Rusty Nail:
I think a version 2 FM or FH would break an owner driver.
Over a ten year period I ran 4 different FH Volvos, two version 1 and two version 2. In those ten years there were a total of three unscheduled visits to the workshops. One of them went twice for a leak from the clutch fluid pipe and one of the others went due to an alternator failing. The other two only ever visited the workshop for routine services and inspections. Based on that experience, and how little it cost me, if I was ever daft enough to go the OD route again I would choose Volvo without a moments hesitation.
Rusty Nail:
Scania every time. There is no comparison. I work on both of these manufacturer’s vehicles and everything about the scania’s is far better. Reliabilty, build quality, accessibility to all components. . . . . the list goes on. From a mechanics point of view the Scania’s are better, as are the Daf’s, than any Volvo. I think a version 2 FM or FH would break an owner driver.
As for driving them i find the FH cab is very ‘wollowing’ and tends to feel like the door handles are going to scrape the floor if you go round a corner at more than 10mph. As for the gear change (on the version 2’s) that’s diabolical. They’ve gone backwards by puting a cable gear change in. To top it off the vehicles have got a mind of their own electronics wise, they’re a nightmare! Who’s had apparently impossible to fix problems with the lights■■? We had an F86 yard shunter that was more reliable than any version 2 vehicle.
The Scania’s (be it a 3, 4 or an R series) have so much more feel, you know what the lorry is doing because you can feel the feedback from everything. Scania are sensible, even with the r series. It’s far less complicated than an FH but with no comprimise to the driver.
Scania built a name for themselves for a reason and admitedly when they turned the 4 series out it wasn’t what drivers had come to expect from them. However, they did address the issues mechanically and driver wise and i would honestly say that the late 4 series (03,53,04 and 54 plate) Scania’s are some of the most comfortable and definitely most reliable vehicles on the road.
The company i work for has 40 units.
17 Scania’s 16 Daf’s and 7 Volvo’s. The amount of money spent on Volvo’s is more than that spent on both the Scania’s and Volvo’s over a year. They’re all of similar ages by the way.
Welcome Rusty.
You’re the third new member from this area in about as many weeks - it’s all very encouraging.
Deepest darkest Cambridgeshire - that’ll be Benwick, then??
I have to say that our Scanias give very little trouble.
But, to be fair, so did my last Volvo (FM mk2). And when it did, it was usually a sensor or something - a ‘niggling’ little fault. It always got me home.
personally, neither, i like a good nights sleep rather than a bad back (scania)
obviously getting confused, the bad back syndrome relates to the driving position and seat in the p series scania and has absolutely nothing at all to do with the sleeping in a truck, both scania and volvo offer an excellent nights sleep, bunks in both are of a similar size except the volvo twin bunk edition is a little cramped unless the top bunk is lifted up slightly, the 4 series scania offers a much better nights sleep if a topliner and in the top bunk, the bed area above is quieter than the volvo due to it being above the window area and within the confines of the soundproofed roof area unless of course it chucks it down with rain in the night but the 4 series has the added bonus of a night heater control that can be moved between the top and bottom sleeping areas whereas the volvo has just one control and it’s for the bottom bunk only.
the new r series has an ikea bed on the bottom, you have to build it before you can sleep on it and unlike it’s predecessor has controls on the bottom bunk only although the night heater controls are on a coiled wire and can be moved to the top bunk the lights and sunroof controls are fixed to the back wall bottom bunk only although the beds are comfortable it is difficult to climb in and out of the top bunk in the r series as the ladder is hidden and the netting is on elastic and won’t lock down while you climb in the top bunk is a little claustophobic too but some people still prefer it to the bottom bunk.[/quote
i dont think i ever slept well in a scania. i had a p cab for about a year and a 4 series flat roof for about the same, the bunks are rubbish (in my opinion) and when in the 4 series i would wake up aching, and i think the bunk had as much to do with it as it was made up of 3 pieces (i think from memory) no good at all
euromat:
i dont think i ever slept well in a scania. i had a p cab for about a year and a 4 series flat roof for about the same, the bunks are rubbish (in my opinion) and when in the 4 series i would wake up aching, and i think the bunk had as much to do with it as it was made up of 3 pieces (i think from memory) no good at all
the 3 series also had the three way split bunk and it was a little uncomfortable, never slept in a 4 series low cab, always had topliners and the top bunk in the 4 series has to be the best bed going as long as you had a double quilt that overhung the cold aluminium edging strip in the winter but it was nice and cold in the summer too and the ideal cooler for your legs.
