Hello there,im just trying to factor in the running of my workshop against a new truck with an r and m contract, we run artics at about 120k a year kms, just wondering whats the going rate for a new truck with r an dm and also i guess trl rental prices for curtainsiders on long term contracts, im exploring all options…
the cost of a new truck obviously would depend on what truck and spec you choose, but, the R&M contract is usually approx £500 per month on top of the truck price
I have a small fleet, with about 5 trucks, it does vary a bit, and 15 trls, and just the wages and workshop rent cost me about 3 k a month, then you have to add parts and test fees, i may well down size, so am just wondering at what point it dont become viable to have your own workshop i guess, its also a major hassle running a workshop of your own aswell…November i spent 5.5k on parts …
instead of getting rid of the workshop, have you considered using it for doing maintenance and inspections for other operators?
this would help pay for the cost of the wages and rent
obviously, your parts, you would still have to pay for, whereas, a brand new truck with full R&M, if it breaks it gets fixed free, but, £500+ per month for an R&M contract that you should not use in the first couple of years is quite a bit to spend out
richmond:
with about 5 trucks, it does vary a bit, and 15 trls,
No ■■■■ it varies a bit, less than three weeks ago you had “about ten” with 9 paid for, and 20 trailers. 
richmond:
by richmond » Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:34 pmEven stranger, when your at home with too much time on your hands ! I have about ten trucks 9 paid for now one left on hp, and twenty trls 3 left on finance, my little co would have more assets than wincanton etc, cos i own mine, they just rent theres…
got 8 trucks, one i sold last week, got about twenty trls, but as 5 are still without any mot i didnt count them, and i have 5 up for sale, and i just bought a unit last week from holland, and i have two out on rental to another company, four vans, one landrover and a car, jees, im not sad enough to do a daily inventorary, however if you dont beleive me, send me a pm and you can come down to the yard and count them, sat is the best day as i do my best to keep them out during the week, …lol any way, i digress, also a good point i guess is how much deposit did ya have to put down,shall get my figures out in a min, but i got anew 10 plate xxl, think it was 72k put 10k down and pay1309 plus vat a month , but didnt do r and m, but did do gap ins and extended warranty, which in hindsight i think was a waste of money as everything that breaks dont seem to be under warranty… i am interested in ivecos man and volvo prices really…
richmond:
i am interested in ivecos man and volvo prices really…
Well, you’ll certainly get your money’s worth of R&M with one of those.
Ken.
Anyway.lets not go down the arguments route ! the point is,well im thinking, have one spare unit, just as a spare, the rest on say 5 yrs finance, 5yrs r and m, keep my 5 low loaders as there hard to rent, keep 5 flats, as they dont get used much any way, but need to keep them for a customer, then say rent 6 curtainsiders maybe more, As i have a spare unit, it doesnt matter what make it is, as im not buying it, just using it, and if needed i can use the spare, when contract out just get another,Dont want to expand my workshop to outside work, as part of ther problem is that iend up running the workshop and i have better things to do with my time.hopefully.Has anybody else here been through a similar scenario?.
On a new truck R&M seems a bit pointless as you will have at least 12 months warranty and maybe up to 3 years driveline warranty so really it should only be servicing and six week checks needing doing out of your pocket and that won’t come to 500 quid a month.
Maybe finding a decent local non franchise garage could be the best compromise.
The thing with using any outside maintaince contractor is if you start getting prohibitions you are still the one who has to go for tea and biscuits with the commissioner.
The thing to remember about R+M is that the dealers make a profit on it & in order to do this they don’t spend a quid when they can get away with spending 50p!!! We look after a fleet of trucks, some of which are on R+M at Scania & I have been shocked to my boots at the things I’ve seen.
Once, a powder tank was brought in behind an R420 that had been ‘inspected’ the night before, had VOSA seen what I saw they would’ve issued a PG9 without hesitation for some of the most obvious Scania ‘twinsteer’ regular problems. I’m not going to go through any of the things I saw but I will say that I wouldn’t be surprised if that truck hadn’t been touched.
Other than the obvious warranty extension, notwithstanding that nothing ever seems covered by the warranty, if they can do it for the price quoted, you can do a MUCH better job for the same ammount.
Ross.
Hint for anyone familiar with Scania 6x2/4’s, when the steering gets stiff & won’t ‘self centre’ where would you look first? (clue, you need to remove the N/S 2nd steer wing to put it right, especially when it’s SOLID!!) 
my experience of full R&M is, whilst it is still on the contract, there is very little requires doing at 6 weekly intervals, but once the R&M has finished, it is surprising how much they find that MUST be done or face a PG9 if caught 
shuttlespanker:
my experience of full R&M is, whilst it is still on the contract, there is very little requires doing at 6 weekly intervals, but once the R&M has finished, it is surprising how much they find that MUST be done or face a PG9 if caught
Absolutely, and you’d be surprised how many things they’ll find to repair that aren’t covered by the contract like cracked indicator lenses which WILL be replaced at inspection without clearerance from the owner as it’s ‘legal requirement’ & you’d have to sign a very general disclaimer to take the truck off the dealers premises. This will be used against you like a baseball bat ‘in the face’ should you ever find yourself in front of a TC.
Ross.