Buying New What would you buy and why

[Tiki]

Hi all
So it’s new truck time for me.
I’m in Australia but will probably be purchasing either a Volvo Merc or Scania.
Just after your thoughts on all three, from a drivers perspective and a owners perspective.
Looking at either an FH540 R500 or 530 Classic cab Merc
Tare weight is an issue, most trucks here are 6x4 was thinking about maybe going for a 6x2. Just worried about getting it hung up on steep driveways.
Also still have the choice of Euro 5 or Euro 6 in the Scalia and Volvo.

[whelmic]

I really can’t fault my actros both as a driver and operator. It has done 5 years and 600,000km so far with without a single down day and nothing spent except routine maintenance. It is comfortable to drive and ‘live’ in.

[Wheel Nut]

After sales and back up

[ianto]

What kind of 6 by 2 a midlift or rear tag lift that can give more grip than the midlift

[Juddian]

After sales and back up

Yup, i'd be asking OD's in your operating area what and who works for them, and wouldn't be restricting myself to those three marques.

[Geoffo]

I'm a Volvo owner. Had an FH540 euro 6,Dual clutch for 2.5 years. It's a good truck ( not brilliant).
Not sure they can handle Australian roads as I find them not robust enough.They can feel a little fragile at times. If I was buying today,I'd go for a NetGen Scania. Just depends what dealer is closer to you.
My 2 pence worth anyway.

BTW, had a Merc mk3 Actros before that & that was well put together.

[biggriffin]

After sales and back up

Yup, i'd be asking OD's in your operating area what and who works for them, and wouldn't be restricting myself to those three marques.

.

This^^^^^^^

Also for traction, I would be looking for a 6×2 tag axle, the Volvo i-shift is very capable, but a manual might be better for more gruelling conditions..

[cav551]

What are the emissions requirements in Australia at the moment and proposed? Vehicles for sale in Europe all have to meet euro VI standards, which to say the least is troublesome and really requires a full R&M deal from the supplying dealer.These may not be what is offered in Australia. We saw a few weeks ago from a troubleshooting request that the specification and legal construction requirements differ from what we are used to in Europe.

Just about everything affecting vehicle reliability and performance depends on operating conditions, some problems encountered by an operator in one part of the country on particular work may well be unheard of elsewhere ,so it is difficult to translate UK experience to the other side of the world with accuracy.

We can however try, but the number one priority is going to be what has already been mentioned several times - dealer support.

[LL79]

I really can’t fault my actros both as a driver and operator. It has done 5 years and 600,000km so far with without a single down day and nothing spent except routine maintenance. It is comfortable to drive and ‘live’ in.

comfortable? you clearly dont know what that word means....

[blue estate]

I really can’t fault my actros both as a driver and operator. It has done 5 years and 600,000km so far with without a single down day and nothing spent except routine maintenance. It is comfortable to drive and ‘live’ in.

comfortable? you clearly dont know what that word means....

My 2014 TGX is more comfortable even though the cab mounts are starting to go

[Broclee]

Volvo FH and Scania a good bet just comes down to dealers. If you want lighter tare weight it's Freightliner or tried and true Kenworth. Have you looked at a DAF CF 85 510, option of ZF auto or 18 speed road ranger or MAN TGA. Also depends on single trailer, B double how much main highway running etc.

[Tiki]

Thx for the replies
To answer a couple of your questions
We still only need Euro5 in Australia but can also get Euro6 if you want it. Merc choose to sell only Euro 6.
For example Scania charge $4000 more for Euro 6, it will use half the Ad Blue. Think I'd go Euro 5 though.
I have a couple of Volvos, 3 yrs old. They have been OK, not great.
The Volvos stand up pretty good in Australian conditions, they actually build them here.
Scania, Volvo, Kenworth all have wait times out until May. Merc have plenty of stock.
The Merc has the cheapest service plan, about half of what the others charge.
Thing is Merc don't do any preventive stuff, only replace stuff when it breaks.
I do 200000Kms per year, all highway work. I'm no Outback Trucker!
I'm not in a rush to get it. At the moment I am leaning towards the Scania.

[Juddian]

''For example Scania charge $4000 more for Euro 6, it will use half the Ad Blue.''

New gen Scanny i last checked used 24 litres adblu in 850kms, i don't have comparison figures for other makes but this seems high to me.

[cav551]

For interest since we only really see the small stuff here, what are the Japanese offerings like?

[cissa]

The Next-Gen 13-litre Scania's will give you unbelievable fuel results.

I am a Volvo man myself, but will not buy more Volvos until they release something that can compete on fuel. Seems that the Scania R500 uses around 7-10% less fuel then the Volvo FH 500 and 540 with Dual-Clutch in our work, which is a mix between light and heavy loads in flat and not so flat parts of Norway.

