this week there is an article comparing the DENNIS EAGLE 2 with the MERC ECONIC. they seem to have missed a couple of important points which i will be bringing to their attention
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from the crews point of view, the bin lift on the MERC is a little fussy. if the wheelie bin is not lined up correctly, it is literally thrown back at you.
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the camera does not face straight back as shown on the photo from the cab of the MERC. it is located on the corner of the truck and points across the bin lifts which makes it impossible to see one of them.
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the blind spots on the MERC are horrendous. the picture shows just how many obsticles there are on the near side of the vehicle. the scissor door is narrow and obstructs vision quite considerably.
the scissor door closes automatically when the vehicle moves but there is an over-ride switch which releases the pressure making it possible to drive with the door open but loose so it flaps around. the drivers door is very low at the top so it is all to easy for an average driver to smack their head when climbing in
the MERC is nicer to driver with a smaller, lighter steering wheel and tighter turning circle thanks to the rear steering axle but the seats are too firm. the trim is of much higher quality than the DENNIS too.
overall, the DENNIS is a better vehicle for that role. it feels more stable and the bin lifts are more forgiving than the MERC. it has electric windows on both doors whereas the MERC has only one small window on the drivers door. again, this is the cause of a few lumps on the drivers head.
given the choice, i would go with the DENNIS every time. it could be improved but generally speaking, it is much more driver and crew friendly
