Hi all!
So, thinking about O/D… went up to Daf in Preston today & had a look at a XF 95 Super space cab in their yard…salesman was excellent, answered all my questions & gave me a couple of pointers as well! Trip well worth it!
Price Quoted-£64,000
While up at Daf, went over to the Iveco place…salesman looked at me as if I was from Mars! Whether he thought I wasn’t serious or didn’t have any money I don’t know, It’s not as if I walked in looking like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards 'cause I’d been Golfing this morning so was dressed quite smartly…anyway… surely a sale’s a sale? Oh well! His loss! If I was to buy a Stralis, it wouldn’t be from there, that’s for sure!!
Price Quoted-£54.000
Down to Scania dealer at Haydock… brand new black Topline just off the transporter sitting in the yard. Lovely!
Again… Salesman very helpful, had a tour of the Topline etc…
Got to go back for test drive etc.
Price Quoted-£65-75.000
Went to Volvo in Ashton… no salesman on duty so waiting for a ring back…
Tomorrow, having a look at ERF, Renault & Mercedes.
Will let you know how I progress…
Any thoughts on which unit would be the best? Job would be UK to Spain mainly but probably Europe wide.
Auto or Manual box?
All suggestions appreciated!
Cheers!
TP
You haven’t looked a a Mercedes??
have been told they are doing good deals at the moment and their new one is very impressive… i had one on demo… 460bhp and pulled like a train
Tom,
I would say for a new truck you will need to get quotes for a R+M package as well.If your going O/D this will let you know most of your full costs for the period you have the truck.
Priced an ERF ECT 420c High entry sleeper 6x2 AS tronic at £52000,think I can deal down to nearer £50000,full operating lease and R+M was around £1050/month.Priced an ex-demo 40000km 2002 one in CM with comfortshift and it was sold at £35000 no wonder!!! 
Tom,
Dont take this wrong but have you thought about gaining a bit of experience before spending upwards of £40k. Have you got an idea of the costs of fuel, insurance, tyres etc.
If you dont know the companys in your area who give out work, cannot afford retraining and havent driven for over 8 years. It would be wiser in my opinion to use a company truck to hone your skills and see what type of work is out there.
Its a very romantic notion driving on long distance Euro work, It is also very expensive if you get it wrong.
I found that when I gained my CPC and actually applied for an Operators Licence then the truck dealers where beating a path to my door. They buy a list from the DOT, Applications and Decisions.
Good Luck if you go ahead down the OD route
I’d go for the XF mate. Don’t jump in feet first do your homework. As a lot of people have learnt it’s not everything that it seems. There are loads of old topics about O/D if you search through the forum.
Big Truck:
IPriced an ERF ECT 420c High entry sleeper 6x2 AS tronic at £52000
Sorry about the thread hijack but does ERF offer the ZF auto-shift box in their tractors? I thought the official word was no as making the ■■■■■■■ compatible with the Tipmatic system wasn’t financially viable. Perhaps you need to double check that the dealer is certain of his product facts (or perhaps you’ve just uncovered ERF’s next move 
)
Craig
I’m nearly 100% sure that the AS tronic is now available on the ERF ECT range,but I haven’t spoken to the dealer in a while so his info that it was going to be available shortly maybe wrong.
Get Daf or maybe Volvo, and get two please, one for me. Just give us the nod and I’ll be there.
To be honest I think if it was me looking to go into OD work, I’d be buying a decent second hand motor, buying new your going to lose a lot just driving it off the forecourt.
Dealers can give you the full service history of genuine trucks that have been dealer maintained along with the problems the vehicle suffered.
Try the Lease way first to make sure you can get the vehicle to pay then after 12 months or so, a good dealer will happily terminate the lease early without penalty to sell you a brand new motor.
Davey Driver:
I’d be buying a decent second hand motor
= Scania streamline 143.
Yes buying new first time may be a bit risky.
Davey Driver:
Try the Lease way first to make sure you can get the vehicle to pay then after 12 months or so, a good dealer will happily terminate the lease early without penalty to sell you a brand new motor.
That’s a good suggestion but the only problem is that most leasing companies or dealers want to see a couple or three years accounts first which kind of makes it a catch 22 for a new start. 
Tom, I agree with Davey Driver and V8KARLV8, get yourself a motor from the auctions, about two or three years old.
HAY!
Nice one Rob!
OOOARR!
TP
