I had an agency job yesterday which brought me in contact with an Iveco Stralis. Now I have to admit I am an ardent Scania fan, they are built to last, Iveco’s I have always found to be lacking in the quality department. But never one to tar people or things with the same brush I thought I would give it a fair chance.
Below is a picture of it in it’s natural habitat - Bonnet up inthe workshop!!!
The reason for this - The windscreen wipers would not work!!! Not a major problem you would think, well it never used to be, change the fuse or the stalk switch would usualy cure it. Not any more, now you have to plug one of these in
So after this was plugged in and it told us that the switch was working but the ECU was not sending the signal to the wiper motor, so the fitter had to change the ECU unit, but there are 4 different types on the Stralis, and they only had one in stock - so a 25% chance of getting it right and low and behold they had the correct one, this took about 5 minutes to change over, but then alot longer to re-programme. All in all it took over 2 and a half hours to change it - so by now it was 10am, my 11.30 tip at Dartford was looking highly unlikely now…went back to yard and was told tip- was rebooked for 1pm, so hitched up container and off I went.
I have to admit that the last time I drove an automatic truck it was for Grundons, so was the old type of auto, when I got into the Stralis first thing I had to ask another driver how to use the gearbaox, he showed me the two buttons on the side of the stick, left one for neutral and the right one for semi or auto,and the lift ring for reverse, he told me that if I pressed the right one I culd change gear by pusing or pulling the lever back - Now why on earth would I want that? You don’t have a dog and bark yourself! If it has an automode then thats what it will stay in as far as I am concerned. Off I now trundle and I have to say I was very pleasently surprised - the gear change was superb, just press and go, it was a very pleasent and relaxing drive from Southampton to Dartford, even the traffic jams were not a problem, not having a clutch made the work so much easier. As for the interior - I was quite impressed again, the seat was comfy, everything ws close at hand, even the dash display was good. Was impressed to have the radio displayed on the dash. The buttons on the steering wheel made life easier as well.
Got to my tip at 13.45, straight on a bay and two and three quarter hours later I was tipped and on my way back. I was actually looking forward to the return drive and because of an accident closing the M3 at Basingstoke I decide to go A3 - A31 - M3. I was glad I did, not because of the traffic, but because I actually enjoyed the drive back, The Stralis was a pleasure to drive. I finally got back at about 19.30, I had spent nearly 12 hours with the Stralis and apart from our little fall out in the first couple of hours I throughly enjoyed the days drive. I have driven a wide variety of trucks, both new and old in the last 10 years of class 1 work, but none have made such an imression on me as the Strails, If only the interior build quality and the electrical reliability could be improved then I think the Stralis would be a clear leader.
I never thought I would say it but I am actually looking forward to my next drive in an Iveco - as long as it is the Strails. 
…but the upside to it’s breakdowns is that the bloke who’s now driving it (Mick) hates it so much (mileage pay and breakdowns don’t mix) that now we’re BOTH on Lol’s case to make sure I do. 
