MAN Memories

Having recently started driving an 11reg TGS 35-400 auto for Earthline, I’ve become a convert. I love the driving position, quiet engine noise and spacious cab. Negatively, the Tipmatic ‘box can be a bit asthmatic on the get go and some of the trim looks to have been fixed together by a British Leyland apprentice with Stevie Wonders’ eyesight.
Any thoughts of MAN trucks over the years?

i had a b plate man 321 in the 80s , it had defo been tweeked before i got it . that lorry was unbelievable , loads of power , good driving position , walk through cab if you left it in 2nd . the downside was no night heater and it was cold to sleep in . never bothered about fuel consumption back then , fill 'er up and get going was the thing . cheers , dave

rigsby:
i had a b plate man 321 in the 80s , it had defo been tweeked before i got it . that lorry was unbelievable , loads of power , good driving position , walk through cab if you left it in 2nd . the downside was no night heater and it was cold to sleep in . never bothered about fuel consumption back then , fill 'er up and get going was the thing . cheers , dave

I remember Bradleys of Swindon being agents for MAN when they first came into the UK , steve.

I had an 03 plate man m2000 18.280 before getting my scania. Drove it for years was a bit off an old tank but it went like an absolute train. Everything was made to last and some how weighed a ton less almost than the scania. I find the scania loads more comfortable,and more pleasing on the eye,and its nice not having the huge arse steering wheel on my lap but I miss the man when I’m pulling up a hill dropping through the gears and getting overtaken by bloody tesco lorrys.

From an operator’s point of view my only experience was with a 280 tractor unit on demo from Rosehill Garage at Waltham Chase. I was impressed and the Fuller 13 speed RTO 9513 was as good an example of suitability as I had experienced . It performed well pulling a bulker for a week in 1979 but the finances prevailed and I felt that the residual value of a Scania 111 would be better. From a driver’s perspective I drove several Roadhaus examples when I worked at Sun Valley at Hereford also a 414 4x2 Roadhaus when i drove for Elvin Jensen in Denmark .Quiet, comfortable and reliable and altogether under rated. However I have no knowledge of the new TGA models so cannot make any comparisons. Regards

One of the first lorrys I drove was a 8 wheeler 30.291 on an e reg. even though it was quite old was a great tipper chasis with plenty of get up and go the 331 was a real powerhouse in the day. Drove a few later f90 and f200 tippers the 5 pots were a bit gutless but the 6cylinders had plenty of get up and go and all the old ones had rock solid build quality but that seemed to disappear with the tga models.

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My 51reg was a great motor never said no! the London LEZ was the finish of her I was not able to justify £3000.00/4000.00 on a conversion to suit so got a Hino :cry:

had a couple of old MAN F90 eight leggers,one was a N reg when i was at Lowerys,the other a L reg when i worked for J.Browne at edmonton .loved them to bits,
both had thirteen speed fullers(lovely). i think they were five pot engines, and went very well,but the L reg one must have had coach diffs as the edge of the green band on rev counter was 70 odd mph and would go off the clock quite easily!! (limiter didnt work and was on log books as i was on utilities work)
they were superb off road,and felt like a proper lorry lol,but the steering lock was very poor

the N reg one with my son having a go-

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I had a 320 bhp f90 on Habitat with a proper drawbar ,this was a great truck for that work with no problems when I drove it , but it and the other fleet MAN F90 did blow the turbos up about 350,000 kms all around the same time , I must say the truck before was a gutless Daf 2500 with a bloody pod so that’s why I liked the MAN . :laughing: :laughing: , When I left the Habitat contract drivers were trying to take mine over as it was bloody mint in and out, We did have a night trunker who never ever drove the M A N , :open_mouth: ,He did drive the DAF which ■■■■■■ me right off as he was dirty sod .He once put a half bale of straw for his horse on my bunk and that was with a pod on .

Years later I witnessed him get a clout round the head for taking some elses trailer , I never saw a thing officer :laughing: .

the one i had at J.browne’s.
it was about 9 years old when i got it so was a bit rough ,but i really liked it.
really good firm they were,top money(i’m not on much more today,and that was 10 years ago!! )

This was one of the best motors I owned. It’s 14 years later now & the driver, John (Titch) Clarke still says it is the best lorry he’s ever driven.

Evening all, well a 16.240 MAN, SAM … M, 2,400,000 kms, only normal service, and preventative mainteance…I should have kept that lorry!!

Munich`s engineers knew how to make great lorries,

Cheerio for now.

I had this for 3 yrs from new it’s never missed a beat, local dealer isn’t upto much though but out of the ones I’ve drove and owned over 30 years it’ll stand it’s own and I did a lot of miles as a kid in one when Brit European first had them, can’t fault them

curries of dumfries man tractor units.