seth 70:
kindle530:
Thanks for all the replies and advice fellas, fortunately for me I was told there is also a 63 reg XL Volvo knocking about, so I said I’d rather have that, and that is what I am getting!
I will keep hold of this post as I may have to jump in a Merc now and again. Thanks again for your posts.New or old shape kindle
Old shape mate, maybe a new shape in 6 months or so, so fingers crossed!
bobdebouwer:
ajt:
ORC:
I Side deflectors make visibility of the trailer a bit awkward when hanging out of the window on a straight reverse.On the Streamspace its terrible. Big and Gigaspace and there isn’t a issue
I drove a gigaspace and the visibility was fine.
Not to be pedantic but you should be looking in your mirrors not hanging out the window on a straight reverse.
Depends how much you value your mud guards. I prefer to hang out the window as it avoids any damage and guarantees you don’t miss the pin
bobdebouwer:
Had it in eco mode when I first got the motor. In essence it goes into neutral far too early, therefore slows down far too much before going downhill.On most occasions, this is far too dangerous, specially if another motor is behind you and you slow down without warning before going downhill.
It’s supposed to do that. PPC is an expensive option which fleet operators wouldn’t spec if it didn’t offer fuel savings. You might think different if you were paying for fuel out your own pocket.
And if a vehicle behind is put in danger by the vehicle in front slowing down 3-4km/h without even using the brakes then he must be tail gating and must already be in a dangerous position.
But yeah, if you want to drive around flat out then eco mode is truly awful 
And Streamspaces are definitely a pain to reverse. Especially when you bang your head on the side sun blind when you put your head back in the cab 
Terry T:
bobdebouwer:
Had it in eco mode when I first got the motor. In essence it goes into neutral far too early, therefore slows down far too much before going downhill.On most occasions, this is far too dangerous, specially if another motor is behind you and you slow down without warning before going downhill.
It’s supposed to do that. PPC is an expensive option which fleet operators wouldn’t spec if it didn’t offer fuel savings. You might think different if you were paying for fuel out your own pocket.
And if a vehicle behind is put in danger by the vehicle in front slowing down 3-4km/h without even using the brakes then he must be tail gating and must already be in a dangerous position.
But yeah, if you want to drive around flat out then eco mode is truly awful
Not a problem dropping 3-4k but when it drops to 70kph from 85kph, there is a SERIOUS DANGER. Nevermind the fact the tacho was incorrectly calibrated initially as well.
Anyone driving along a dual carriageway slowing down to less 45mph is a danger to everyone. Thats why I said its awful and never used “eco mode”.
bobdebouwer:
when it drops to 70kph from 85kph, there is a SERIOUS DANGER.
It shouldnt be doing that if the PPC is set correctly. I set my under speed at -3km/h and it mostly sticks to it. Some times it might drop around 5km/h but certainly not 15. Even so, a lorry backing off the power, regardless of what it slows down to, should not present a SERIOUS DANGER to anyone travelling at a safe distance behind.
bobdebouwer:
Nevermind the fact the tacho was incorrectly calibrated initially as well.
You can blame Siemens for that. Certainly not Mercedes’ fault.
bobdebouwer:
Anyone driving along a dual carriageway slowing down to less 45mph is a danger to everyone.
On some big hills there are plenty of wagons that will slow down to considerably less than that. This shouldn’t present much in the way of danger to someone driving safely using good observation.
It was always set at +4/-3.
Doesnt change the fact it was useless and IMO dangerous, so I stopped using it.
I knocked ECO and PPC off, set the cruise to 85kph +2/0. Everything was fine to sit back and relax.
Its not the slowing down thats dangerous, its the without any signal to the rear ie brake lights. On up hills you know some lorries will slow down and can take this into account. However, on a flat dual carriageway just before it dips downhill, you dont expect a lorry to slow down that much.
It might sound dramatic but its hardly the equivalent to ramming on the brakes type dangerous. No danger what so ever
I’ve never had it slow down that much on me. Seems like a fault somewhere, especially if it was doing it at every hill.
Well I am in an Actros tomorrow for at least a week, maybe for good, (having a go on a contract job, and the Merc is in customers colours, so no Volvo for me) so re-reading this post, what is this PPC you speak of. I take it it’s all to be found and sorted on the steering wheel buttons?
Terrible truck, burn them all. Switch all the gadgets off cos a proper driver knows more than some numpty in Germany.
Seriously Carl!!! U ask on here■■?
Nuff said I think.
kindle530:
Well I am in an Actros tomorrow for at least a week, maybe for good, (having a go on a contract job, and the Merc is in customers colours, so no Volvo for me) so re-reading this post, what is this PPC you speak of. I take it it’s all to be found and sorted on the steering wheel buttons?
PPC stands for predictive powertrain control, it uses topography and GPS so therefore now’s the terrain in front and gives you a little more power when approaching the bottom of a hill and eases off with the power when reaching the summit of an incline because it knows you have enough forward momentum to carry on using built up kinetic energy but does this a little early in my eyes and could cause a bit of sudden congestion behind you especially on a motorway.
Anyone know what hardware source the mini USB player takes? I tried it today with a memory card containing music and all it did was sit there saying ‘please wait’.
What does it want from me?!
Can’t help u on that one, I haven’t got a USB port. I must have the poverty spec model 
Was going to try a smaller capacity memory card today but they sent me out in a DAF XF instead. I don’t think I’ll be moaning about the Mercedes MP4 again…
The bluetooth radio in the one I used to drive played all the sound from my phone through it. You can use the steering wheel controls to change tracks etc.
I drive a MP4 merc gigaspace 2551 I think it’s a great toy got it September last year done nearly 90k already and it has never had any faults no electric problems as some merc do vast improvement over old one the 510 does like to be worked but the ppc is good if you set it properly via the steering wheel mines is +4/-2 and it fine and I use Manual when goin down hill so it does not Rev the crap out of it self and I do t know what people don’t like bout them and also not to bad on fuel I pull mix of tippers and walkingfloor and fridges
Colin_scottish:
so it does not Rev the crap out of it
It’s not revving it’s the continuous brake system sucking in air to reduce speed, it’s perfectly ok for engine revs to get upto 2,250.
Ppc? 3500 km so far and never driven it in anything but manual. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe a Luddite though. 
the maoster:
Ppc? 3500 km so far and never driven it in anything but manual. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe a Luddite though.
It does not make you a bad person but i had a bloke from Merc show me around one and took me out for a spin when we first had them and he said they are all geared up to be driven in auto. We have 6 on our fleet out of 35 at our depot that have no option to drive them in manual it’s auto only or rather auto fleet only.
