What have you tried and what are your findings?
I am currently in a 2545 MP4 Merc. Will report my findings shortly
Oooooooo hark at it, fancy Dan newish Scania and now trialling new Mercs no less, are you shagging Hilary Davey now then■■?
I haven’t seen the inside of a new wagon for 5 years & doubt I will anytime soon, you lucky devil.
How quiet are the MP4’s? I gotta say if it was a choice between the Merc & the new FH just going off fan boy input, I think the Volvo would edge it for me, I’m sure they’re both nice though.
Silver_Surfer:
Oooooooo hark at it, fancy Dan newish Scania and now trialling new Mercs no less, are you shagging Hilary Davey now then■■?I haven’t seen the inside of a new wagon for 5 years & doubt I will anytime soon, you lucky devil.
How quiet are the MP4’s? I gotta say if it was a choice between the Merc & the new FH just going off fan boy input, I think the Volvo would edge it for me, I’m sure they’re both nice though.
I’ve never had a new motor and tbh I’m not arsed one way or the other. As long as it’s clean and it works as it should do why bigger with the extra stress of a new one
Does this mean the new mrV isn’t getting the bling treatment?.
MR VAIN:
I am currently in a 2545 MP4 Merc. Will report my findings shortly
I have driven a few of McCulla’s new ones and I was VERY impressed,
lovely finish on cab and drove real sweet. 
The “eco-roll” function seems to be a God-send on fuel when doing big runs 
They are supposed to be getting some fleet record breaking fuel mileage from them and they’re still tight engine wise 
Ha ha yes, all urine taking aside, this is the truth as I see it.
My reasons for looking around are many. Seeing as I run with a fleet that is, all bar 1, a Merc fleet (general/bulk haulage), it has become impossible not to see the fuel figures (other reasons exist)
Having driven one for the day and returning un impressed, taking one on for a week was a strange move, but I’m glad I did . First impressions are of a spacious well thought out cab although for a man with fists of ham the switches and controls seem fiddly. The next thing was the mirrors. Awful to the point of feeling dizzy. But, we are in it for a week so best we try and get used to it. Noise levels are reasonable and once settled into the seat the steering wheel drops into your Lap at any rake and length you could possibly need. The steering wheel is littered with buttons, too many maybe for an ex tractor boy, but all purposeful. Gear selection has 3 options, auto, auto economy and manual. Acting on advice from a friend, select auto economy , hand brake off and away we go. Gear engagement is instant and the changing thru the gears is very smooth (as per I shift)
Now I’m in this truck to see what it’s capable of. I do virtually the same run everyday so the comparison is to be quite fair. As per my Scania, throttle usage is light and no more than half travel, maybe a slight lift to engage swifter gear changing. Once in 12th, change mode from auto econ to auto, thus enabling 90k on the cruise control (auto econ will only allow cruise at a shade under 53)
The truck itself feels firmly planted with a positive feel from the steering.
Braking.
On the right of the steering column is the multi function stalk that houses the gear box selection, this stalk also pulls down 3 clicks for exhaust braking. Another tip I’d picked up was to use the exhaust brake as much as possible, even if you feel it is in effective. In actual fact, once you get used to it dropping 2 gears and sending the rev counter needle right around to 2300 rpm, you then appreciate its partial effect, that and the anticipation of junctions/ roundabouts means only a light use of brakes to assist. At this point I could start banging on about kinetic energy thru not braking, but I ain’t a rocket scientist and I won’t bother.
The results in the fuel figures take some believing . First 4 days overall average 9.8mpg. One run I did was insulation board from Ipswich to Birmingham, 14’11" trailer, 11.5mpg! My Scania won’t do that solo! (The Merc is showing less than 85k on the clock)
Back to the fiddly switch gear and wheel controls.
Once used to the controls it ain’t so bad, easy really. But for an ex tractor boy it was quite taxing.
Should you get the chance to have one on demo, do it. Not for a day, a week. You’ll need a day or 2 to get to grips with it.
What do I really think? I’m well impressed. Would I have one? Well you’ll have to wait and see!!!
I hope this was helpful.
I forgot to mention the Eco roll. According to fleet board, I managed to free wheel fo 49 miles, on the first day!!!
Its true then
Berk in a merc
Tawt. X
Sounds good, can you believe the trip computer though, brim to brim is the only sure way!
Its such a shame you can’t get the solo star cab option in right hand drive for the mp4, the cab layout looks absolutely gorgeous, like being in the ritz if you’re a tramper.
I presume you’ve seen the web site for it, the best launch site I’ve seen for a truck:
www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content … ctros.html
Get a retarder if you’re buying a new truck, total no brainer if you run max weight!
You could ask if you can pay what your firm pays for them if you want to be cheeky or ask B to buy it then sell it you at cost, think they own a dealers anyway. 
Lol yeah I don’t think they’d do that, that rather I just drove one of theirs. Can’t really do brim to brim wi out giving away about half a tank of fuel. Only filled up once! Trust me, a man wi no eyes could see this is good. That and the fact that my crew have about 30 MP4’s and I’ve seen the figures for myself. They are all strong. I will be trying the euro6 demo before I make the final decision.
I have a mp4 on demo at the moment. and i agree with the above.
i have a euro 5 daf xf 105 brand new pulling a decker to lichfield and back every night the 09 plate it replaced did 7.5 mpg neck to neck. the new one 9.7 neck to neck. and ad blue usage down from 3 fills a week to one ■■?
the mp4 best so far is 12 !!! worst is 10.4
how do you get to use a demo truck
ask the dealer
I would at least try the new Volvo & a new Scania Mr. V have to be fair of course…
Great review. No question they are good of fuel but…what are they like on the hills rumour has it they’re slow 
Ask the dealer do the release bearings still pull through the clutch plate or if the ecu or gear cylinder last more than 3 years now 
ellies dad:
Great review. No question they are good of fuel but…what are they like on the hills rumour has it they’re slow
Hello Dad! Yes they are a little slow on the hills, but at those fuel returns who cares. The clutch bearing problem has been rectified. Not sure about anything else 
Thanks for review Mr Vain.
Mate has just done a deal over the phone yesterday to trade one of his two R560’s in against a new
(cancelled order) MP4 Actros 2550,
he’s priced around others but nobody could get near the Merc’s spec for the deal he got.
He will see how she fairs against a new R620 he bought last month
MR VAIN:
ellies dad:
Great review. No question they are good of fuel but…what are they like on the hills rumour has it they’re slowHello Dad! Yes they are a little slow on the hills, but at those fuel returns who cares. The clutch bearing problem has been rectified. Not sure about anything else
Good to hear the problem has been sorted. I have an mp2 at timber haulage and they are well built apart from the gearbox. Over the last 3 decades from early eps to the current powershift the gearbox has always been merc’s downfall. My ext merc will be a manual i dont care what the salesman says.
Do Merc do a fully manual box then?