Looking into new truck had quotes or Xf super space 480 4x2 unit and a big space actros 4x2 unit as driving it myself had trucks specked with all the comforts,run merc,s for years always been happy with them reliability and dealership,had quotes back daf comes in cheaper so do I change or stick to what I know
Having driven both, they both have their ups and downs. No doubt you know about the lack of comfort in the Actros? The 4x2’s imho are truly awful. The DAF in this respect is far superior.
And without sounding like I’m Merc bashing…they seem perpetually scared of hills!
Reliability wise though, the Merc I would say is far more reliable. DAF’s seem to get overcome with rogue electrical/sensor faults.
All this is my own opinion though and no doubt others may dispute or wish to add to this [emoji106]
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As always the performance of the local dealer can make all the difference. A poor dealer can turn a good vehicle into a nightmare while a good dealer can get the best out of a less than good vehicle for you.
As a mere driver, not OD, i agree with Cav, the dealership performance and your relationship with them can make all the difference.
I dislike both makes due mainly to the automatic gearboxes fitted to both, a Daf manual with the right engine is still a very good vehicle otherwise the autogearbox ruins them both for me, but as one of the main forum regular posters knows that irritating daf default to eco nonsense can be programmed out at the workshops so you can drive it semi permanently in manual or normal auto, without finding the bloody thing has reverted to eco just when you needed a bit of power for that serious fast steepening uphill drag you’ve just started.
You could spec air suspension at the front of the MB which i understand from what i’ve read here improves the boneshaker ride quality of the vehicle.
I doubt there would be little to choose in fuel figures, which as we all know are mainly dependent on whether the bod behind the wheel can drive properly or not…generally i find i get near enough the same figures no matter what make or model for a given weight, it just takes a few weeks to learn to make the most efficient use of the particular vehicle you are in.
All else being equal i’d base my choice on the dealer performance out of these two marques.
Ruled out all other makes?
DAF has better back up if you have a problem.If you remember ERF you will find most people who used to operate Sandbach’s finest now are predominately DAF.users.
Where I work we have DAF and Merc. Both seem to perform OK, but the local Merc dealer has been nowhere near as good as DAF so its been all DAF recently. Fuel use seems similar between these and also similar to the Scanias we use. As Juddian says the DAF as standard has a gearbox set up for "plain-vanilla" type use: fine on average loads on main roads etc, but can be a pain if you do anything out of the ordinary. As an owner driver you can get the "revert to auto" mode lifted and choose whether you want to use the vehicle in manual more. If its your own fuel card youll not abuse the risk of extra fuel use! Our newer DAFs seem quite reliable regards the electrical niggles some used to have, but Im sure Norb and others will confirm/deny that view.
The DAF aren`t faultless by any score, but nothing in the real world is…
I run a fleet comprising Mercs and DAFs, 8 Merc Actros and 13 DAFs, 4 older CFs and 9 XFs. I have another two new XFs ready for collection next week. Eighteen months ago my depot was 100% Mercedes, so that tells you what my preference is. I refuse to have any more Mercs allocated to my depot, mainly because of the extremely poor service levels from the Mercedes dealer I use. I have commented on this before on TN. The more DAFs I get then the better the service from the DAF dealer I seem to get. They keep in regular contact with me, and if the older ones that are no longer on R&M need money spending on them when they go for service, they keep me fully informed about costs and they request permission from me before proceeding. I also think that they do a proper job of inspecting and servicing, something I’m not confident that the Merc dealership does. DAF dealership also inspects the trailers (powder tankers) that are permanently based with me. Today they have serviced two tanks and one CF, all collected and returned by them.
I don’t think that for reliability there’s much to choose between the two marques. I’ve three XFs on '63 plates, and four Actros on '63 plates and all 7 of them soldier on regardless giving very few problems. The only truck driving I do these days is shunting the yard, but cab wise I think the older DAFs are in better nick than the older Mercs. The DAFs are rattle free, the Mercs aren’t. I think the new XF’s cab interior is very good and they seem very quiet inside the cab. In fact I shunted one of the 18 plate XFs yesterday and took it as far as the depot gate to reverse it into a parking space and I was very tempted to carry on through the gate and go and do a load with it. Can’t say when I last thought that about any truck.
