Im looking to buy a good reliable work horse aint got alot of pennies to spend to give some work ive been offered a go looking at probably a 85cf ,foden alpha , premium,erf ect or even the old faithfull ec11 olympic like i say aint got loads to blow on a motor would rather buy something cheap n cheerful and build on it any ideas
from experience what do you think of dafs
they are a comfortable truck
change the air dryer cartridge regularly
there is plenty of room in the Skycab version
the head gaskets are a problem on the earlier DAF’s, but, it is a job that can be done yourself, if you are mechanically minded and prepared to have a go
at what am looking at ive got to be prepaired to have ago
walker movements are selling a couple of EC11 Olympics at that price, problem with them is getting parts, the DAF is no problem 
ive been hearing that about the ec11 i am leaning towards the ect if its to be an erf the 85 because of the back up the premium on price seen a low mileage 54 plate for 8k i like and the foden because you seem to get more for money compaired to the 85 to be honest it could be absolutely anything on the day not realy looking for a badge as theres good n bad in any of them looking at condition for price cant make my mind up though seen a man like mine on ebay for 8k yet seen alot newer bigger more powerful say 95 super space cabs under 10k that look pretty decent the prices seem all over its throwng me to be honest not sure which way to go
if it were me i would lean far away from an ect, to try a job you wont go far wrong with an older erf or foden the things just seem to go and go!
i know a man that works on trucks all day every day, then at weekend spends his time restoring old erf,foden,aec trucks and his opinion is the ect is the worst truck to ever wear the erf badge!
Foden alpha is a good workhorse Renault premium is worth a punt. A 4 series scania too but prices will be higher due to export value.
shuttlespanker:
this doesn’t look to bad, not too expensive either
Looks like a decent truck, my advice would be to run a mile away from anything with an M11 ■■■■■■■ or Cat engine if you’re gonna be running heavy, FAR too thirsty!!! The DAF looks (both inside & out) like a tidy & cheap truck, that’s what I’d be looking at.
Ross.
bigr250:
shuttlespanker:
this doesn’t look to bad, not too expensive eitherLooks like a decent truck, my advice would be to run a mile away from anything with an M11 ■■■■■■■ or Cat engine if you’re gonna be running heavy, FAR too thirsty!!! The DAF looks (both inside & out) like a tidy & cheap truck, that’s what I’d be looking at.
Ross.
Looks alright to me too, but they could have levelled the plate before they took the pics!
Or what about this?
Trucks at this age/price are a punt that the engine, gearbox and rear axle (and increasingly ECUs) will hold up. In most cases they do.
Something that’s spent it’s life trunking and ex-lease from somewhere like Hill Hire isn’t a bad bet.
Can’t go wrong with a Merc Axor or Renault Premium, both cheap as chips and reliable/easy on the juice 
after quiet a few phone calls that 85 is not that bad for the money might take trip down and have a closer look
shuttlespanker:
this doesn’t look to bad, not too expensive either
Description…
DAF 85CF 430hp - 2003 £6950.00 or £9250.00 Walvis Bay
I had to Google “Walvis Bay”, it’s a port in Namibia.
You learn so much here!
Harry Monk:
I had to Google “Walvis Bay”, it’s a port in Namibia.You learn so much here!
Haha, I did exactly the same;)
Ross.
been offered a pretty decent premium from what ive been told on the phone what do you recon 06 plate premium for 7.5k i think its either the last of the old shape or the first of the restyled ones
lee mat:
been offered a pretty decent premium from what ive been told on the phone what do you recon 06 plate premium for 7.5k i think its either the last of the old shape or the first of the restyled ones
it will be the last of the rattly step brigade 
i know people who run them swear by them, and get good fuel returns from them
but, then again, i know others that have run them and couldn’t wait to get rid of them as they were crap on fuel
i think it all depends on which one you are going to get
oh, and between the two, the DAF CF Skycab has by far the better layout and storage space
I run a Premium - nowt wrong with it. Probably one the most cramped sleeper cabs though, I chose the Stralis as my main driver but happy with either really.