Was thinking earlier today how technology hasn’t been our friend recently and pondered the Golden age of modern machinery.
In my opinion it was the late eighties early nineties, I haven’t researched this properly so dates may be slightly wrong but you had
The 113 143 Scania absolutely bomb proof couldn’t be killed nee electrics
The FL10 (up to 320) the F10 and F12
The earlier DAFs before their head problems
VWs 1.9 diesel before Euro 4 EGR
My Gixxer 1100
Agree disagree, add delete or just ignore.
Just a bit of Saturday night time wasting really.
The Scania 113 was probably one of the best trucks Scania produced, much better in it’s time than the current R-Series. I used to drive a Scania 112 when the 113 came out, it was a huge improvement. The early ERF ECs with the Eaton Twin Splitter and ■■■■■■■ 14 litre engines were a good truck too. The FL10 was a pile of [zb] and I only ever drove an F10 once!
Bob
lumpygreenpoo:
The Scania 113 was probably one of the best trucks Scania produced, much better in it’s time than the current R-Series. I used to drive a Scania 112 when the 113 came out, it was a huge improvement. The early ERF ECs with the Eaton Twin Splitter and ■■■■■■■ 14 litre engines were a good truck too. The FL10 was a pile of [zb] and I only ever drove an F10 once!Bob
I only had 1 FL and loved it, one of the best driving positions of any truck I have ever driven. Reliable economical and light.
renaultman:
I only had 1 FL and loved it, one of the best driving positions of any truck I have ever driven. Reliable economical and light.
What did they used to call them? A Wendy House! All I remember of them is that you used to sit in a hole…! The windscreen was always too close, the bed was bleedin’ uncomfortable and there was nowhere to store your gear. Mind you, if you’re used to driving Renaults, the FL10 is a vast improvement!!!
Bob
Got an Audi A6 1.9 diesel with EGR,has 193000 at the moment and still going strong,so can’t agree with that one. Guess it comes down to regular oil changes etc.
That said,used to drive an F12 400 '89,great wagon,the more you put on her the better she went!
The Scamia 112/113 where ok, but the 142/143 use to eat waterpumps for breakfast.
Had a Iveco Turbostar for a while, the one with the wipers on the mirrors and the Fiat V8 under the bonnet, I drove around with a soldering gun on gas, because every electrical connection would either melt or otherwise rot away.
Daf 2800/3300/3600 was alright but my favorite is above everything else Volvo F10 / F12 top stuff, could be fixed with a screwdriver and a bit of wire 
lumpygreenpoo:
renaultman:
I only had 1 FL and loved it, one of the best driving positions of any truck I have ever driven. Reliable economical and light.What did they used to call them? A Wendy House! All I remember of them is that you used to sit in a hole…! The windscreen was always too close, the bed was bleedin’ uncomfortable and there was nowhere to store your gear. Mind you, if you’re used to driving Renaults, the FL10 is a vast improvement!!!
Bob
We only did occasional nights out, but knew Lads who were out all week. Passenger side was full of overnight stuff I must admit, but I’m sure it was advertised as there was more room than in the 113?
caledoniandream:
The Scamia 112/113 where ok, but the 142/143 use to eat waterpumps for breakfast.Had a Iveco Turbostar for a while, the one with the wipers on the mirrors and the Fiat V8 under the bonnet, I drove around with a soldering gun on gas, because every electrical connection would either melt or otherwise rot away.
Daf 2800/3300/3600 was alright but my favorite is above everything else Volvo F10 / F12 top stuff, could be fixed with a screwdriver and a bit of wire
I thinks that’s part of it. You could see what went where and often fix it with a big hammer and a bit of wire.
renaultman:
We only did occasional nights out, but knew lads who were out all week. Passenger side was full of overnight stuff I must admit, but I’m sure it was advertised as there was more room than in the 113?
I don’t know about that but, from what I can remember of both trucks, I think you may possibly be right.
Bob
Well the old Suzuki engines would take all sorts of ill treatment, well over engineered, but the electrics would let you down sooner or later, if you didn’t write it off first.
As for trucks I think a good old diesel will last forever provided you keep up with the oil changes, I was driving a million km Premium a week or so back. Engine was fine didn’t use any oil etc, shame about the rest of the motor wasn’t quite as good the interior looked liked it had done twice the mileage. 
I also remember the FL driving position being rather like a car and you were about the same height as a 4x4, not what I really wanted just after passing my test what I wanted was to be “billy big wheels” high up in my cab looking at the nice ladies in thier cars.
every ford car i have had have never let me down
I have a 22 year old Land Rover 90 (it’s not a Defender) with the 2.5TD engine; it’s clocked 100,000 miles so it’s just broken in! I give it a complete filter and oil change every 4000 miles. In the next fortnight, I’m planning on changing the oil in the gearbox, transfer box and both axles (including the front swivels). It rattles and shakes like a concrete mixer at full pelt but never, ever lets me down!
