Harry I bought a 2546 mega exactly one year ago it was an ex demo 58 plate with 360000kms on the clock I run full weight 75 percent of the time I also run a crane (brick n block) the mota n trl empty are 18 tonne n I average 7.5 mpg across the board in the year iv had it it’s only had one problem n that was a sensor on the ad lie system so not really down to kerfs more like the ■■■■■ in Brussels,the truck is a pleasure to drive I have no problem with the auto box but guess that’s cos I no how to use it !and.and not rush the thing thy can spin I bit in the wet but just go easy on your right foot would I buy Anva yes IMHO one of the most underrated trucks on the road a fine piece of German engineering!
harry im on my second one and i would,nt have anything else they are fantastic workhorses and like any trucks once you get handy
with the telligent gearbox its a dream to drive. the only problems ive ever had is rear hub seal leak and a sticking valve in the ebs.
the room inside is unbelieveable. dont waste your money on a magnum, go on get yer wedge and snap up that merc, at that mileage
its only just been run in.
well i may as well chip in
I bought an Mp2 new in 2004 and ran it for just over 5 years, 690,000kms when i sold it and in that time i spent a hell of a lot of money on, well diesel was about all
It never used a drop of water or oil, it spent an entire 5 years running fully loaded between the north east and Scotland without a spanner going anywhere near it, loads of room, comfortable to drive , ok the machine gun noise when you rushed a gear was a bit annoying but you soon learn not to rush the change
oh and just before i sold it i got merc to check the clutch wear on the computer and it still had 74% left on it, without doubt the best truck i have ever owned and would buy another tomorrow without hesitation
I also think the Axor is actually a better truck than the Actros,no V6 so they can pull lower down the rev’s. No standard Auto/Telligent box so you eliminate the chance of any electrical gremlin’s. The 430 Axor pull’s as good as the 460 V6 aswell. They are the true replacement for the old SK’s. 
Harry as we both are from the same neck of the woods so to speak I will give you a view on dealers no so much trucks but just to say MB very good the one your looking at is overpriced though
Sparshats have to be the anti christ to an OD no parts stock, never return a call, vague beyond belief if you need a quote for work outside of a warranty
MV trucks I find these guys ok not he best but not the worst parts usually in stock work nights and actually understand a MAN TGA !
MC since they got huge they’ve lost it I’m a volo man throgh and through but parts prices are often silly and there not great
Channel very good I think price ok truck is always done on time and they know their Dafs
Renult in essex ok good on price I had a magnu with a volvo driveline on contract hire from them and it was always serviced ontime and faults if any fixed
renualt (little dealer down near dunkirk canterbury) very good road side assistance when one someone decided to nick the trucks air-lines
scantruck - i like a lot I had a 124-470 from scania on contract hire and it was a brilltruck at a brill price scania at purfleet and sittingboune never let me down
iveco - stormonts at tonbridge ok never used haynes so cant say
bowser:
kind of makes me wonder why they put this on the head board …0
something must be right with them , i had this demo for two days last week and id swop my premium for it several times over .
yes it felt under powered at times but i think thats mostly in the drivers head , it felt to me like a big old ■■■■■■■ , it lumbered along at very low revs but did its job and i loved it . also you have to remember that the auto in an actros is not and never will be an ISHIFT i used manual over ride and it was fine . from a drivers point of view id have it in a flash …i have no idea about running costs im just a driver , however i will say that my boss says the fuel return was’nt good
not sure if thats the same demo… brother had one v similar…he raved about it, MPG was good for him…
Had the use of an 08 plate 2546 Axor with the auto box for 15 months. Excellent engine and IMO the best auto there is - there’s just an art to using it. If you are the kind of driver who feels the only way to get anywhere is to drop it down a couple of notches and screw the nick-nacks out of it then go buy a crappy Scania or such-like. Switch between manual and auto with ease and allow the engine to do the work at low revs. The most relaxing drive I’ve ever had and when you climb out of the cab at the end of the day your back’s still in the same place.
ellies dad:
Merc’s have an ECU on the gearbox aswell as the engine,either have been known to fail,my gearbox ECU did the replacement was €1,100.
