Mike-C:
No that was only ■■■■■■ vans on that job. I drove the Canters quite a bit over the years i really liked them. In my experience the drivers that did not like them wanted to be driving something more like a ‘real lorry’, so them being asked to drive a Canter was like asking them to drive an Astra van, they just didn’t like it. They wanted to be driving a real lorry. According to their website, Mercedes does all their servicing now? I can’t remember where they where done before, i did deliver them also when i worked on truck rental.
As someone over 6 foot, I just found the Canter’s uncomfortable & cramped. I used to bash my head getting in and out & I like a high driving position in a truck which you just don’t get in them things, your higher up and much more comfortable in a Transit van. And yes, I suppose I did want to be driving something a bit more like a ‘real lorry’ if only for some proper air brakes. Didn’t trust the handbrake when fully loaded & parked on a slope
Thats right, was it a ratchet brake that pulled out the dash ? YOu don’t like Astra vans Rob, i am right on that though?!!
It was just a ratchet brake next to the drivers seat, like in a car. When your used to that reassuring hiss of the brakes coming on, I wasn’t keen given your pulling the same weights as in a ‘proper’ 7.5 tonner.
Is an Astra van just those estates without the rear doors? I haven’t driven one of them, but driven Sprinter & Transit vans and liked them.
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
Have to agree. I drove the Canter version for 18 months til I was made redundant in October, though mine was a curtain-sider. The biggest bugbear for me was that these wagons DO NOT have air brakes. Given that I often was fully loaded with 3 tonnes of scrap metal, you really had to plan ahead for the braking distance was HUGE. Oh, and the cabs are not very comfortable, being cramped and noisy. Fuel economy was total rubbish too.
I’ve had a couple of agency jobs driving DAFs and Ivecos. Both these carry about the same payload, but are much more comfortable to drive, and air brakes really make a difference.
I’d say a DAF lf 12 tonner, can fit in pretty much anywhere a 7.5 can, but with almost twice as much weight on the back. 220 engine is really torquey too compared to the 180 in a 7.5
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
Have to agree. I drove the Canter version for 18 months til I was made redundant in October, though mine was a curtain-sider. The biggest bugbear for me was that these wagons DO NOT have air brakes. Given that I often was fully loaded with 3 tonnes of scrap metal, you really had to plan ahead for the braking distance was HUGE. Oh, and the cabs are not very comfortable, being cramped and noisy. Fuel economy was total rubbish too.
I’ve had a couple of agency jobs driving DAFs and Ivecos. Both these carry about the same payload, but are much more comfortable to drive, and air brakes really make a difference.
Reminds me of the 1617 i drove in the early 80s,think it was hydraulic over air brakes?
Kin ■■■■■ either way.
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
Have to agree. I drove the Canter version for 18 months til I was made redundant in October, though mine was a curtain-sider. The biggest bugbear for me was that these wagons DO NOT have air brakes. Given that I often was fully loaded with 3 tonnes of scrap metal, you really had to plan ahead for the braking distance was HUGE. Oh, and the cabs are not very comfortable, being cramped and noisy. Fuel economy was total rubbish too.
I’ve had a couple of agency jobs driving DAFs and Ivecos. Both these carry about the same payload, but are much more comfortable to drive, and air brakes really make a difference.
Reminds me of the 1617 i drove in the early 80s,think it was hydraulic over air brakes?
Kin [zb] either way.
suedehead,you are so right about canters or isuzus,i could not say anything nice about either of them
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
Have to agree. I drove the Canter version for 18 months til I was made redundant in October, though mine was a curtain-sider. The biggest bugbear for me was that these wagons DO NOT have air brakes. Given that I often was fully loaded with 3 tonnes of scrap metal, you really had to plan ahead for the braking distance was HUGE. Oh, and the cabs are not very comfortable, being cramped and noisy. Fuel economy was total rubbish too.
I’ve had a couple of agency jobs driving DAFs and Ivecos. Both these carry about the same payload, but are much more comfortable to drive, and air brakes really make a difference.
Reminds me of the 1617 i drove in the early 80s,think it was hydraulic over air brakes?
Kin [zb] either way.
suedehead,you are so right about canters or isuzus,i could not say anything nice about either of them
Canters are shocking, gear linkage seizes, brakes fail mot and have to replace all pads even if there like every year especially if there not used every day. Hydraulic brakes with double callipers on each disc where the pistons seize as well as the slides. Would steer clear, good payload tho. Isuzu’s are slightly better but not much better.
the Isuzu after a year require the hubs etc to be stripped ,but on a plus note they are meant to be pretty bullet proof…Personally having driven the new LF Euro 6 ,I was impressed they have sorted out the previous issues…Like all manufacturers the Euro6 may be the unknown quantity …With the DAF you have the backup
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
I thought they where ok Rob, i found them a little bit car/van like as opposed to truck like.
Didn’t you spend all day parked up being conspicuous with your feet up
No that was only ■■■■■■ vans on that job. I drove the Canters quite a bit over the years i really liked them. In my experience the drivers that did not like them wanted to be driving something more like a ‘real lorry’, so them being asked to drive a Canter was like asking them to drive an Astra van, they just didn’t like it. They wanted to be driving a real lorry. According to their website, Mercedes does all their servicing now? I can’t remember where they where done before, i did deliver them also when i worked on truck rental.
Been through Merc for a while. When I used to be in the market for buying 7.5 tonners the Merc sales guys would openly rubbish the Mitsubishi and push Ategos at you - not a great truck either in my view. God knows how any ended up on the road.
There’s a reason Daf and Iveco have got the market stitched up - used to both have the same engine as well, don’t know about now. If you ever get to the point it doesn’t seem pokey enough you’re probably at least a ton overweight.
Can see why they might be attractive to a gaffer but as a driver, a Canter / the Isuzu equivalent would be bottom of the list. Bloody awful uncomfortable things to drive about all day.
know a guy who used too do continental with a canter, his names scottie0011
Our place had a few isuzus demonstrators on trial. All the lads that tried them said they’d go back to driving vans if the MANs got replaced by them. We’re now on DAFs.
DAF LF is market-leader of both 7.5 and 18 tonne sectors.
The Iveco EuroCargo is a good contender too
A 7.5-tonner can go where heavier trucks cannot (most urban weight restrictions allow trucks up to 7.5 tonnes).
Renault has abandoned the 7.5 tonne market in the UK, but conversely did very well with its 18-tonner last year.
The Japanese-designs (Fuso and Isuzu) have excellent payload, but are less durable than their European counterparts. They are not trucks to drive all day, but are closer to the ground than the Euro trucks which may be an advantage for hopping in and out of the cab.
A bit left field this one but…have you considered a 7-tonne Iveco Daily (either panel van or chassis-cab + body)?
Comparable payload to a 7.5 tonner, but doesn’t look like a ‘lorry’, and no Euro 6 yet because it’s ‘medium duty’.
It’s unlikely that you will be able to get a new Euro 5 truck chassis now, but there are various ‘deals’ involving late low mileage used ones to be had…people bought them last Autumn, used them/hired them out until Christmas and are now hoping to unload them at cost +.
