I like the big MAN steering wheel and as for comfort find the MAN’s very comfortable to drive. They also tend to be ‘fast’ along with the Daf XF’s I have occasionally driven.
Years ago I used to drive FLF’s and anyone moaning about lack of power steering wants to drive one of these. Bristol’s finest from the 1960’s. FLF’s are double deck buses by the way.
I think the biggest disappointment is shared by two trucks, new Scanias and Daf CFs. The former with this Euro 6 predictive speed codswallop driving along the m-way and before you know where you are old Mrs Jones in her Moggie Minor has overtaken you as your speed has dropped to 48mph!
With Dafs it is the stupid gearbox. Climbing up some hills up here in Scotland there are occasions when you want manual. I am not the sort of driver who revs the testicles off a motor or who burns fuel for fun 'cos it ain’t my truck but sometimes as my old instructor used to say ‘drive her to the top of the hill Rich’, and yes sometimes you just gotta do that. So you flip your 18 plate CF into manual or eco off auto and yep the darn thing flips back at the first opportunity.
With MAN they are a bit basic they door handle is very cheap and the mattress wafer thin but I find them good to go on longer journeys and they do shift at top grunt. Only irritating thing for me is the seat levers under the seat squab can dig into your calves, however if you slide the seat cushion forward it will alleviate this to some extent.
Anyone have that dodgy girlfriend/boyfriend that would not take the hint and go away, the one that thought you were “the one” and you said “Look, there ain’t gonna be a me n you!” The one your mates laughed at?
Well how about a 64 plate Actros?
The bunk is like sleeping on my kitchen worktop. I’m not a boots off at the last step kinda guy so the flat floor, crap gets everywhere. The fridge will not roll back under the bunk. The 24volt sockets, why? And only one 12volt?
Stop at a junction and it decides to take off in tenth gear or second or maybe sixth. Who can guess? Try doing a turn and the gearbox wants to change up halfway through.
Park overnight on sliightly uneven, check the oil and it’s ADD 5 LITRES OF OIL NOW.
Any panels not held on with six inch nails disappear.
Side lockers nearly six feet from the ground. Windscreen steps mounted low in the bumper. How am supposed to reach there? I’m not a great big German.
Dashboard, it’s about 20 years out of date (just like the above girlfriend/boyfriend) with all the PRESS OK features.
beanie:
Anyone have that dodgy girlfriend/boyfriend that would not take the hint and go away, the one that thought you were “the one” and you said “Look, there ain’t gonna be a me n you!” The one your mates laughed at?
Well how about a 64 plate Actros?
The bunk is like sleeping on my kitchen worktop. I’m not a boots off at the last step kinda guy so the flat floor, crap gets everywhere. The fridge will not roll back under the bunk. The 24volt sockets, why? And only one 12volt?
Stop at a junction and it decides to take off in tenth gear or second or maybe sixth. Who can guess? Try doing a turn and the gearbox wants to change up halfway through.
Park overnight on sliightly uneven, check the oil and it’s ADD 5 LITRES OF OIL NOW.
Any panels not held on with six inch nails disappear.
Side lockers nearly six feet from the ground. Windscreen steps mounted low in the bumper. How am supposed to reach there? I’m not a great big German.
Dashboard, it’s about 20 years out of date (just like the above girlfriend/boyfriend) with all the PRESS OK features.
They are awful things. My R450 walks past them with 25t on the trailer. Drove one a few times a couple of years ago and absolutely hated it.
Daf xf great cab but just didn’t like driving experience biggest surprise was a old iveco Eurostar.
Cab felt cheap but the v8 engine was a beast and also foden 4500 ■■■■■■■ cab was way behind but as a driving machine was excellent
i think all these ‘disappointed Actros driver’ lads need to do a shift in a ERF B series with Gardner 180/DB 'box…soon be begging for the Merc back
my present motor is a ‘65 plate Daf CF.few annoying electronic ‘features’ …but basically not a bad truck.
back in the early ‘80’s there was a vast difference in artic units…at Carryfast we had ‘B’ series SedAtki 400’s better imo,going up to a 2800 Daf borrowed of Haulfast,and occasional Hire trucks or demo’s…Ford Transconti’s,Volvo F12,Scania 142 then we had Daf 2500’s,but some poor sap got lumbered with a Ford Cargo unit
little difference between today’s motors,i think…tho’ we did have a couple of brand new Actros’ in our yard recently…no one wanted to drive them!
…but basically not a bad truck.
SedAtki 400’s better imo,going up to a 2800 Daf 
borrowed of Haulfast,and occasional Hire trucks or demo’s…Ford Transconti’s,Volvo F12,Scania 142 