I am here to seek advice in purchasing suitable vehicles for small transport project in Somalia. I have been offered a little job by old childhood friend and i am crazy enough to WANT to take the opportunity and maybe even set up my own little company. I have £11500 currently sitting in the bank and i have been reading the forum and i can’t decide, which tractor unit to purchase for the work, i have been offered. I have look used Scanias (overpriced), Mercedes ben actros (i have not seen good truck on my budget in autotrader, ebay etc).
So, I was thinking of getting something like :
1998 VOLVO FH12 VERSION 1 TRACTOR UNIT [DOUBLE DRIVE ]
Vs
2008 RENAULT TRUCKS PREMIUM 450
or cheaper option
2004 VOLVO FH FH12 6X2 460
My budget is £9000-11500 plus shipping cost to Somalia.
What to consider:
Roads in Somalia are rough
The load i have to transport is 25-26 tons per trip
Mechanics in Somalia don’t know anything about Computerised engines/engine managements or adblue, and - all the other computerised ■■■■.
The contract total delivery milage or trips is estimated 20000 miles in four months or 1 trip per week.
I will be be driving, local driver will drive the truck and sleep in/outside the truck. The truck will be part of convey of trucks.
I welcome any vehicle recommendations/suitable tractor unit for the project , advice in the fault in the vehicles mentioned above or any other recommended vehicles, what to look out when purchasing Volvo fh 12s or the Renault premium.
My background: I am driver with 4 years of experience and i have never owned my own truck. This little opportunity can change my life. Help!
Many thanks, And i look forward to reading the replies tomorrow.
If you can’t fix electrics I’d stay well clear of the Renault, I’d be tempted to go for the double drive volvo tbh, rough terrain it should be the most suited.
On second thoughts go for the last volvo, it’s got a bigger cab
Sure their will be loads of opinions on this, but its the white one or the blue one- you will also want the limiter removing/disabling as a priority.
Just my opinion.
What mileage do these have on them.
Get the best motor you can for the budget, the 98 double drive volvo has no room inside, especially if you intend sleeping in it, plus its 16 yrs old and double drive, so I i assume it aint had a pampered life. Find out what is the most popular over there and follow suit, oh and fit bullet proof glass!
wouldn’t it make more sense to buy over there and have no shipping costs. added to which buying a local vehicle of whatever makes are popular there gives more chance of obtaining spare easily.
Buying any vehicle that is UK spec could make sourcing spares difficult.
I agree about the bullet proof glass and would also consider armour plating, and a couple of roof mounted machine guns
If it’s the same as kenya then most of the motors have been shipped from the uk , it’s funny to see uk motors running around kenya still painted up in the colours of the previous uk owner .
gazza1970:
If it’s the same as kenya then most of the motors have been shipped from the uk , it’s funny to see uk motors running around kenya still painted up in the colours of the previous uk owner .
Yea, I went to the Gambia a few years ago and it was the same there.
I suppose it depends to a large degree what level of dealer support there is in Somalia, as I understand it there is very little organisation in Somalia although I don’t know how that affects buying spare parts for trucks.
Basically, if the only spares importer in Somalia is, say, an Iveco importer then you need an Iveco, no ifs, no buts. It doesn’t matter what things are like in England.
Have you considered American trucks like Kenworth, Mack or Freightliner? In Oz these makes dominate the bush runs, whereas the European models tend to get used mostly for bitumen runs.
If the roads are rough, the last thing you want is a tall cab. You’ll very quickly get bored of being thrown out of your seat every time the wheels fall into a crater. The mk1 FH and FM models were reliable and generally bulletproof mechanically. That double drive is on Irish plates so there’s a high chance it’s had a hard life, especially being double drive where it’s likely to have been on heavy haulage work. You need to drive that to see how it goes before parting with your cash.
The earlier comments about seeing what’s popular out there and finding out what parts support there is in terms of dealers etc are well worth taking on board.
NewLad:
If you can’t fix electrics I’d stay well clear of the Renault, I’d be tempted to go for the double drive volvo tbh, rough terrain it should be the most suited.
On second thoughts go for the last volvo, it’s got a bigger cab
Undecided huh?! Hahahahaha! the old volvo cab is tiny but lucky , i am not gonna sleep in. I have found local driver willing to drive the truck for $400 per month. So, all i have to do is secure the contract and watch my vehicle.
Dipper_Dave:
Sure their will be loads of opinions on this, but its the white one or the blue one- you will also want the limiter removing/disabling as a priority.
Just my opinion.
What mileage do these have on them.
The old version one volvos, i have come across are all pushing 900-1 million mark. The new volvo miliage is between 720s upwards.
dowahdiddyman: Get the best motor you can for the budget, the 98 double drive volvo has no room inside, especially if you intend sleeping in it, plus its 16 yrs old and double drive, so I i assume it aint had a pampered life. Find out what is the most popular over there and follow suit, oh and fit bullet proof glass!
This is the reason i am here mate. I want to get the best motor for the budget. The truck has to be reliable, and easy on the maintenance side. No over complicated computers,wires etc, etc. As for the truck cab or the comfort, i am not sleeping in the truck.
