My Old Chaps’ 02 reg Foden Alpha is being retired by October along with a 52 reg one; In their places are a MAN and Scania which will be day cab versions. Both will be autos. Dad wants to keep the Foden (450 Cat with 16spd ZF) but which would you choose, assuming the new motors will be in the similar power range?
Are they the only 2 choices?
Assuming both similar powered then the Scania every time, both for reliability/durability and the gearbox can be driven quite competently in override manual making good progress, better with the 3 pedal than the 2 pedal IMO, you still have clutch control for manouevering.
MAN with satans box whilst fine on the motorway (might need two lanes to maintain straight line via the huge tiller) is nothing but useless if some graft is needed such the ability to push a fully loaded trailer into a tight spot, or some serious hill climbing.
Neither driven in full auto will ever be in the right gear at junctions etc, and pulling away in auto requires written notice to be filed well before needed.
One other thing, Scania mirrors having the gap between main and wide angle allow a bit of vision approaching junctions, MAN’s whilst not quite as large as the wardrobe door jobbies Volvo’s canteen lady designed offer serous blind spots.
Scania still got a real dipstick too.
I’d want to keep the Foden too, proper drivers motor which he will miss…you should learn lots of new words from him when he gets his new steed… 
Scania is a better truck although if it’s a p cab it’s a bit cramped.
Id never go for a day cab, might as well be digging your own grave…
I’m a big Scania fan, but the day cabs are a bit grim as has been already said.
Whats the problem with a day cab?, just how fat are some of you blokes?, how much garbage do you need to carry?
Day cab tractor should come with back window fitted if the operator has an ounce of nous, blind side manoeuvering in tight spots becomes a joy instead of a nightmare.
I’d have one by choice on day work every time, subject to back window in place.
Best of all…no nights out trying to sleep in a tin can.
Pimpdaddy:
Id never go for a day cab, might as well be digging your own grave…
In the game muckaways firm work in payload counts and what’s the point of dragging a sleeper round if the only thing the bunk will ever see is the drivers coat.
kr79:
Pimpdaddy:
Id never go for a day cab, might as well be digging your own grave…In the game muckaways firm work in payload counts and what’s the point of dragging a sleeper round if the only thing the bunk will ever see is the drivers coat.
Yep. The closest our directors will have us do a night out is when I’ve taken a lorry home. Any chance of a night away they use a subbie-let them find their own backload as we’ve got enough local work as it is.
MAN and Scania are the only choice as one of each is on order and yes, they’ll have rear windows.
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?
Ps-proper drivers don’t need back windows to maneuver…lol 
Pimpdaddy:
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?
I took the centre storage box out of my Alpha and put the kit in a stacker box in the footwell. Without the centre box a CF is quite comfy to lie down in.
Some people comment that residuals are lower on day cabs; Our units are over 10 years old when sold so they tend to go to the showmen or enthusiasts for towing classic tractors about.
Pimpdaddy:
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?
Having driven a day cabbed rigid on Saturday I can only agree, couldn’t get comfortable at all.
pimpdaddy:
Ps-proper drivers don’t need back windows to maneuver…lol
A proper driver might use every advantage they can get. 
Pimpdaddy:
Ps-proper drivers don’t need back windows to maneuver…lol
Good retort… 
, i see these proper drivers perform regularly, going way past the ideal manoeuver point, which happened to be an easy slight blinder, only to do their best to pull the tyres from the rims doing a jack knife U turn so they can come back and go in the only way they know how, on their own side, its really quite sad to watch,
They’ll be the same ones that can’t park normally at the MSA and have to create their own drive in drive out space, usually tell who’s going to do it if you can’t see anyone at the wheel, 50% of the side windows will be covered by camp tasselled curtains, and all you can see of the steering wheel attendant is a bangled limp wrist posing on the steering wheel as they arrive…
Pimpdaddy:
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?
Ps-proper drivers don’t need back windows to maneuver…lol
I spend all day in a day cab (either Merc Atego or DAF LFs for now) and I agree, they are only just about bearable. Its annoys me no end that on a 45 I have nowhere to stretch out and relax. The Merc is slightly better as there is a bigger gap between the dash and the passenger seat but thats it really.
Pimpdaddy:
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?
Ps-proper drivers don’t need back windows to maneuver…lol
Some of use actualy drive all day not sit on a bay scratching out nuts.
So muckaways firm sacrifice half a ton of payload say four loads a day paid by weight so you can be a macho trucker in a sleeper cab.
Over 10 years that’s some amount of list revenue to have a massive parcel shelf.
Artics and 4ws are payload conscious, the 6ws aslong as they carry 15t, the 8wws are heavy but they’re built as a jack of all trades so a steel body and good ground clearance is the main concer (just 19t with our new MANs).
Depending on trailer spec etc it is possible to get a 30 ton payload on a six axle artic so losing the sleeper if not needed helps. If they are keeping them ten years residuals aren’t to big a concern.
Muckaway:
Pimpdaddy:
Day cabs are ok for a 5-10min drive down the road or picking up butties from cob shop for the rest of the office bods, not to do a full shift in-no recline or bunk, where will I put my head down…?I took the centre storage box out of my Alpha and put the kit in a stacker box in the footwell. Without the centre box a CF is quite comfy to lie down in.
Some people comment that residuals are lower on day cabs; Our units are over 10 years old when sold so they tend to go to the showmen or enthusiasts for towing classic tractors about.
if they buy man units they will be knocking on the showmans door after 3 years wanting to buy back the fodens!!
i am sure the mans will be scrap long before the 10 years as these newer mans dont seem a patch on the older models
kr79:
Depending on trailer spec etc it is possible to get a 30 ton payload on a six axle artic so losing the sleeper if not needed helps. If they are keeping them ten years residuals aren’t to big a concern.
We’ve got SDCs which did carry 30 until Quiksilver bodyliners were fitted. Payload dropped about 250kgs but has been well offset by less downtime repairing the floors.
I havent got a problem with my p cab scania. Same driving position as a sleeper. plenty of room behind the seats. Mine is a rest cab with bunk and curtains. The bunk isnt as big as a sleeper but i have managed a night out in it!