Well I’ve been offered a new tramping job, Monday to Friday. fairly good wage, units all within 3-4 years old and it’s a small firm where I’m a name and not a number. Now then, they run Volvo’s, and I’m not used to Volvo’s having driven Scania’s for the best part of the last 4 years. In fact my last drive of a Volvo was an '05 FH…any difference to the newer units?
So I’m looking for your opinions, hints, tips etc. on what to look out for, what’s good, what’s bad about the Volvo’s.
You got that backwards. Renault is a cheap Volvo. It was Volvo who bought Renault. Unlike Scania which is owned by MAN and VW and only update their truck every 20 years and uses leftover crap parts from MAN Volvo is still Swedish and that shows. You will enjoy the truck and the iShift is lovely.
The oldest FH that I’ve driven is 58 plate so I can imagine that there’s not much difference …
I’ve driven 05 plate Volvo coaches with the present dashboard and ishift so would imagine the same with trucks…
Well done on the job, work run 61 & 63 plate FH’s lovely trucks I-shift is the best loads of room in the cab and storage space.
Dont seem too bad on diesel either, daft thing the mirrors are the right way round wide angle on the bottom under the main mirror see said it was silly lol.
Don’t know if your '05 was an I-shift or manual, but assuming it was I-shift, then the main difference between the 05 and anything after 57 is the interior light switch has moved to a 4 position dial that will be on the panel above your head (where the tacho is).
If it’s got a fridge, it’ll most likely be in rear nearside cupboard above / behind passenger seat.
Thanks guys, I am looking forward to the Volvo I must admit, It will be a nice change I think actually.
I need to go and get myself a new fridge though if it doesn’t have one, as mine fell from a great height! oops!
Looking forward to a new start and a new bunch of jobs/challenges … like farms!
I’ve driven several, and they’re a very good truck BUT be warned that they have a nasty habit of locking the driver’s door on their own so don’t ever shut the door unless you have the keys in your pocket.
Diesel-truckin:
Thanks guys, I am looking forward to the Volvo I must admit, It will be a nice change I think actually.
I need to go and get myself a new fridge though if it doesn’t have one, as mine fell from a great height! oops!
Looking forward to a new start and a new bunch of jobs/challenges … like farms!
Depending how long you’re away, you might want a coolbox anyway, the fridge in the Volvo isn’t very big tbh
…Unlike Scania which is owned by MAN and VW and only update their truck every 20 years and uses leftover crap parts from MAN …
Scania using MAN leftover parts? Really? I can’t think of a single component they share. Unless it’s something really generic like mudguards/rear lights? Certainly no engine/gearbox/rear axles/cab pressings/cab fittings+fixtures.
I notice with bemusement there’s a lot of Scania-knocking on here. Admittedly I haven’t driven one for five years or so but I’ve always found them to be as nice to drive and live in as anything else. Maybe not deserving of the adulation some give them but certainly not of the vitriolic criticism they get. Mercs on the other hand - hugely overated IMHO…
If your fully loaded and come to a hill, push the power button at the back of the gearstick, and the engine will rev a bit harder, and change gear quicker. You will know by the P on the dash display if you have gears selected as one of your 3 favourites on the display.
Not much difference between an '05 and a '10 - not bad bit of kit, enjoy…
oops!