The only time mine broke down was when the gearbox ECU went, no warning just no gears. The guy who came to my rescue said they were fitting these at £1500 + VAT. Merc did an upgrade on the part on the 58 plates which apparently alleviated all the gremlins.
Stan
Unfortunately when they go wrong it does rack up. Most ECU’s are recon unit’s Merc take your old one back to Worth. I disagree about the 
"If you are the kind of driver who feels the only way to get anywhere is to drop it down a couple of notches and screw the nick-nacks out of it then go buy a crappy Scania "
anyone who drive’s a V engine 6 or 8 cylinder know’s they deliver the power gradually and peak unlike a inline 6 where they hit full power low down but drop off quicker. Your right about the Scania’s though 
Harry surely the obvious answer to all of these problems is to buy a manual DAF or Axor and if it goes wrong it wont cost you a fortune , I always work on the basis of " whats not there cant go wrong " .
I’ve ran various Mercedes trucks and diesel cars over the years and each and every one did me proud…excellent engineering and the best thing with a Merc truck is there was always a queue at the door to buy it from you…the older they got…the more valuable they became. Mercedes are still the trucks that have put the most money in my bank account…MAN is a close second.
I’m moving back towards the idea of leasing something now to start off with, good job I have a couple of months to make my mind up…
Nextdrop:
Harry as we both are from the same neck of the woods so to speak I will give you a view on dealers no so much trucks but just to say MB very good the one your looking at is overpriced thoughSparshats have to be the anti christ to an OD no parts stock, never return a call, vague beyond belief if you need a quote for work outside of a warranty
MV trucks I find these guys ok not he best but not the worst parts usually in stock work nights and actually understand a MAN TGA !
MC since they got huge they’ve lost it I’m a volo man throgh and through but parts prices are often silly and there not great
Channel very good I think price ok truck is always done on time and they know their Dafs
Renult in essex ok good on price I had a magnu with a volvo driveline on contract hire from them and it was always serviced ontime and faults if any fixed
renualt (little dealer down near dunkirk canterbury) very good road side assistance when one someone decided to nick the trucks air-lines
scantruck - i like a lot I had a 124-470 from scania on contract hire and it was a brilltruck at a brill price scania at purfleet and sittingboune never let me down
iveco - stormonts at tonbridge ok never used haynes so cant say
This is the type of info you need Harry, your next decision will be critical, you need a good dealer behind you…
You can have the greatest GlobeSSChighchugga in the world, but, if the dealer is a dobba, you have got problems 
I`ve got to agree with you regarding lease/hire/ect., headache prevention IMO, you can buy whatever you want, when you have some more money in the bank
Don’t discount a one or two year contract hire,I have had five Actros Megaspace’s on lease from MB and on two year contract hire over the last ten years depending on the price quoted at the time.Each has its pitfalls and a lot depends on the hire company or the MB dealer. I have had very bad service from one particular MB dealer, now out of business, and very good service from the one local to me now. I replaced the last Actros in August last year and am currently operating a Stralis on a two year hire deal, the price was right at the time and the last Actros was a bit thirsty for some reason. The Stralis seems a bit better on fuel at the moment, but the Megaspace is a good tool, would definitely have another.Look at every option and think about replacement vehicles for servicing, MOT etc - hire usually better on this. MB can be very picky on return condition, I have been lucky with the local based hire company that I have used. Personally I would never again own a vehicle or operate one without a full R&M contract, obviously this can be more expensive but is one less thing to worry about.
In any given week I could be driving a Merc Actros 1846/Axor(Power-shifts) /Daf CF AS-Tronic/
Iveco Stalis AT Euro-tronic/Volvo FM/FH i-shift/Renault Premium DXi Opti-driver.
When I see one of the DXi Premiums reg no’s next to my name on the load-sheets for the next day I’m a happy man. 
Cannot fault them as a driver’s truck in anyway and IMO for a “new start” O/D who is not going to be doing Mega long Euro work they would be ideal.
Cheap to buy
Cheap to service
Easy on fuel
Light Tare weight
BEST auto box out there
Good coverage of dealers
Volvo drive-line
Usually some very good used truck deals(with comp warranty) available from Renault Trucks and I would try them for a two/three year lease deal.
Nothing wrong with a Merc Actros either but I just prefer the DXi Premium.