[Juddian]

The Next-Gen 13-litre Scania's will give you unbelievable fuel results.

I am a Volvo man myself, but will not buy more Volvos until they release something that can compete on fuel. Seems that the Scania R500 uses around 7-10% less fuel then the Volvo FH 500 and 540 with Dual-Clutch in our work, which is a mix between light and heavy loads in flat and not so flat parts of Norway.

To be fair thats been the case for a long time in my experience.
Back in 2005/6, we had lots of 420FM Volvos which absolutely drank the stuff, circa 6mpg, when i got my new Scania 420 that immediately went up to 7 to 7.5 average without trying.
Yes i know those figures sound dreadful, but that was full size flat out car transporter work often multi drop, with vehicle tareing off at 22 tons and includes engine driven PTO running for many hours every day.

I too would be very interested in how the Japanese motors are holding up, no doubt much sniggering at the back much the same as they did when the bikes and the cars first arrived, but no bugger's sniggering now.

[Punchy Dan]

Ive heard you can get a new DAF euro 5 cummins power in Oz .

[Tiki]

Hey Punchy Dan
Can certainly get DAFs here.
They are also just starting to built them here in the Kenworth factory.
Can only get a DAF with a MX engine
One other option for me is the Kenworth 410 with the Paccar / DAF engine.
I am not a fan of those Red engines. They go good, but it's common to see them getting rebuilt anywhere from 400 to 800Ks
Have a read
https://www.fullyloaded.com.au/truck-re ... reak-cover

[Tiki]

Thx Cissa
I was leaning towards the New Gen Scania
Nice to here they are good on fuel.
Still not sure if I should go Euro 5 or Euro 6
I see your in Norway, must be fun driving there.
I was up in Alta last Feb, loved the place.

[bowers340]

I too would be very interested in how the Japanese motors are holding up, no doubt much sniggering at the back much the same as they did when the bikes and the cars first arrived, but no bugger's sniggering now.

I know its an old thread but the Japanese stuff holds up extremely well they just have no comfort.
Isuzu is very reliable if looked after by people that know what they are doing, but like all jap trucks they ride terrible.

Parts are extremely cheap, if i was putting a driver in a truck id go down that path

[Quinny]

DAF's like to eat turbos.

My 8 year old CF, 6x2 460bhp, with only 630k on it, decided one day to have it's turbo for lunch. It was on very light work, so the problem wasn't that the engine had worked hard. My boss has just replaced it with a brand new XFSSC, 6x2 12 speed auto, with the new TraXon gearbox, which is as comfortable as it gets. I believe the gearbox is just a newer version of the ZF, but is built in such a way to produce more torque from the engine. Mine is 480bhp.

A friend of mine has the smaller cab version XFSC, which has just eaten it's diff with 14k on it. The truck is 3 months old.

Ken.

[Juddian]

I know its an old thread but the Japanese stuff holds up extremely well they just have no comfort.
Isuzu is very reliable if looked after by people that know what they are doing, but like all jap trucks they ride terrible.

Parts are extremely cheap, if i was putting a driver in a truck id go down that path

Many thanks for that, Hino here seemed to have a bit of minor resurgence in the 8 wheel double drive rigid market a few years ago, but not sure they even offer a euro 6 at all and i haven't seen a Hino artic for years.
From the sheer number in use in other parts of the world though where rugged durable reliable and relatively simple are more important considerations, i don't suppose the Japanese truck makers are in the least bothered about Europe not buying a few hundred to which would have to add stacks of electronics and sensors to comply with euro 6 anyway.

[Franglais]

I know its an old thread but the Japanese stuff holds up extremely well they just have no comfort.
Isuzu is very reliable if looked after by people that know what they are doing, but like all jap trucks they ride terrible.

Parts are extremely cheap, if i was putting a driver in a truck id go down that path

Many thanks for that, Hino here seemed to have a bit of minor resurgence in the 8 wheel double drive rigid market a few years ago, but not sure they even offer a euro 6 at all and i haven't seen a Hino artic for years.
From the sheer number in use in other parts of the world though where rugged durable reliable and relatively simple are more important considerations, i don't suppose the Japanese truck makers are in the least bothered about Europe not buying a few hundred to which would have to add stacks of electronics and sensors to comply with euro 6 anyway.

Japanese market vehicles meet EU6 already.
"Japan’s “Post New Long-Term Emissions Standards” have applied to all new heavy-duty vehicles since 2010 (and type approvals in 2009). These standards—which tightened the NOX emission limit for diesel vehicles in 2016—are equivalent in stringency to Euro VI and U.S. 2010 standards. As of 2016, these standards apply the World Harmonized Transient Cycle (WHTC) for certification testing."
https://www.transportpolicy.net/standar ... emissions/