ok so it might seem like a step down size wise but for the same money im getting just now i’m going to be stress free worrying about my height my width going down a road that turns out to be too small and most of all going over driving hours. i got offered to drive the new merc curtainsider 3.5t with sleeper cab and jumped at the chance. time will tell wither its the right desicion or not but the only downside i see is changing all my gear from 24 to 12 volt oh and the fact some truckers hate the 3.5t boys lol
I would do it given half a chance, good luck with it mate.
I did it for years on Euro work and earned some decent money, your not tied down to where you have to stop or weight restrictions, much less stress I think, be aware of the domestic hours rules though … not that they are really enforced here as yet, the Germans like to though, so be cautious.
The Germans like to see a log book for vehicles between 2.8 and 3.5 tonne ,you can get a ""Driving without card register " from tachograph suppliers for £5 .
Good luck with that Kevinm1984ski, don’t forget to remain within your legal weight limits and drive to the domestic hours regs, just like johnny foreigner do.
thanks guys looking forward to it.
i already have log book etc because i have done a few shifts in the sprinter before . have done europe a few times in both wagon and sprinter and have found the germans are very picky and tend to pull the sprinter more than the wagon but not too worry as long asim legal they can pull me all day long for all i care
Have never been stopped in the Sprinter in Germany. Only once in Spain. But that was on a National road at 0300 and that was routine as I was empty at the time.
As for some truckers hating 3.5 tonne boys ,well I drive both sprinter & trailer and 19 metre Erf & trailer,your right there are some real pratts out there .
Most fun I ever had driving was in a 3.5t curtainsider for a building company around UK and Europe . Will echoe what the others have said about a log book and weights especially. Only reason I left was because I spent more time on battersea weighbridge with plod than driving in the end.
must be just your luck in germany then ive been stopped 5-6 times in germany once for about 2 hours because i was carrying a pallet of vodka that was marked in the customs docs as samples lol once coming back from italy just outside ulm and at least 3 other times and all in the sprinter but have never been asked for the log book tbh
I’ve been stopped before by the Austrian vosa in the bottom before the brenner they wanted a log book for the ifor Williams I thought,after 2 hrs off language barrier they gave up and off I went.
if i could drive a 3.5 tonner for the same money i get for hgvs i would jump at the chance
truckman20:
if i could drive a 3.5 tonner for the same money i get for hgvs i would jump at the chance
+1
I’ve just passed both c and c+e but I’m currently doing 3.5t work. I’m getting paid more than any class 1 jobs I see advertised and the work is an absolute piece of ■■■■. Yeah the hours are rubbish (start at 2am but it’s job and finish so I’m done by 8 most mornings)
At the minute can’t see a reason to move onto the bigger stuff for what will no doubt be more hassle. I do wanna drive class 1 eventually but will certainly wait until the ideal job comes along
kevinm1984:
ok so it might seem like a step down size wise but for the same money im getting just now i’m going to be stress free worrying about my height my width going down a road that turns out to be too small and most of all going over driving hours. i got offered to drive the new merc curtainsider 3.5t with sleeper cab and jumped at the chance. time will tell wither its the right desicion or not but the only downside i see is changing all my gear from 24 to 12 volt oh and the fact some truckers hate the 3.5t boys lol
Well good luck to you i’ve always liked those 3.5 tonners in fact I even started a thread once about starting up driving one for myself but the thread didn’t get very far.
theres deffinately plenty of work out there to start up the amount of work u see on courier exchange etc would keep me busy all week and tbh if i had money to buy my own van i would but tbh im happy knowing that if i break down or have a bump etc its someone elses headache lol
Best money I ever earned was with a van and the easiest. Don’t give a hoot what I drive as long as I get paid.
Is the bunk really cramped?
theres not much space im a shorty so its not too bad i think it could be cramped if i were 6ft ish right enough, but when laying down i can get stretched out so not for me its not
Know a few class one drivers now on vans doing euro both employed and self employed and they love it
Was on boat other week with my mate has artics and vans drives a van himself
He went for shower another driver (channel hopping for dutch firm only done belgium holland) says to me “wouldnt chat to him mate he only a van driver”
My reply he might only be in a van but he’s done more miles in europe than you ever have and been to countries you only dreamed about lol soon shut him up
He did get pulled in de other week done him for no straps on 3 plts under 500 kg each andno more than metre high in panel van he got the german logsheets in german but never asked for them but did do full licence and docs check
He got the bed and nightheater and is over 6ft said just folds driver seat forward to give bit more leg room and is fine and comfy
And averages more than double average honest class 1 wage