i drove the old 3 series p cab but i didn’t find it uncomfortable so they must have changed it when they bought out the 4 series.
the bunk was quite nice in the 3 series p cab but a little cramped for getting changed in and that little box thing was only good enough for a sandwich pack.
it was better than the old g cab renault though, not only was that small but all the electrics were live too and as you got changed you used to clip the stalks and the lights would flash, indicators signal and the horn would burst into life as your backside triggered the end of the stalk.
euromat:
i dont think i ever slept well in a scania. i had a p cab for about a year and a 4 series flat roof for about the same, the bunks are rubbish (in my opinion) and when in the 4 series i would wake up aching, and i think the bunk had as much to do with it as it was made up of 3 pieces (i think from memory) no good at all
the 3 series also had the three way split bunk and it was a little uncomfortable, never slept in a 4 series low cab, always had topliners and the top bunk in the 4 series has to be the best bed going as long as you had a double quilt that overhung the cold aluminium edging strip in the winter but it was nice and cold in the summer too and the ideal cooler for your legs.
i drove the old 3 series p cab but i didn’t find it uncomfortable so they must have changed it when they bought out the 4 series.
the bunk was quite nice in the 3 series p cab but a little cramped for getting changed in and that little box thing was only good enough for a sandwich pack.
it was better than the old g cab renault though, not only was that small but all the electrics were live too and as you got changed you used to clip the stalks and the lights would flash, indicators signal and the horn would burst into life as your backside triggered the end of the stalk.
i had a 3 series p cab, biggest pile of crap on the market in my opinion, maybe the topline was better, although even a friend of mine who has been a scania man since he could walk was gutted with the 4 series (he almost cried when he drove a r cab for the first time) i think scania rested on their laurels thinking everyone would want one, well i can tell them they dont! back to the whole question, i would choose volvo, but a left ■■■■■■ as that is what they are designed for, and i think a few faults have crept across in the conversions, but i find them much better than a scania, i think i would rather have a volvo fm than any scania on the market to live in
I swapped a 460 xl globetrotter for a r420 topliner last week.
The scania seems to ride better than the volvo did, whether thats because the mid axle steers and the volvos only lifts i dont know. I find it a comfortable truck.. however.. who designed a bed that you have to ponce about with before sleeping in it? One of my first motors was a wendy house volvo and even that had a proper bloody bed! The exhaust brake... I WANT MY VOLVOS EXHAUSTER BACK … the scania has a button right in the middle of the floor which makes you contort like you have piles.
Sitting in the passenger seat one night i noticed the button in a lhd is much more comfortable to press under your left foot.
Pressing the button causes the revs to scream around to the blue zone! The volvo also kicks the exhauster in automatically above a set speed on cruise Storage- The volvo wins hands down, although i hear the latest 08 model scania has two big lockers on the outside. The scania cab is massive inside i just dont feel theyve used the space properly
I also now have a compulsion to buy 16 spotlights, frilly curtains and a pelmet, chrome wheel trims and swirly stickers for the windows?
it was better than the old g cab renault though, not only was that small but all the electrics were live too and as you got changed you used to clip the stalks and the lights would flash, indicators signal and the horn would burst into life as your backside triggered the end of the stalk.
[/quote]
A likely story and one often used by drivers who were caught parked up in a dogging site
Bad backs that was years ago in the 1st P cabs, but the bad back myth started with the multiplate springs on the back of 111s & the like, didn’t improve much with the 2 series tag axles on springs either, until the Topline & it’s air suspended cab.
newmercman:
Most comfortable driving position, SCANIA
Scania/ Volvo … Volvo/ Scania
toss up between which is the worst driving position.
Stan
I’m puzzled Stan both have adjustable steering wheels & seats, you can go from almost standing up to Formula 1 style laid back in both also, I forgot about the Scania mirrors, brilliant
newmercman:
Most comfortable driving position, SCANIA
Best engine, SCANIA as long as it’s a V8
Bad backs that was years ago in the 1st P cabs, but the bad back myth started with the multiplate springs on the back of 111s & the like, didn’t improve much with the 2 series tag axles on springs either, until the Topline & it’s air suspended cab.
