Perfection..........

So we got presented with an 18 Plate Mercedes Achshit demonstrator and, personally speaking, it’s probably the worst thing I’ve had the misfortune to drive in many a year.

Dislikes? There’s no leg room, the seat is uncomfortable and lacks adjustment, there’s absolutely no feel to the steering what-so-ever, the gearbox is pants, the radio controls are ridiculously complicated, the suspension controls are a joke, etc, etc.

Likes? The exhaust brake actually works as a brake! (Woo hoo!), the dash doesn’t encroach on your vision in any way, there seemed to be plenty of oddment places/space, etc.

Now I fully realise that, for some, what I have just said will mean that I should be dragged out into a public space and be made to watch while my wife is repeatedly raped by a syphilitic Gnu and my children are sold into slavery before I am fed alive to rabid squirrels.

However… the episode (with the Merc, not the squirrels) got me thinking: My current workplace is a 750 V8 Scanny. It’s a beauty but like all lorries it’s far from perfect – it’s a question of “Does the good outweigh the bad?”

So, – given the option of swapping the gearbox for a ■■■■■’s i-Drive I’d have the spanners out before you could blink!

…… and it’s (for me) very comfortable, but the (grit your teeth) XF has far better leg room!

…… and can I have the triple wiper system from the XF too?

…… but I’d prefer the exhaust brake from the Merc.

…… and the Iveco cab is far roomier… (though I admit that it’s a few years since I was in one so they might have changed).

…… Ok. I think I’ve got an outline, just have to work from there.

Now over to you bunch of (insert word of choice here)… new or old, main-stream or esoteric – what would your perfect wagon be??

I prefer older trucks my 1st was an 06 daf xf space cab I thought it was decent had the super space on an 11 plate an yeah happy boy gear box is sluggish when pulling off roundabouts an that but was all good,I’ve not long had a 16 plate super space 510 same lay out as the previous but don’t feel the same steering wheel seems far away the exhaust breake is on the stick instead of foot an it has the well done ticks come up on the dash,also when on cruise it slows you down when your coming up to another truck or car but your to far away to pull out an over take an has anti crash senser so that hit the brakes,don’t drop off 56 when climbing hills happy with that but yeah would still have the old one

Since we’re courting controversy here, I actually like the monster steering wheels of the MAN trucks. Not sure why, maybe it’s just the opportunity to have something huge and throbbing in my hands.

Captain Caveman 76:
Since we’re courting controversy here, I actually like the monster steering wheels of the MAN trucks. Not sure why, maybe it’s just the opportunity to have something huge and throbbing in my hands.

Have you fallen out with your boyfriend then?

Bulldog1986:
I prefer older trucks my 1st was an 06 daf xf space cab I thought it was decent had the super space on an 11 plate an yeah happy boy gear box is sluggish when pulling off roundabouts an that but was all good,I’ve not long had a 16 plate super space 510 same lay out as the previous but don’t feel the same steering wheel seems far away the exhaust breake is on the stick instead of foot an it has the well done ticks come up on the dash,also when on cruise it slows you down when your coming up to another truck or car but your to far away to pull out an over take an has anti crash senser so that hit the brakes,don’t drop off 56 when climbing hills happy with that but yeah would still have the old one

Just turn off the Adaptive Cruise Control by pressing and holding the distance selector button - normal cruise control !!

Ok mate will have a go at that tomorrow havnt been in it long didn’t know you could do that Cheers

We’ve just had some 18 plate S500 Scania units with a good cab spec. I’ve not driven one any distance yet, and I’ve not been a Scanny fan since the 3-series, but I’m struggling to pick fault so far in these new ones

Win-Stone:
So we got presented with an 18 Plate Mercedes Achshit demonstrator and, personally speaking, it’s probably the worst thing I’ve had the misfortune to drive in many a year.

Dislikes? There’s no leg room, the seat is uncomfortable and lacks adjustment, the gearbox is pants,

Blimey that’s what I would have said about the 1992 2534 if I hadn’t have driven the Renault G290 or Volvo F7 or DAF 2500.

Although it’s surprising how much leg room there actually was in the Merc when the front interior trim panel was kicked through.

Carryfast:
Although it’s surprising how much leg room there actually was in the Merc when the front interior trim panel was kicked through.

They spend £M’s on R@D and swiftly it gets modified with a rigger boot…

suspension is crap on all the modern mercs

GCR2ERF:
We’ve just had some 18 plate S500 Scania units with a good cab spec. I’ve not driven one any distance yet, and I’ve not been a Scanny fan since the 3-series, but I’m struggling to pick fault so far in these new ones

Some of our new Scannies (not 500s) are also low mileage motors. When they come back from the dealers workshop, again, maybe the mileage will go up.