I have it on very good authority that some DHL drivers will be expected to do nights out in Volvo FM12,s
Why are they all whinging … are they that bad ■■
Depends if it’s got a Bogtrotter cab; if not there ain’t enough room to swing a kitten never mind a cat! I’m out 4 nights a week in a flat-top all summer and believe me it’s cramped.
Bed’s comfy enough but the “Mark 2” FM’s are inferior to the earlier ones IMHO because;
-
There are only two overhead lockers, and they’re on the passenger side. Impossible to access them from the driver’s seat!
-
Bunk length is compromised by the “safe” which is neither use nor ornament anyway.
-
Curtain tracks are crap.
On the plus side the aircon’s good.
Much preferred my old CF250 DAF or even an ERF.
I used to get an FM when my FH was in for serving, its cramped to say the least, and the window only go’s halfway down 
If I find it cramped (and I’m 5’ 4") god knows how anyone taller (or rounder 
) would cope on nights out. FM’s are ok for daywork but IMHO definately not good for more than the odd night out.
Fastrantiger:
FM’s are ok for daywork but IMHO definately not good for more than the odd night out.
Pretty much bang on comment, I’d say.
Nice motor to drive. For an odd night out they are fine. For four per week I think I’d get a bit peed off.
Trouble is that you get spoiled. Ignore all the rubbish about having an interior cab height of “x” amount of centimetres, and the bunk being “x” amount of centimetres from the steering wheel. It isn’t so.
If all you’ve ever driven is a standard roof CF, P420, FM or Axor, an FM Globetrotter is quite roomy.
However if you are used to an XF SpaceCab, Topline, FH Globetrotter XL or Actros MegaSpace you’d quickly feel that someone in the office doesn’t like you very much!! 
IFTrousers:
I have it on very good authority that some DHL drivers will be expected to do nights out in Volvo FM12,sWhy are they all whinging …
This one aint whinging. I go to work to earn money, the type of truck comes way down the list after that and how easy/good the job is. They are going to be the 440 Globetrotter version and we never do more than one night out in a row, we do two nights one week and three the next. It’s a very easy job, I haven’t been in the back of a trailer for months now as it is all drop and swaps, and it pays around £34k a year so I’m not going to throw the toys out the pram because we aren’t getting to drive a ‘big’ truck. My only slight concern is the lack of lockable storage so I can’t lock my gear away when it is being used on the nights we are at home by agency drivers. I’ll just have to transfer my kit from the car every second morning, there isn’t a lot of it anyway, and I’m sure I’ll find a work around somehow.
When you consider the choice was Volvo FM Globetrotter or Merc Axxor I think you’ll agree the Volvo is by far the lesser of the two evils.
IFTrousers:
I have it on very good authority that some DHL drivers will be expected to do nights out in Volvo FM12,sWhy are they all whinging … are they that bad ■■
You should refuse to do nights out in them. There is a law that the cab must be of a certain size for night out work and the FM12s aren’t big enough…
Rob K:
There is a law that the cab must be of a certain size for night out work and the FM12s aren’t big enough…
I the French wouldn’t drive them.
Rob K:
IFTrousers:
I have it on very good authority that some DHL drivers will be expected to do nights out in Volvo FM12,sWhy are they all whinging … are they that bad ■■
You should refuse to do nights out in them. There is a law that the cab must be of a certain size for night out work and the FM12s aren’t big enough…
not that old one rob
just think of all them transporter drivers with low cab fm,s. law breakers every last one of them
Coffeeholic:
IFTrousers:
I have it on very good authority that some DHL drivers will be expected to do nights out in Volvo FM12,sWhy are they all whinging …
This one aint whinging.
When you consider the choice was Volvo FM Globetrotter or Merc Axxor I think you’ll agree the Volvo is by far the lesser of the two evils.
now thats a good point for debate coffee.
i got offered an fm or an axor and plumped for the merc. imho an easy choice.
I think I’m with Dave on the choice of motor, Neil. 
However, I agree 150% with you about money, ‘cushtieshness’ of job, THEN the wagon.
flying_fenman:
I think I’m with Dave on the choice of motor, Neil.
If the Axxor had been the only one on offer I would have been happy enough to drive it but given the choice I opted for the Volvo mainly because it has a full width cab where the Axxor doesn’t and I have always been a bit suspect of the Axxor build quality, all the ones I’ve driven seem to have had bits falling off and things that rattled. Bearing in mind they will do a fair old mileage and be driven by many different drivers I thought that was a point worth considering. Not a lot in it to be honest and I just think I prefer the Volvo. Initially the choice was between a new Volvo, new Axxor or an 05 plate MAN XXL. Choosing the MAN would have meant going back to analogue tacho and there was no way I wanted to do that so it was a choice between the other two for me. The MAN offer is no longer on the table, apparently due to them only having small tanks.
Coffeeholic:
Rob K:
There is a law that the cab must be of a certain size for night out work and the FM12s aren’t big enough…
I the French wouldn’t drive them.
You were that excited by my reply and eager to counter it with the old French myth that you missed out half of the words !!!
I would not be keen on doing h nights out in one,but if the pay was right then could be considered.
More of a day /night trunker motor i think.
HI ROB K can you please show me the eu paragraph
as regards the size of the cabin as my employer is
one of the many who has to date not purchased
all ways the type of cabin one expects for international
driveing, for example man 280.with a small cabin
and 2 beds inside,it would intrest me and my workmates
brit pete:
HI ROB K can you please show me the eu paragraph
as regards the size of the cabin
Pete, you’ll find it in Regulation (EU) MMTM/666 1 April 2000. Google may find a copy somewhere.
or it may not
dave:
just think of all them transporter drivers with low cab fm,s
Our Fm13 400’s aren’t just low cab…they’re transporter specific flat tops. No overhead lockers or storage at all.
They’re the right tool for the job and we get payed “quite well” so not really a problem. More of a minor inconvenience and not worth moaning about imho.
Coffeeholic:
Initially the choice was between a new Volvo, new Axxor or an 05 plate MAN XXL.
I’d have had the MAN. The analogue tacho isn’t a problem and the dustbin lid for a steering wheel I can live with. Compared with the Volvo with no legroom (amongst other faults) and the Axor with a lousy gearbox … … now if the Merc had been an Actros …
It just goes to show how personal preference works.
Stan
Coffeeholic:
My only slight concern is the lack of lockable storage so I can’t lock my gear away when it is being used on the nights we are at home by agency drivers.
As an agency driver I can fully understand. In fact I’d prefer it if you did lock your stuff away. If something of yours does go missing I don’t want to be the one accused of being light-fingered.
Stan
Stanley Knife:
Coffeeholic:
My only slight concern is the lack of lockable storage so I can’t lock my gear away when it is being used on the nights we are at home by agency drivers.As an agency driver I can fully understand. In fact I’d prefer it if you did lock your stuff away. If something of yours does go missing I don’t want to be the one accused of being light-fingered.
Exactly, I felt the same way when I was agency.
Stanley Knife:
Coffeeholic:
Initially the choice was between a new Volvo, new Axxor or an 05 plate MAN XXL.I’d have had the MAN. The analogue tacho isn’t a problem…
I know it isn’t a problem but the digi tacho is less work, which suits my lazy nature. I don’t want to go back to faffing about with charts, keeping them safe for 30 odd days, etc.