Did consider a Scania the other week got offered a s 580 lovely motor twelve months old hundred thousand on clock they wanted over hundred thousand for her so frightened to get quote for new one ,off to look at a daf Monday and can have demo following week ,daf dealer very keen so we will see
Daf, as in Gingerfolds comments above I have no issue with the service I get from Daf dealer and have had no issues with breakdowns either. I cannot comment on the Mercs as I would never buy one, I run Scanias alongside the Dafs and get good service form the dealer as well, both makes are about the same regarding maintenance costs and very close on fuel,
Daf 530 with a 16 sp manual, job done
I agree chaversdad, I have one, but it’s a 64 plate with a 12 speed manual, which is ■■■■, much prefer the 16 speed.
Sapper
I have been using my local DAF dealer for over 30 years mainly via the Parts department but on occasions using Service. They were originally a Leyland/AEC dealer and if I speak to the right person I find that some parts are still current under an updated part number. I have had exceptional service from them, on one occasion going to the trouble of finding that a deleted part number was in fact still available from the actual part manufacturer, but not listed on DAF’s system. I can buy ■■■■■■■ parts from them in a Paccar box at a fraction of the cost they would be in a ■■■■■■■ box. They carry a good range of factor style parts at a competitive price, all available for delivery twice a day. The service department has always been helpful faxing through technical information once they know that the recipent is capable of understanding the content. Several times I have collected parts and needed some type of assistance from the workshop either to swap something over, to know how to do it, or to have it done for me. That assistance has always been forthcoming and FOC. On a different theme the range of services offered is more than comprehensive - shotblasting and Coded welding being on the menu.
Obviously not all dealers are this good, but some are. It is a long hard slog acquiring a good reputation which can easily be tarnished by a disatisfied customer whose main gripe may well really be down to £££ rather than actual service. Surprisingly although offering a more limited range of servces my choice of two local Iveco dealers are both very good.
sapper:
I agree chaversdad, I have one, but it’s a 64 plate with a 12 speed manual, which is [zb], much prefer the 16 speed.
Sapper
There was, I think, a significant change in specs in second half of 2015(?) and more recently in end of 2017(?). A 65 plate DAF may appear the same as a 64 but the gearbox software is different. For me it was a huge step…backwards. After a few “discussions” at the dealers the “revert to eco” has been deleted. Anyway, they seem to have learnt some of the lessons and newer trucks are going in the right direction again.
For the OP especially:
If going for a 4x2 don`t let them sell you the newer, “economy designed” narrow high load steer tyres. Go for super singles on the front unless ride height is really critical. The narrow tyres may give a fraction more mpg but wear out the shoulders at an alarming rate. The centre tread is still fine but after 60,000km the edges are down to the wear indicators. Happens with GoodYear, Bridgestone and Contis. Anything approaching max axle weight and it feels like they are underinflated as the side walls deflect. Truly a nasty driving experience. Still basically a good truck though, specing sensible tyres will easily avoid that possible hiccup.
cav551:
I have been using my local DAF dealer for over 30 years mainly via the Parts department but on occasions using Service. They were originally a Leyland/AEC dealer and if I speak to the right person I find that some parts are still current under an updated part number. I have had exceptional service from them, on one occasion going to the trouble of finding that a deleted part number was in fact still available from the actual part manufacturer, but not listed on DAF’s system. I can buy ■■■■■■■ parts from them in a Paccar box at a fraction of the cost they would be in a ■■■■■■■ box. They carry a good range of factor style parts at a competitive price, all available for delivery twice a day. The service department has always been helpful faxing through technical information once they know that the recipent is capable of understanding the content. Several times I have collected parts and needed some type of assistance from the workshop either to swap something over, to know how to do it, or to have it done for me. That assistance has always been forthcoming and FOC. On a different theme the range of services offered is more than comprehensive - shotblasting and Coded welding being on the menu.Obviously not all dealers are this good, but some are. It is a long hard slog acquiring a good reputation which can easily be tarnished by a disatisfied customer whose main gripe may well really be down to £££ rather than actual service. Surprisingly although offering a more limited range of servces my choice of two local Iveco dealers are both very good.
