Done the deal and I am trading up to an ex “muppet roadshow” 2003 Renault Premium 420 DCI with the Opti-driver box. I took it out for a good test drive with a loaded flat trailer and I was very impressed with the auto box,it hooked into the 5th wheel with no probs and I found the box really easy to use and the jake brake was the dogs danglies too 
.
There is 360k on the clock and its in spotless condition,the Renault dealer is fitting brand new PTO,extra 350l tank on the N/S, (giving me 800l capacity) new autolube and chipping it to 465 horse 
.
It will be covered by Renault trucks comprehensive “driveline top up” warranty for 12 months and the dealer is “allowed” to spend a max of £3000 on fixing/ replacing sundry items like seat squabs,rear mudguards, plastic gearbox cowling,paint touch ups,possibly even a set of drive tyres etc.
The price of the Foden for a trade is a nightmare but their changing me for 16 grand,so at £494/month or £123/week over 3 years its not too bad.
Oh dear…
Glad to hear that you are happy with your deal
do hope that you wil post how the TWINGO is
copeing with the Quarry work, all the best
with the future work mate
Big Truck:
Done the deal and I am trading up to an ex “muppet roadshow” 2003 Renault Premium 420 DCI with the Opti-driver box. I took it out for a good test drive with a loaded flat trailer and I was very impressed with the auto box,it hooked into the 5th wheel with no probs and I found the box really easy to use and the jake brake was the dogs danglies too
There is 360k on the clock and its in spotless condition,the Renault dealer is fitting brand new PTO,extra 350l tank on the N/S, (giving me 800l capacity) new autolube and chipping it to 465 horse
It will be covered by Renault trucks comprehensive “driveline top up” warranty for 12 months and the dealer is “allowed” to spend a max of £3000 on fixing/ replacing sundry items like seat squabs,rear mudguards, plastic gearbox cowling,paint touch ups,possibly even a set of drive tyres etc.
The price of the Foden for a trade is a nightmare but their changing me for 16 grand,so at £494/month or £123/week over 3 years its not too bad.
Good luck with it mate, I hope it performs as well as mine has. My only fear for the quarry work job is the low front bumper, but a mate of mine has fitted 315s to raise the front end.
Don’t listen to the Volvo and Scania snobs, cause they won’t look at you as you’re passing em
Snooze Control:
:shock: Oh dear…
Sorry, but what would you reckon I should go for 
A 2004 2546 Merc Actros was available from a dealer but he was £8000 more to change and I would have to get to Coventry from N.Ireland 
Don’t even talk about the Volvo/Scania/Man sales reps they just didn’t want to know. 
The “driveline topup” warranty covers everything from what I can read apart from brake pads and light bulbs and there will be an option to extend it for another 12 months in a years time,it also includes 24 hour call out and the dealer is open 24 hours for servicing
A full service pack for the Premium of oil/fuel/air and hydro filters from a truck factor costs £49 
The Renault guy’s bent over backwards and even brought the truck over from the mainland for me to view,it is they who will get my business
Big Truck:
Snooze Control:
:shock: Oh dear…Sorry, but what would you reckon I should go for
A 2004 2546 Merc Actros was available from a dealer but he was £8000 more to change and I would have to get to Coventry from N.Ireland
Don’t even talk about the Volvo/Scania/Man sales reps they just didn’t want to know.
The “driveline topup” warranty covers everything from what I can read apart from brake pads and light bulbs and there will be an option to extend it for another 12 months in a years time,it also includes 24 hour call out and the dealer is open 24 hours for servicing
A full service pack for the Premium of oil/fuel/air and hydro filters from a truck factor costs £49
The Renault guy’s bent over backwards and even brought the truck over from the mainland for me to view,it is they who will get my business
Maybe Snooze Control is looking at it more from a drivers point of view , are you an owner operator S C? Big Truck I think you have made a good move. All trucks are much of a muchness these days we all have our favorites mine are Scanias but I have operated most makes over the years and for me the most important thing is the availability of the truck to go to work every day. If the dealer turns out to be as good as early indictations seem and they stand by the truck you are onto a winner. Good luck with the Renault Big Truck I for one won’t be looking down my nose at you.
Spoke to an O/D with one of the new type twingos, he did bulk and some quarry work and is very happy with his. And he went from a scania to it.
We use twingos on building sites and they cope pretty well, just watch out for the front bumper and steps, the seem to break easilly
I’ve worked for a haulier who’s used Renaults for many years. He does loads of full weight building site work and agricultural work. Because the loads are craned off they have to get close to the crane even if it means being dragged on and off the site with the axle buried in the mud. He tends to buy new or nearly new and keeps them until they die. At present he’s still running some R reg motors.
Yep sure other motors might be nicer, but will you get a better rate for the job because you’ve bought one?
Good luck with er
Yeah good luck Big Truck.
If I was looking to buy myself a truck in our local area I’d only bother with Scania or Renault.
For one reason.
They have the only dealers around here that are interested in keeping the customer happy.
Although I love Mercs, from a drivers’ point of view, I’d never operate one because the dealers are truly awful. I have never seen incompetance and arrogance anywhere like you get at Intercounty M-B, Yaxley.
And if Mercedes cannot be bothered to look after the largest logistics company in the world - what chance has an owner-driver got?
In all honesty, I don’t think there is a bad truck out there today. The service you get is where the differencees lie.
big truck i see mk transport with a new looking trailer recently.was that who showed interest in your trailer as it looked like the half pipe style. also see at least one,maybe two,fodens from reids running around recently,keep thinking its you.
Yes mate Kel-Berg half pipes are becoming popular with the aggregate men
MK Transport have one
GS Gordon has two
CS Stevenson has one
Whitemountain O/D has one
all since I brought mine over.
I see 3 ex Reid Transport Cat 450hp Fodens for sale at Walkermovements, so maybe alot have came to the end of the contract hire period and they are being offloaded to the trade.
I recognise a certain 2001 Foden for sale in the private ads in this weeks CM and also on their website at www.walkermovements.co.uk
She dos’nt look too bad clocking up approx 5 and half years quarry work after she’s been given a good steam cleaning
Good luck with 'er Big Truck … it’s gotta be more reliable than my ■■■■■
big truck if you hear of anything local workwise i could be interested,looking off euro/distance.job hunting from this week,got some interviews lined up.
Try the following:
Muckle haulage 07775617747
Alan Thompson haulage 07802828912
MK Transport 07802588709
RGM Services 02891 811374
All of the above are tipper work but if you have your ADR Montgomery tank services were recently advertising for tanker drivers.
thanks for the numbers.wasn’t sure if those boys needed drivers often,thought they might be hard to get a start with. not sure if its true but got told that the ballygowan one might be hard to work for,although that may be just gossip.monty also were looking tanker drivers with no adr but involves nights out and i’m trying to get away from that for a while. might ring curran,l.wright,agencies etc ,got a week or so free before i’m desperate!