I have recently bought a volvo fh4 tractor unit from a large second hand truck dealer…it comes with 3 months warranty with them…then another 9 months with a warranty company, i have only had the truck 6 weeks and after receiving its first inspection it needs pads all round, i am aware that wear and tear items are not covered by a warranty…but after just 6 weeks and less thsn 3000 miles it seems strange that the truck was mot’d in december ( even though i didn’t take delivery of it till 1st February ) that it now needs brake pads already!!! The ones on the midlift are breaking up…i dont use a volvo dealer to do my maintenance work i have a private fitter who has 40 years experience volvo and scania trained…so its not a case of the dealership trying to make a quick buck by charging me for pads i don’t need.
The other thing as previously mentioned is that it was mot’d in december even though the company i bought the truck from knew i wasn’t collecting it till febuary…so subsequently i have only 10 momths mot instead of 12, i have spoken to the dealer and emailed them letting them know my dissapointment but they refused to put a fresh mot on it! They fitted kelsa light bars and 2 beacons as requested by myself, one of the beacons has developed a fault, i told the dealer this ( I’m in the midlands…the dealer is in essex) at first they wanted me to drive 3.5 hours back to them to change the beacon, when i said this was unreasonable they have now decided to supply a new beacon but leave me to get it fitted!!! At my cost without any reimbursement, i am after some advice regards where i stand with this…as after sending quite a few emails to the said dealer expressing my dissapointment in their after sales service i was told they are getting " fed up with getting long exhaustive emails from me" any advice greatly appreciated as I’m at a loss what to do and don’t really want to get a solicitor involved incase i don’t have a leg to stsnd on…for wanting of a better phrase.
If the truck is fundamentally sound put it down to experience and move on. Personally, if they have offered a warranty, I wouldn’t be exhausting their goodwill on such trivial things. If the gearbox goes now and you get on on to them they’ll just mutter under their breath ‘oh FFS it’s that ■■■ again’ rather than make a decent effort to sort something more significant than a set of pads or a light. Nowhere is going to put a new set of pads on a used vehicle cos they look a bit low.
Own Account Driver:
If the truck is fundamentally sound put it down to experience and move on. Personally, if they have offered a warranty, I wouldn’t be exhausting their goodwill on such trivial things. If the gearbox goes now and you get on on to them they’ll just mutter under their breath ‘oh FFS it’s that ■■■ again’ rather than make a decent effort to sort something more significant than a set of pads or a light. Nowhere is going to put a new set of pads on a used vehicle cos they look a bit low.
This∆∆∆∆•
Also use Volvo pads brought from a Volvo dealer,they last longer, and stop better than any of the cheaper stuff.
Sounds like your new to this lorry buying, a little knowledge can be extremely expensive!
Take your man with 40 year experience with you next time you go to look at a lorry,
When the lorry goes for MOT is doesn’t matter if there is only 5 mm of brake pad left as long as the figures are met for brake efficiency
Volvos mid lift axle pads often break up on the edges as they get old before they are worn out.
Check the basics before worrying about Kelsa bars and beacons!
Moose:
Sounds like your new to this lorry buying, a little knowledge can be extremely expensive!
Take your man with 40 year experience with you next time you go to look at a lorry,
When the lorry goes for MOT is doesn’t matter if there is only 5 mm of brake pad left as long as the figures are met for brake efficiency
Volvos mid lift axle pads often break up on the edges as they get old before they are worn out.
Check the basics before worrying about Kelsa bars and beacons!
If you replace mid lift pads check fronts and rears and put new pads there then put worn pads on midlift,
Punchy Dan:
I’d try getting a barrister for the beacon it’s really poor that is ,do they come on with main beam.
Whats that actually about? I.ve seen a few fancy Scanias and such where this happens and i was thinking, hows he pressing all them buttons at the same time, didnt think it could be on the same switch, stlll seems pointless, or am i getting old
Punchy Dan:
I’d try getting a barrister for the beacon it’s really poor that is ,do they come on with main beam.
Whats that actually about? I.ve seen a few fancy Scanias and such where this happens and i was thinking, hows he pressing all them buttons at the same time, didnt think it could be on the same switch, stlll seems pointless, or am i getting old
I was being a bit pi$$ taking ,but I’ve seen them too these back to black glory boys have them ,must be a switch somewhere that puts them on together ,if it happend on mine I’d be searching for wires that had rubbed through !
I think the phrase “You’re not here for the hunting…” is applicable here. Or to explain it a bit more, you appear to be expecting consumer levels of after-sales support/hand-holding for a business transaction…
Are maritime still doing the guaranteed mileage scheme that’s been discussed on this forum at length? If they are then that’s all you’ll get, nothing more. 1500 miles @ £1.30 a mile gives you £1950 for the week, I struggle to make a profit at £2300 a week running older trucks.
There are better container firms out there, make a few phone calls. Ask about average miles / revenue, type of work you want vs. offered (distance, rdc, drop & swap etc).
Above all do your sums first!
Regarding maintenance you need to budget for around £5k a year with an old truck and have a contingency for £5k more minimum.
I know it can be difficult to get prices from suppliers before you start I had this problem 3 years ago.
Moose:
Sounds like your new to this lorry buying, a little knowledge can be extremely expensive!
Take your man with 40 year experience with you next time you go to look at a lorry,
When the lorry goes for MOT is doesn’t matter if there is only 5 mm of brake pad left as long as the figures are met for brake efficiency
Volvos mid lift axle pads often break up on the edges as they get old before they are worn out.
Check the basics before worrying about Kelsa bars and beacons!
If you replace mid lift pads check fronts and rears and put new pads there then put worn pads on midlift,
