Although it’s a non commercial purchase (truck as a toy thread), maybe some of you pro’s would like to participate in my bit of fun poll. Will at least excersize your fingers after all that eating
Remember, I have a TOTAL budget of £5000, of which i would like to spend £1000 on buying a donor trailer for the conversion.
IF i spend the other £4000 on a unit, i have to spend about £1500 to convert the trailer, which means it will take me 6 months
IF i spend £2500 on a unit, i can do the trailer now
What ever you do, don’t touch the Iveco.
If the Seddy is a rebadged Iveco, and not a propper Seddy, then don’t touch that either.
I’d either go with the Volvo, or the Magnum tending more towards the Magnum. The Scanny is worth considering, if it’s in good nick.
The volvo and scanny will soldier on for ages, but when they need parts, you’ll pay.
“Why not a DAF” … funny that The 95 spacecab was a serious option if i could find one, i did mean to put it on the poll, but never mind.
Ivecos … NOBODY has voted for the iveco, although on my other thread one or two people said they are OK
I drove one for a lot of weekends for an O/D - it was a 93 L reg although it was 4 years ago when i drove it, but it seemed ok to me Just prior to that I had a full time F10 320 & given the choice I would have had the iveco if only for extra space.
What really puts you off the iveco’s ■■? Must be more than “don’t like them”
Toytown I’m also mystified really why people dont like Iveco’s, unless its similar to why they dont like Skoda’s which are rock hard cheapo runabouts that Ive run for years on a shoestring, everyone says they are crap too, but usually aint ever owned one, just enjoy spending a load of cash as an ego salver Well, whatever floats yer boat.
They might not be top of the class for finish, but theres a lot of firms making a good living running them, and theres plenty about, so they cant be as bad as people make out, because they would have gone away a long time ago, the markets a cruel place.
The ones I have personally drove have been ok, and the cabs are roomy and way better IMHO for nights away than 113’s low cab FH12 and that type of wagon. And I have mates that have run them for years and are still in business, still running a mixture of Iveco’s. If I wanted a good cheap motor I’d buy one. But the fact that they are almost universally despised among drivers is undeniable.
A mate of mine was once told to never touch a second hand Iveco by an Iveco dealer. He bought an ERF in the end to haul his traction engine around.
Ivecos have 2 significant advantages: They’re cheap, and they’re good on fuel.
Major positives to a transport manager.
Let downs: Build quality, especially rust. Electrics and the renowned stiff gearboxes.
They’re cheap and plasticy inside. Put it this way, my mum’s old Skoda was nicer inside, and that was poor. Mum’s new skoda leaves the Iveco cabs standing. The Stralis is a huge leap forward for Iveco, the older ones are just terrible to be honest.
Well the last two posts are conflicting if ever i could find 2
Obviously it’s more down to personal opinion than anythign else.
IVECOS:
Plasticky … yep, i can go with that
The g/box in the ONE i drove was ok, maybe a bit stiff but i found volvo as bad or worse !! But, that was a twin splitter so maybe it’s the ZF that are stiff (but then the 85’s i have driven had them i think & they were great ■■)
Fuel consumption … a bonus but not that much of a consideration for the miles we will do
As for a “horrible” interior Compared to what ■■ Yes the new stuff is way in front but compared to the other options (old F10 etc) I think it’s streets ahead
Or … was the one i drove part time just a good spec one
I’m still gonna poke around for a magnum, but with limited funds it is going to be difficult to find one. I bet i end up with a euroshed
Thanks for the posts, give me summfing to do on xmas night
Maybe my opinion is tainted by the one I lived in for 3 months.
The 8 speed slapover box was as stiff as you could cope with and still work. It was a standard height cab, and still had twin bunks. Of which the bottom one was a pain in the bum to get into and out of, so I used to top one, because it was easier to get into and out of. In mine, engine power was lacking. But I’m assured that tractors are better than the rigid I had, and that the gearbox works better with a splitter.
Glorified Cargo? Glorifed my backside… it was a cargo cab with an extension for the bunks slapped on the back. It was terrible.