Getting in & out the cab, SCANIA
Steering, SCANIA
Brakes, SCANIA especially with the retarder
BEST lorry, MERC
Have to disagree with you about the steering and brakes volvo strong points for me. Youre right about merc thou Great cab in the actros.
newmercman:
Most comfortable driving position, SCANIA
Best engine, SCANIA as long as it’s a V8
Bad backs that was years ago in the 1st P cabs, but the bad back myth started with the multiplate springs on the back of 111s & the like, didn’t improve much with the 2 series tag axles on springs either, until the Topline & it’s air suspended cab.
Getting in & out the cab, SCANIA
Steering, SCANIA
Brakes, SCANIA especially with the retarder
BEST lorry, MERC
Have to disagree with you about the steering and brakes volvo strong points for me. Youre right about merc thou Great cab in the actros.
You could have a point with the brakes, used to work on a firm with 4 series toplines when they first came out & some of em were scary, mine was ok, the 3 series was the same, had a 143 450 that had a really hard pedal & used to shake like a sheep in wales on a sat night had a go in its sister, the Scania not the sheep & that had lovely brakes. All the disc braked ones I’ve had a go in have been ok though.
Could be a personal thing but I prefer the Scania steering, the 6x2 is much better than the Volvo IMO as you don’t get the understeer you do with the pusher axled Volvo, but one mans meat…
ild say volvo,but as 4 out of 5 have gone into the dealers with ad blue pump faults,only been on road 2 wks,i would pick reno long distance,if i had to pick any unit.
BIG MAC:
ild say volvo,but as 4 out of 5 have gone into the dealers with ad blue pump faults,only been on road 2 wks,i would pick reno long distance,if i had to pick any unit.
Would that be a new Renault, if so they have Volvo drivelines so remember to take all your stuff off the top bunk so it don’t smash the windscreen when they take it in the workshops
newmercman:
Most comfortable driving position, SCANIA
Best engine, SCANIA as long as it’s a V8
Bad backs that was years ago in the 1st P cabs, but the bad back myth started with the multiplate springs on the back of 111s & the like, didn’t improve much with the 2 series tag axles on springs either, until the Topline & it’s air suspended cab.
Getting in & out the cab, SCANIA
Steering, SCANIA
Brakes, SCANIA especially with the retarder
BEST lorry, MERC
Have to disagree with you about the steering and brakes volvo strong points for me. Youre right about merc thou Great cab in the actros.
You could have a point with the brakes, used to work on a firm with 4 series toplines when they first came out & some of em were scary, mine was ok, the 3 series was the same, had a 143 450 that had a really hard pedal & used to shake like a sheep in wales on a sat night had a go in its sister, the Scania not the sheep & that had lovely brakes. All the disc braked ones I’ve had a go in have been ok though.
Could be a personal thing but I prefer the Scania steering, the 6x2 is much better than the Volvo IMO as you don’t get the understeer you do with the pusher axled Volvo, but one mans meat…
Only 6x2 i ever drove was a 1994 143 tag,and that was a ball of dirt
Volvo i find infinately more comfortable, can get the seat just right, both mirrors are electric and much better than scanias. Digital dash is far better on volvos, exhaust brake is excellent, scania one does sweet FA. The steering on the volvos is precicse and gives good feedback, I find scania steering apalling, there’s usually about 45 degrees of freeplay before the wheels even move. I’d actually sleep in a volvo bunk, would’nt dream of getting onto a scania one unless I really had to. And the gearbox is much better, ones I drive are I-shift, but have had a manual and the box was very stiff, but it was high mileage but still far better than the slappy crappy scania box which is like stirring a barrel full of rocks.
Scania has a couple of merits ncluding much better headlights and a stronger engine, the 420s seem to pull a lot better than the 480 volvos. Oh and cupholders, Scania don’t seem to know what they are, unless you drink from a 2litre coke bottle.
that was years ago in the 1st P cabs, but the bad back myth started with the multiplate springs on the back of 111s & the like, didn’t improve much with the 2 series tag axles on springs either, until the Topline & it’s air suspended cab.
both have adjustable steering wheels & seats, you can go from almost standing up to Formula 1 style laid back in both 
volvo strong points for me. Youre right about merc thou 
& that had lovely brakes. All the disc braked ones I’ve had a go in have been ok though.