I need to look for a new truck (7.5t) I was looking for a FA45 but trying to find a decent one is like looking for hens teeth. I’m being talked into a LF45/150 though.
OK, so what are they like then? I have been told that the Tecktor is good too. I’ve got no experience with newer trucks so any info would be really helpful 
we have a 51plate with sleeper, thinks it’s 180 bhp, but could be wrong, it was bought new or very nearly new, I drove it from 2005-2006, and it was a good motor when it went, I had untold problems with it, mostly getting it started, there was a failsafe device so it couldn’t be started in gear with clutch pedal down, but it would still think it was in gear from time to time, had lots of problems with abs sensors, and engine warning too, taillift would work on any day of the week that you didn’t need it, I pulled the control box apart opposite Newcastle station trying to fix it as it decided to go on strike halfway through putting the thing away after delivering! comfort wise, not too bad, tacho draw was just infront of my right knee, when left open from night before, ive cracked my knee on it more times than I care to remember. bed was comfortable and folded against the back wall, seats needed to be pushed forward before bed time, I did a run to bologna, and weekended near Trento, I wished the cab was bigger for that. all in all not too bad a motor, maybe ours was finished in a rush on a Friday!!!
Here’s one I saw last week.
tector and lf have same engine badge engineered ■■■■■■■ lf got a far better cab comfort
Yey! Love the yellow 
Scaniarob - to be honest, I’ve heard similar stuff too. I’m really worried as I don’t have a big budget, maybe £3k for it. I’ve been told about a FA45/150 which may be available in a few days at £2.5k. Do you think it’s better to go see that instead?
Anything else worth considering for this budget? It’ll be loaded at about 6-6,5t all the time and didn’t want anything too lively in the handling dept.
hi mate, I’m not really in a position to say on the lf or the fa, mine was just an account of my personal experience, theres no harm in having a look at the fa, our local ups depot still run a few of them alongside those other monstrosities, I’d check service history as a priority, better a high mileage well serviced motor than a low mileage non serviced one, have you got a friend who’s handy with the spanners who could look with you. we also had a merc atego on a y plate, she went ok, infact we only got rid of it two years ago when a new one was delivered.
We’ve got an LF 45 plated at 12t mgw and it’s always breaking down; springs,electrics you name it…It could be that it was apparently a cancelled order 7.5tonner that we had uprated to carry 7.5t. A lot of trucks around here in the LF45 size range are Ivecos and Isuzus.
The Isuzu NQR is a handy little tool with a generous payload. However the cab is cramped and the ride isn’t great.
lf 45 abs faults most of time were exciter rings cast on discs corroded but seemed to have sorted it now. check make sure ecu on side of engine mounts are ok as when these ware the ecu drops and rubs hole in ecu body alowing water ingress and eventual ecu faliure and costly expense . start protection in gear was problem with the short gearbox loom the wires would corrode and end with open circut and non start .
if you dont like moden electrics and gadgets the old fa 45 in my mind great little truck . we still have a crew cabbed 10t one for recovery .all so if its 7.5t fa45 you wont need a speed limiter as it will have been put on road before oct 1 /2001
mattaid:
if you dont like moden electrics and gadgets the old fa 45 in my mind great little truck . we still have a crew cabbed 10t one for recovery .all so if its 7.5t fa45 you wont need a speed limiter
LF45 also a great truck, as long as the people doing the maintenance know what they are doing, every ‘common’ fault on the LF , apart from the brake discs/ABS fault is down to poor maintenance. Usually failure to change the filter on the tank, these are on a 3 month change cycle, not 12 months as everyone thinks. ECU mounts are an issue, IF the maintainer doesn’t check them, although I have siliconed ECUs after drying them out to find no further problems.
On the speed limiter front I think the legislation states vehicles over 7500kg MGW, LFs are plated at 7490kg.
Lots of people are running with limiters that are potentially not required.
The_DAF_Man:
On the speed limiter front I think the legislation states vehicles over 7500kg MGW, LFs are plated at 7490kg.
Lots of people are running with limiters that are potentially not required.
you might need to have another look at the legislation 
roadtransport.com/RoadLegal/ … aking.html
Speed limiters
Equipment fitted to vehicles to prevent them from being driven above a certain speed has been in use for more than 30 years.
As of 1 January 2008, all goods vehicles registered after 1 January 1988 which are over 3,500kg require speed limiters. The limit depends on the age of the vehicle.
.
I stand corrected! At the time I was setting them (2006) it was right I think.
The_DAF_Man:
mattaid:
if you dont like moden electrics and gadgets the old fa 45 in my mind great little truck . we still have a crew cabbed 10t one for recovery .all so if its 7.5t fa45 you wont need a speed limiterLF45 also a great truck, as long as the people doing the maintenance know what they are doing, every ‘common’ fault on the LF , apart from the brake discs/ABS fault is down to poor maintenance. Usually failure to change the filter on the tank, these are on a 3 month change cycle, not 12 months as everyone thinks. ECU mounts are an issue, IF the maintainer doesn’t check them, although I have siliconed ECUs after drying them out to find no further problems.
On the speed limiter front I think the legislation states vehicles over 7500kg MGW, LFs are plated at 7490kg.
