chaversdad:
if exporting it from the uk most of the dealers in the UK will disable the adblue system for you before you ship, one less thing to go wrong
Thank god for that! Machines in most part of Africa, are self taught mechanics and will probably struggle with all computerised and complicated wires.
del949:
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
Hahahaha! no need for bullet proof cos am not driving the truck. I love life and i want to still child of mine grow up to be adult. As for the purchasing trucks in Somalia. You would not believe, if i told you the purchase asking price for the most popular trucks in Somalia FIAT 682 , FIAT 690 N3,Fiat 690 N4, IVECO 370S, fiat 682T1 and Fiat 690T2. The asking price is $40000-$50000 depending on the rust-freeness of the truck interior/exterior.
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 .
The same but the road are way better in Kenya. I am planning to transport Kismayo road and southern mogadishu roads. I want no funny business and super rough roads.
I wouldn’t touch the Renault ,what I’ve heard from experienced long time Volvo operators is that yes the driveline is Volvo but it’s the rest of it such as the wireing that let’s them down .
cav551:
Neither, get something with a proven track record in Africa. FIAT 682
Hi there cav551, You’re right but the asking price for fiat 682 is equivalent to the asking price of two Italian-styled villas in Major cities in Somalia.
Ian58:
I’d go for the green one
picturesborn.blogspot.co.uk/2012 … sport.html0
Great mechanics in Somalia but the trucks are fuel inefficien, old rubbish.
Harry Monk:
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.
There is no major importer. The biggest importer is guy in Mogadishu who import a container of old fiat/Iveco parts. My part will be 5 miles away from kenya’s border! So, i can purchase from supplier in Kenya and have it delivered in 2 nights.
robbiminator:
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.
No, i have not but i would like to know, what you can share with me. Do you have any reliable vehicle recommendation or model suggestion.
Left hand down!:
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.
Thank you very much for your well constructed comments. i had a feeling about the irish plated volvo…if the mileage are genuine.
Dan Punchard:
I wouldn’t touch the Renault ,what I’ve heard from experienced long time Volvo operators is that yes the driveline is Volvo but it’s the rest of it such as the wireing that let’s them down .
Volvo driveline, milage on the clock and the price attracted me towards the Renault.
Would something like an ERF or Foden be on the list? They seem to the stalwalt of African imports over the years and would be simpler to work on than a newer Volvo/Renault etc
nickyboy:
Would something like an ERF or Foden be on the list? They seem to the stalwalt of African imports over the years and would be simpler to work on than a newer Volvo/Renault etc
Heavy on the fuel?
The ■■■■■■■ m11 is as good as any on fuel if not better.
The last Volvo has got a bigger cab but in Somalia conversion kits (tin openers or angle grinder) are easy to come by and there is no vosa stay away from Renault their ■■■■ the first Volvo looks tasty double drive and ex Irish so there is a chance the limiter has been taken off already
Forget the Renault for Africa, you will have too many electrical issues that will be a headache to resolve down there. 54/55 plate FH’s manuals is the way to go. I just got rid of my 54 with 1.6mn on it. It had 3 clutches in its life, normal filter changes and a few airbags, other than that it has been a very reliable truck. You will get more life out of the clutch on the auto but it will develop faults that only someone with a toughbook and a lead can resolve.
You need a unit that is trouble free and has little to no sensors on it. 54/55 have no adblue, they are only euro4 and as of august this year can no longer go into the LEZ so now is the time to pick them up cheap.
Newer FH’s and Renaults will need lots of diagnostics work that is just not feasible in the bush. Forget the American stuff, you will have to wait ages for parts in Africa while Volvo/Daf/Scania/Fiat is readily available especially in Kenya which is only next door.
All of them motors will have ECU’s.
Need to find an older motor with a mechanical injection pump and mechanical injectors.
ERF / Foden would be my choice.
Older dafs and scanias are the tool of choice in Africa going by what sits in Tilbury and Sheerness but only in the manual variety tho .
I think we are narrowing this down to a DAF 85, or at a push an early CF 85. M 775 YWM went over in late 2009 with 650,000k on the clock and was heard of to be still going strong late last year. The only reason it was sold was to keep the fleet more up to date. In 9 years it had a radiator, a pump coupling and a ring gear as the major expenses.The dealer it went to in this country wanted to know if there were any more.
As much as I think the Renault is a fantastic truck, I don’t think it would stand up to much punishment before it starts to fall apart. Wouldn’t fancy venturing off the tarmac too often with one. They just don’t have the same build quality as a Volvo.
Dan Punchard:
The ■■■■■■■ m11 is as good as any on fuel if not better.
Everything.
