Company has a load of old Mercs and a couple of new Volvo fl they been asking if they were to buy some new lorries would we prefer Volvo fl or new merc actros. Have only the old Mercs to compare against the Volvo. What’s people’s thoughts? Suggested they get there hands on a merc for a few weeks to try out
Both good to live with although the fh just edges it for storage. In my area both dealers are crap, and the fh has more niggles so the merchant gets that tick. I’ve heard the mercs are bad pullers, but 10 to the gallon with any monkey. My fh will pull your house down but I can’t get more than 8.8 from it. So one apiece there. For us, everything that leaves mc truck only does 54, and everything that leaves mercs does 57/58. Flip a coin, whatever it is won’t dissappoint
Haven’t driven the new Actros but our regular lads that have them say the auto box is as diabolically slow at junctions as ever, and they die when they see a hill, which probably explains the good fuel figures.
Volvo will be a good drive, nice puller and they’ve finally sorted out the huge blind spots which ruined the motor caused by the wardrobe door mirrors the apprentice cleaner fitted on the previous model.
I’d choose the Volvo but i don’t night out so that would only be on the likely less amount of what little grey hair left i’d rip from me head due to yet another gearbox from hell acting up.
However the electric parking brake would bug me, haven’t a clue if Mercs have got those yet.
Nice to have a choice, is Scammell on the list too, i’m in… 
Volvo has button hand brake . wake up in cold sweats . bit cheap and rattly plastic
Merc is sensational . best truck bar none .
And it does incredible economy , over 10 mpg on hard runs . only does 52 in ecomode is only drawback
Must be a Merc
Seeing as I don’t pay for the fuel etc I base my choice purely from a driver pov. I use merc and volvo, and for me the new volvo is a fantastic truck, lots of nice features.
That auto box omfg! Awesome.
I was thinking along the lines of fuel bonuses etc
mattni:
Company has a load of old Mercs and a couple of new Volvo fl they been asking if they were to buy some new lorries would we prefer Volvo fl or new merc actros. Have only the old Mercs to compare against the Volvo. What’s people’s thoughts? Suggested they get there hands on a merc for a few weeks to try out
What’s the tonnage of these new lorries? Volvo FL isn’t in the same league as Actros - it’s used for rigids around 18T. FH is the equivalent of the big Actros, FM to the smaller ones (or Axor). I’ve driven a small Actros and a new FM, both fairly decent. The Volvo especially was a nice little runner though that was because it had a 410bhp engine and only pulled 20T trailers (scaffolding). Gearbox was nice, but I hated the silly little switch handbrake. Actros had plenty of cup holders, more than any other truck I’ve driven.
Yea should have mentioned lorries are 10t rigid. I’m currently driving the Volvo fl which I like but some of the other drivers in the new volvos wish they were back in there old Mercs
mattni:
Yea should have mentioned lorries are 10t rigid. I’m currently driving the Volvo fl which I like but some of the other drivers in the new volvos wish they were back in there old Mercs
In which case, the Mercs will be Atego, not Actros. Haven’t driven any of the new ones, but Ategos have been my least favourite small rigid truck – the gearstick is often dreadfully stiff and requires Herculean effort to put it in reverse. Not sure if this has been fixed in the new version. I’ve never driven an FL but they have the DAF LF / Renault Midlum cabs (though most of the interior will be different).
In that case I wouldn’t want either, I’d want a new job 
Bach home:
Seeing as I don’t pay for the fuel etc I base my choice purely from a driver pov. I use merc and volvo, and for me the new volvo is a fantastic truck, lots of nice features.That auto box omfg! Awesome.
This !
Superb drive…