Lots of people are running with limiters that are potentially not required.
yes seen alot of fuel filters on engine changed with oil change instead of yearly and leaving water trap on tank . also been on breakdowns to find high pressure pumps been changed and broke down again same thing and its just fuel tank top breathers block and causing a vacum 
SPEED LIMITER REQUIREMENTS
The new speed limiter regulations apply to,
passenger vehicles over 8 seats but not over 7500 kg Design Gross Vehicle Weight (DGVW).
goods vehicles over 3500 kg but not over 7500 kg DGVW
these are applied as follows depending on vehicle age:
Vehicles first used prior to 1 October 2001 - No requirement
Vehicles first used on or after 1 October 2001 up to and including 31 December 2004 - For British domestic use only these will require a speed limiter set such that the vehicle speed cannot exceed,
100 kph (passenger vehicles) (62.14 mph) or
90 kph (goods vehicles) (56 mph)
to be fitted by 1 January 2007 if they have a Euro 3 engine with emissions approval under directive 88/77/EC.
All vehicles with Euro 2 engines are not subject to the requirements. In addition the following vehicle types do NOT need a speed limiter as they do not have engines approved under the relevant directive:
Any petrol engine or petrol engine converted to run on LPG
Citroen Relay 2.0 litre and 2.2 litre HDi engines
Fiat Ducato with 2.0 engines (engine code RHV)
Ford Transit (all)
Iveco Cargo all, except vehicles with engine code F4AE—.
Iveco Daily all, except vehicles with engine codes F1AE—, F1CE—, 8140.43B, 8140.43N and 8140.43S with PIC code ‘G.’ (The PIC code is found on the ID plate on the Shut panel for the bonnet identified by the 3rd character.)
LDV (all)
Mitsubishi Canter with ‘R’ as the 12th VIN character
Nissan Interstar all except vehicles with engine codes ZD3-A202, G9U-A754, S9W-A702 & G9U-A724. All Primastar.
Peugeot Boxer 2.0 litre and 2.2 litre HDi engines
Renault Master all except vehicles with engine codes ZD3-A202, G9U-A754, S9W-A702 & G9U-A724. All Trafic
Vauxhall/ Opel Movano with E,F,G,J,K,L,M,N,P,T or W as 7th VIN character
Vauxhall/ Opel Vivaro (all)
Volkswagen (all except 2.5lt/2.8lt 109bhp/158bhp engine codes AVR & AUH respectively.)
Other makes may similarly not be subject to the requirement for a speed limiter.
100 kph (passenger vehicles) (62.14mph) or
90 kph (goods vehicles) (56 mph) by 1 January 2008.
If used internationally then speed limiters set to this speed were required from 1 January 2005. The exemption list of engine types above does not apply to these newer vehicles.
.− ENDS −
NOTES TO EDITOR:
The legislation that is bringing this into force is European Council Directive 2002/85/EC which amends Council Directive 92/6/EEC. It has been adopted into GB Construction and Use Regulations through Statutory Instrument 2004 N0 2102 which came into force on 1st January 2005.
VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. It is responsible for:
-Processing applications for licences to operate lorries and buses and registering bus services
-Operating and administering testing schemes for all vehicles, including the supervision of the MOT testing scheme
-Enforcing the law on vehicles to ensure that they comply with legal standards and regulations
-Enforcing drivers’ hours and licensing requirements
-Supporting Traffic Commissioners to help them make informed decisions on operator licensing, vocational drivers and bus registration requirements
-Providing training and advice for commercial operators
-Investigating vehicle accidents, defects and recalls
For media inquiries about VOSA, please contact: Henry Norman on 0117 954 3208 / zita.galambosi@vosa.gov.uk.
Could you please send the published version of any articles about VOSA to press@vosa.gov.uk, VOSA, Berkeley House, Croydon Street, Bristol, BS5 0DA, or fax them to 0117 9543303. Many thanks.
Here’s mine.
Love the patio windows - you got some decking to go outside too? 
Have you had any probs with your LF?
weve got 2 Lf45’s 7.5 tonner flatbeds at our place and the only fault they have is the abs light keeps coming on
I run a 45 lf 180 bhp ( 10 tonner) its a great truck to drive and to operate , my brother whos is my partner drives it and he would never want to swap it , his last truck was a day cabbed Dodge commando ( 88) and he went the the full lenghth of the uk and ireland with no trouble with that vehicle , the day I told him we was going to buy a LF45 , he said " f off i want to keep the Dodge " but once he got use to the air seats, aircon etc there was no turning back , and he has two bunks which is handy on the removals .
Hey, I had a Dodge Commando too (82). I loved that truck! It never, ever failed to start, never missed a beat and never cost me anything to get through it’s MoT.
JAKEY:
I run a 45 lf 180 bhp ( 10 tonner) its a great truck to drive and to operate , my brother whos is my partner drives it and he would never want to swap it , his last truck was a day cabbed Dodge commando ( 88) and he went the the full lenghth of the uk and ireland with no trouble with that vehicle , the day I told him we was going to buy a LF45 , he said " f off i want to keep the Dodge " but once he got use to the air seats, aircon etc there was no turning back , and he has two bunks which is handy on the removals .
Nice to hear some positive comments on the LF too