Bob
Friend of mine started his transport company in 1984. He had Star and Kamaz, than Jelcz, than Liaz, and he used to complain that they aren’t reliable. Then he had Renault Major and old MAN and he was impressed how reliable it was.
Now, many lorries later, he said to me, that modern lorries needs to visit service about same often, as he had problem with his old Star, Jelcz and Liaz… And it’s even worse, as with the old one he was able to fix everything himself during the weekend, on the street in front of his house. Now it’s all computers, and it costs fortune to fix it.
He thinks that they do it deliberately to make fortune on servicing.
He said that the best lorry ever was Soviet Made Kamaz - it was undestructable, it broke only once during several years, and he fixed the problem using some basic tools, hammer and a part for a Żuk polish van which was suitable after slight modification (by hammer).
It’s obviously not a coincidental that they won Paris - Dakar rally so many times…
The 11 ltr Scania engine was pretty good, whether it was in a 111/112/113, they didn’t need much looking after either, I had a few of these & can only remember being on the side of the road once, it was a very expensive breakdown too as the turbo went & the oil got blown through the intercooler into the engine & it revved its nuts off until it all went horribly wrong, I nearly burned the clutch out trying to stall it, but it kept on going, not for long though & it made some really loud noises before it seized solid, as an O/D it wasn’t the best experience I’ve had 
The old Merc V8s were pretty reliable, but the daddy of them all in my own experience would be the 141/142/143 Scania, those were unbreakable, Scania earned it’s reputation from these engines & thoroughly deserved it.
Got to be the 143 in my opinion. I’m currently driving a 17 year old 143-450 topline with over 2 million km’s on the original engine. There’s not many trucks that age that could still manage over 1500 miles per week. It still pulls a lot better than our 3 year old XF480 and has less breakdowns than the DAF. The very rare time it does go wrong you can usually bodge it or limp it home. I can still remember the first trip I done with one in '89. The M6 was just a complete blur.
The old Merc 1644 was also a fairly reliable truck if you didnt mess with it. They just didnt have a great top speed. We used to adjust the throttle linkage for an extra 10-15 mph and for more power on the hills, but then the engines only lasted about 4 years.
Don’t agree. Everybody looking at things though rose tinted spectacles again. My Scania R series is 4 years old, 760,000km, I’ve been driving it for three and it’s never broken down. What’s more if it ever has the odd niggling problem you just plug the computer in and find out what it is. I’ve never met a group of people so adverse to modern technology as truck drivers.
P.s I’ve a 33 year old VW Camper, so I’m not anti old vehicles, just a realist. It’s the most unreliable vehicle I’ve ever owned despite having a fortune spent on it. But I still love it to bits.
mickyblue:
every ford car i have had have never let me down
Best Ford was the 3 series granada. I had a 2.3. then a 2.8, then a 2.8 estate and finally a 2.8 Injection. Comfort and build quality was wayyyyyyy above the Cortina, and the engines, especially the 2.8 were great. The 2.8I was ex police and had not been detuned! went like the proverbial off a shovel!
innova:
Got an Audi A6 1.9 diesel with EGR,has 193000 at the moment and still going strong,so can’t agree with that one. Guess it comes down to regular oil changes etc.
That said,used to drive an F12 400 '89,great wagon,the more you put on her the better she went!
My mate has a 1.9 tdi seat toledo (practically same moter, with 220000 miles on, not doing bad at all. Guy at work has a saxo 1.5 diesel, just clicked over 200K miles. If its looked after it seems to last. I have a punto with 163k on it, yes a punto, 1.9 on a Y plate. I was impressed for a Fiat till I found some VW Audi connector plugs on stuff in the engine bay, so they must have helped!
So are we having like a dream team for the perfect truck with all things past and present?
truckerjon:
Best Ford was the 3 series granada. I had a 2.3. then a 2.8, then a 2.8 estate and finally a 2.8 Injection. Comfort and build quality was wayyyyyyy above the Cortina, and the engines, especially the 2.8 were great. The 2.8I was ex police and had not been detuned! went like the proverbial off a shovel!
I think you mean mark 2? The “squarish” one. Used to drive them brand new working at a main agents at the time, llovely cars.
The Foden Alpha I have at the moment is very comfortable, powerful and does nearly 10mpg with its CAT engine, but the ABS warning light gets on my nerves! Modern trucks don’t tend to break down but it’s the stupid things that get complaints.
PS. Why do DAF tipper chassis creak like Hell■■? 