Just came back from Oswestry truck show I have seen sts new renault and had a word with the driver it really is a bloody good truck looks the part too shame they don’t do the big cab right hand drive as I would have one!!!
Big cabs don’t bother me as I don’t need one, but I really want a shot in a new Renault. Folk keep saying its a big improvement over the old Premium. For me, as a day driver with no nights out, the Premium is perfection. So if its better than the Premium, the new T Range must be one hell of a good truck. It looked a weird truck for about a week after it was launched, but now I think its one of the best looking trucks out there right now. It really has grown on me.
I think they look fantastic, a huge change in cab design, totally different from anything else on the road.
Having said that, I won’t be buying one, as I said to the owner of my local Renault dealership a few weeks ago when he was trying to sell me one to expand my fleet “Owning one Renault is bad enough”. 
damoq:
Big cabs don’t bother me as I don’t need one, but I really want a shot in a new Renault. Folk keep saying its a big improvement over the old Premium. For me, as a day driver with no nights out, the Premium is perfection. So if its better than the Premium, the new T Range must be one hell of a good truck. It looked a weird truck for about a week after it was launched, but now I think its one of the best looking trucks out there right now. It really has grown on me.
It isn’t…
I prefer the left hand drive version it has a bigger and looks a lot better
Well sorry to be controversial, but I think it looks crap and commonplace, not at all different than some of the others. Especially the Volvo, its stablemate isn’t it?
For looks, give me the Magnum any day. In the cab and the way it performs, perhaps it is better, I wouldn’t know.
Kate:
damoq:
Big cabs don’t bother me as I don’t need one, but I really want a shot in a new Renault. Folk keep saying its a big improvement over the old Premium. For me, as a day driver with no nights out, the Premium is perfection. So if its better than the Premium, the new T Range must be one hell of a good truck. It looked a weird truck for about a week after it was launched, but now I think its one of the best looking trucks out there right now. It really has grown on me.It isn’t…
Oh elaborate Kate. You tease. (If you’re allowed)
Ok…This is just my opinion… with a couple of facts thrown in 
The Range T is heavier on the steering than the Premium, and consequently not as light on his feet… It’s a harder heavier ride, largely due to having different front springs… Also some of the 'T’s don’t have air suspended cabs… although mine does, it’s still not as soft a ride as the Premium…
There is no kick down on the throttle, and by using the manual to achieve the power mode results in a slight delay, but enough to make a difference !! Changing down manually a tad earlier only results in a lot of screaming at the top of the green…
I can get up to 1.5mpg more with the T than the Prem, and that’s running full weight most of the time… and I’m not the most sympathetic of drivers…
As a standard fitting, the drivers seat has no lumbar support, heating or squab slide…As my doubled dosage of medication can verify, this is not good at all. However a more luxurious seat can be spec’d, at a cost obviously. In all honesty this is the most uncomfortable truck I have ever driven in my 30+ year career…
“Exhaust Brake” as standard is the same as the Premium, although optional extra available in the form of a Voith Hydraulic Retarder, which is absolutely brilliant…
Acceleration and gear change is as per the premium, ie very quick…and it will pull well on the hills…It’s not a bad motor, tbh when you work out how to get the best from it…
There are obviously some improvements over the Premium, Big side lockers, lower engine tunnel… more overhead lockers, although not necessarily more space, better mirrors, and all round vision…
All in all, each to his own, but after almost 2 years of trying to love the Range T… I can honestly say I prefer the Premium.
Like I say, this is only my personal opinion, and remember, a demonstrator will always have the biggest engine, and all the extra toys on it…
Sounds like you have the smaller cab Kate, if you are comparing it to the Premium. Have you or anyone else experience of the large cab so a direct comparison can be made to the Magnum? I would be most interested to know.
I believe the large cab is not marketed in the UK and is only left hand drive, so ownership there may be limited.
Spardo:
Sounds like you have the smaller cab Kate, if you are comparing it to the Premium. Have you or anyone else experience of the large cab so a direct comparison can be made to the Magnum? I would be most interested to know.I believe the large cab is not marketed in the UK and is only left hand drive, so ownership there may be limited.
There are some LHD high cabs operating in the UK, but mine, as you rightly say is the smaller of the 2. Unfortunately I haven’t driven this higher cabbed model… Field test was done by Eurovision Logistics on that model. Bear in mind there is also a Range T flat-top version in addition to the 2 “standing room” versions… As to be expected this doesn’t have overhead lockers.
First big one I see parked up next to me in a routier I’m going to be cheeky and ask for a guided tour. I can honestly say that in 50 years of driving, the Magnum was the best I have ever driven from a driver’s point of view.
Thanks Kate, very concise.
Silver_Surfer:
Thanks Kate, very concise.
Yes Kate, from me too, very remiss of me. Thank you.
You can get a high cab t range from a UK dealer, but it will be LHD, I’ve had a quote on a full spec one, just waiting for my boss to make the decision on what to buy.
Fully loaded it’s not a cheap truck, but it does seem a pretty top of the range bit of kit, although I’d want a test drive before we sign on the dotted line.
By the sounds of it Kate you have the Eco pack, which removes kick down. And a pretty basic seat, but its a shame it’s not as good as the premium one, which I also found very comfortable., in fact I thought the second generation Premiums were dam good trucks and had only heard how much an improvement the T range was over them, which is one of the reasons I got a quote for one, along with the fact I know the salesman from way back and we can get maintenance and safety inspection done by the same people who look after the trucks and trailers we already have.
With all these new truck models that have come out over the last couple of years, I think Mercedes have stolen a march on other manufacturers in bringing out the new Actros first, as you see so many about. many big companies that are dyed in the wool to other marques have one or two in the fleet, Downtons, a predominantly DAF fleet for one.
Volvo’s are almost as common, the new DAF less so, and as for the new Renault, I must admit to only having seen a handful and one of those I saw this week was on suspended tow!
yes, the 2nd gen premium seat is a vast improvement over the first, arm rest too!!!
1.5mpg taken over a year will add a fair bit to its earnings in a year. Eddie.
This was outside Cartwrights in Lincoln last month.