I guess that would be Channel Commrcials cav…Most DAF dealers to be honest will happily give cutomers technical info …You would be lucky though for our stores to hold a bulb in stock with out VOR ing it ,they truly are awful…Unfortunately customer still like to slate the service departent for the stores issues …We will even if a customer drives in plug in the davie and give him codes for free ,though it will have to be someone we know …Merc where we are will not help anyone ,you cant drop a motor off as they tell you to take it away and bring it back on the day they plan on looking at it…It may take 3 weeks for them to do a clutch
sapper:
I agree chaversdad, I have one, but it’s a 64 plate with a 12 speed manual, which is [zb], much prefer the 16 speed.
Sapper
That why I had daf quote drove a pals manual daf 16 speed,didn’t now if to go auto or manual
Franglais:
sapper:
I agree chaversdad, I have one, but it’s a 64 plate with a 12 speed manual, which is [zb], much prefer the 16 speed.
SapperThere was, I think, a significant change in specs in second half of 2015(?) and more recently in end of 2017(?). A
65 plate DAF may appear the same as a64 but the gearbox software is different. For me it was a huge step…backwards. After a few “discussions” at the dealers the “revert to eco” has been deleted. Anyway, they seem to have learnt some of the lessons and newer trucks are going in the right direction again.For the OP especially:
If going for a 4x2 don`t let them sell you the newer, “economy designed” narrow high load steer tyres. Go for super singles on the front unless ride height is really critical. The narrow tyres may give a fraction more mpg but wear out the shoulders at an alarming rate. The centre tread is still fine but after 60,000km the edges are down to the wear indicators. Happens with GoodYear, Bridgestone and Contis. Anything approaching max axle weight and it feels like they are underinflated as the side walls deflect. Truly a nasty driving experience. Still basically a good truck though, specing sensible tyres will easily avoid that possible hiccup.
Dj72:
sapper:
I agree chaversdad, I have one, but it’s a 64 plate with a 12 speed manual, which is [zb], much prefer the 16 speed.
SapperThat why I had daf quote drove a pals manual daf 16 speed,didn’t now if to go auto or manual
Wow if you bought that it would be a very rare bird indeed, and ironically more sought after at resale for export I imagine
Or just for the hell of it and for eye catching purposes, import a rhd kenworth aerodyne “cabover” (paccar) or freightliner argosy (owned by merc) from Australia, 
The mention of a clutch reminds me. Last autumn I had some reason to visit Ashford. Parked in the middle of the yard , surrounded by cat litter was a fully loaded six axle Lohr car transporter, sitting on the gound underneath it lay the gearbox. It had been dragged in by recovery the previous day, quite why it was not in the workshop I don’t know, nor do I know the fault. I do know that I would not have relished the prospect of getting the 'box out and back in again, outdoors and on a ribbed concrete surface.
I used to work for them for about 18 months at another location about 20 years ago, and at another Leyland DAF dealer some years before, when things were not quite so rosy. The philosophy then was to attend to anything commercial with wheels. for many customers we serviced their trailers as well - sometimes on site. We certainly had specialist training on all sorts of bodywork - Car transporters, gritters, various vacuum tankers, dustcarts, roadsweepers, even prison vans. This seems to continue.
The fact that you have had the Merc quote and you’re still considering it is interesting. I had a quote for an 1846 big space with a few bits but nothing major at the start of the year and it was £15k more than a 2551 gigaspace. I thought that they’d hit the wrong button, but no, their reason was that they sell so few large 4x2s they have no support. The job didn’t come off so all irrelevant in the end.