18 tonne, and it claimed to have 230 hp, but the 8 speed box was lousy, and it always felt under powered even when empty. Things kept falling off the cab, and it had plenty of rust spots, and it was under 4 years old.
The basic eurostar tractor that DTT had was effectively the same cab.
Apart from that one, the tractors I have seen have had better cabs by a long way. Don’t go for the basic models, aim for one that has upgrades on it.
OK, Bova Boy, the Iveco I had, as I remember had a 16speed ZF 'box in it, and like what the others say the inside is a bit plasticky, but what are you comparing it with, the likes of a Volvo F10 or a rickety old Scania(God, I hate those trucks and wish never to drive one again). At least it looked modern, unlike Scania who haven’t changed the basic dash in how many years…■■? I didn’t like the old F10-12 series, I did like the Fl’s and I sure do like the FH’s. But if seriously I was you…you like the Magnum, find one and buy, you know you want it…but…over the last few days of reading your posts, I have noticed a distinct leaning to the Iveco, so if that is second on the list and you can’t get the Magnum, get the Iveco, its not like you are pulling 44tons…!!! Who the hell cares if the gears are a little stiff(■■■■■■■) it builds the arm muscles, and its not like you will do 20,000miles a year.
Bottom line is get what YOU want and what you can afford, but most of all, like what you get.
Personally I would go for the Magnum because of the conversion you want to do. You already have a flat floor and after you remove the bunk and fit seats, your passengers wont have to climb up into their seats.
Was the Magnum you were looking for going to be a 420hp? cos you may find a 385hp a little cheaper to buy. Not as powerful but you aren’t going to be running at full weight are you?
I do like the Iveco’s & agree 100% that the interior design is in a different generation to the Volvo F10/12 series, maybe just lacking a bit on build quality. I assume the same goes for the Strato, basically the same with a ■■■■■■■ engine i think I’m assuming the silly price on the strato is because it’s 1996 9old but ok for me), only a 325 ■■■■■■■ (again fine for me), british (no comment), only a 4 wheel unit (better for me) so really @ £1695 + VAT it’s a steal & unless the advertiser is a blatant liar, sounds good.
I can live with the shame of the big “A” on the front
Got to give it until at least Mon / Tues before i go looking around, & am still looking for a magnum but I know really i’m cutting it too fine to get one at the price i want to pay.
I’m likely to be grossing maybe 14 tons (15 with a magnum) so really anything will do the job (even a 320 scania would eat the work but cab no good).
That is one of the reasons i would love a magnum - flat floor, no muddy bootprints on the engine cover The other of course is because it’s a toy & if it’s worth doing … might as well be in with both feet
Don’t suppose you got any pics of your magnum inside or out have you ■■
I have signwritten a few & always had a nose round but can’t remember too well what the interior layout is like … no pics anywhere on the web. i was hoping to find one of the sales brochures online from the early magnums but about the only thing available is the write up on the Chris Hodge Site
I work for, in a round about way, an Iveco dealer & find the trucks to be good work horses, I’m told they are easy to work on despite what some might tell you & not only are parts easy to aquire they are not as exspensive as some.
I work on the rental side & can tell you from personal exsperience that they are as a whole are reliable.
toy for get the iveco its heap of er well you know i had one for a couple of years nothing ever worked properly it had continuous electrical problems engine faults if the edc light comes on the engine power is reduced
id go for the magnum as has allready been said the cab is good layout for what you want to do it should look ok and there cheep at the moment but the parts can be expensive should it go wrong the circuit board for the fuse box for instence is around300 plus vat and can take a while to get hold of other than that go for what you want
we still run an f reg 143 topline its easier to work on than the magnum but then the magnum is quieter
Renault is running a custom Magnum competition this year.
I forget what the prizes are, but check out recent copies of T&D and it will have the info you need on that front.
Just prior to that I had a full time F10 320 & given the choice I would have had the iveco if only for extra space.
Well, whatever floats yer boat.
Compared to what ■■ Yes the new stuff is way in front but compared to the other options (old F10 etc) I think it’s streets ahead 
