile of scrap metal which clearly had not moved for many years.
Some time after, I managed to speak to some other Cent owners at W&P who informed me they had visited the same Cent ARV eight years prior to my visit, in the same place and in the same condition.
Well Iain - that was four years ago since I visited the Cent ARV from a well known corporate user -
Would you be surprised to hear the same Cent is still for sale now (I just checked) describing the same condition as when I went to see it.
This is the advert
Centurion ARV
Rubber boot tracks. Smoke dischargers excellent runner
I know not all corporate users are responsible for the above - but until corporate users change their attitude towards selling the vehicles which are no longer profitable - I can't see them getting a respectful image.
Markheliops