Hi I’m newly passed Class 1. Dont know much about which makes are better than others. Only driven a Scania and Daf so far. Dafs seem cheaper but are they as reliable as sweedish trucks? Read about Iveco having poor backup from dealers and Renault poor electrics and Mercs having various issues. So Daf or Volvo or Scania ?
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It matters not a jot what you drive. If you work for a firm that has a mixed fleet of one marque only, you drive what you are given, simple as that.
Over the years you may develop a preference, mine was Volvo when I started 45 years ago, I have not driven one since ! Every where local to me have run either Ivecos or Scanias. I have detested both marques with equal passion, different model updates sometimes seem OK for a while, I now have a new gen Scania and it genuinely seems an OK vehicle.
They are what they are, as long as you earn a living from it, you work with it and make it your own.
Twoninety88:
It matters not a jot what you drive. If you work for a firm that has a mixed fleet of one marque only, you drive what you are given, simple as that.
Over the years you may develop a preference, mine was Volvo when I started 45 years ago, I have not driven one since ! Every where local to me have run either Ivecos or Scanias. I have detested both marques with equal passion, different model updates sometimes seem OK for a while, I now have a new gen Scania and it genuinely seems an OK vehicle.
They are what they are, as long as you earn a living from it, you work with it and make it your own.
Yeah I would be happy to drive anything at the moment I just wanted some opinions on brands people like or are reliable. I will be helping a mate out to start with when he gets his own truck when all this coronavirus is over. He may take me on full time in a 2nd older truck which I may have a say in what it is.
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Used to swear by the Volvo, great for power and throaty roar/dulcet tones, but haven’t driven anything other than an MAN for about ten years. I love the one I drive currently - it does all the work while I gaze out of the window, doing most of the driving with my thumb.
Tell ya mate you need a Western Star 4900 or 6900, with a ■■■■■■■ ISX and manual 18 speed. 
westernstar.com.au/western-star-4900-fxc/
westernstar.com.au/western-star-6900-fxc/
Sorry, I shouldn’t be flippant but, I have cabin fever.
HgvHaggis:
Twoninety88:
It matters not a jot what you drive. If you work for a firm that has a mixed fleet of one marque only, you drive what you are given, simple as that.
Over the years you may develop a preference, mine was Volvo when I started 45 years ago, I have not driven one since ! Every where local to me have run either Ivecos or Scanias. I have detested both marques with equal passion, different model updates sometimes seem OK for a while, I now have a new gen Scania and it genuinely seems an OK vehicle.
They are what they are, as long as you earn a living from it, you work with it and make it your own.Yeah I would be happy to drive anything at the moment I just wanted some opinions on brands people like or are reliable. I will be helping a mate out to start with when he gets his own truck when all this coronavirus is over. He may take me on full time in a 2nd older truck which I may have a say in what it is.
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At the end of the day you pays yer money …
No truck is ideal. They don’t make such a thing. Take Scania’s. Nice motor to drive, smooth auto box, good to reverse but bloody awful crappy key fob, pretty ■■■■ poor mirror controls and you are miles from the screen. Iffy storage if not your own/regular motor and ‘strange’ bunk arrangement. Flip up steering wheel a good but quirky feature.
Daf, excellent fuel consumption, nice ride quality, pigs to reverse (twin steer axles), stupid side sun visor and poor main visor. The best key fob but stupid auto controls if you want to manualise it from auto e.g. going uphill and always chucking up electrical faults.
MAN, great dustbin wheel easy to drive but poxy screenwash filler, wafer thin mattress and slightly naff (aka easily breakable) door handles on the interior. Slightly odd interior light arrangement.
Renaults quirky controls but great sun visor (covers the whole screen) can be fast. Poor man’s Volvo.
Merc - Ken Dodd’s favourite. Bouncing back to happiness. God awful ride quality but easy controls.
Volvo. A bit over complicated but if you drive a regular motor probably the one to go for.
Just some of the observations of an agency wallah.
As the engines have gotten cleaner, the trucks have gotten more and more unreliable.
This applies to all makes.
The old days of 25 litres of oil in a tub, and off you got for the week are long gone.
They were worn out bags of junk, but they kept on going so long as you kept the oil up, but not to up on the garnders.
Look in the bottom right hand corner of your slip. The bigger the number means it’s the best truck. Simples 
We all develop our own preferences as we go on, what was a good make 40 30 20 or even 10 years ago might not be as agreeable to drive or as reliable as their current offerings, and the reverse is also the case.
Much will depend on whether you intend to drive the motor or steer it, no that isn’t being snotty, if you drive a lorry you will want a good gearbox which can be overridden easily with manual gearchanging when required, this rules out modern Daf’s because unless its programmed out by request of operator the auto gearbox reverts/defaults to eco constantly, a pain in the arse, but if you wanted a manual gearbox then Daf’s are just about the best and still offer a good manual gearbox option, 16 speed of which is a peach.
If all you do is steer and brake, then gearbox and make are not an issue, just what badge you prefer.
Most reliable recent models for hard reliable work are Scania and MAN in my experience (as said MAN’s interiors can be a easy to damage if the company allow clowns to get behind the wheel but the vehicle itself is bombproof), as i said at first what were good makes even 10 years ago arn’t all proving durable in the sort of work i do, which is full weight, they might be fine running around on parcel work lighter than the tare weight of other lorries, similarly some makes that might have lost sight of the ball are now back on form.
Much depends on the local dealer or workshops you use, these vary in quality attitude and competence around the country.
No simple answers to your question, and if you do have input on choice depending on how you are paid the right vehicle with the right spec could make all the difference.
Star down under.:
Tell ya mate you need a Western Star 4900 or 6900, with a ■■■■■■■ ISX and manual 18 speed.westernstar.com.au/western-star-4900-fxc/
westernstar.com.au/western-star-6900-fxc/
Sorry, I shouldn’t be flippant but, I have cabin fever.
That will do for me
if the company allow clowns to get behind the wheel
Sorry Juddian ,but that part did make me laugh when I looked at your avatar lol
norb:
if the company allow clowns to get behind the wheelSorry Juddian ,but that part did make me laugh when I looked at your avatar lol
That avatar was the result of the other Albion, a miserable bugger not to be confused with the fair maiden who is a moderator here, should have changed me moniker to Coco too 
I’m quite envious of me mate by the way, works for a proper old school operator who asked him what new motor he wanted, answer…didn’t give a bugger what make so long as it came with a gearstick, so he got an all singing dancing XF complete with 16 speed box, he loves it and returns staggering fuel figures, win win all round.
Older trucks just keep going ,new ones are like millennials ,constantly throwing tantrums …Luckily I am still working ,a few have been put on the 80% thing
back in the day…a wise man said…if you drive a 143 Scania,and it’s a ■■■■ job…it’s still a ■■■■ job. with that in mind,i can cope with my present Actros 
Punchy Dan:
Star down under.:
Tell ya mate you need a Western Star 4900 or 6900, with a ■■■■■■■ ISX and manual 18 speed.westernstar.com.au/western-star-4900-fxc/
westernstar.com.au/western-star-6900-fxc/
Sorry, I shouldn’t be flippant but, I have cabin fever.
That will do for me
There’s a man with impeccable taste. You might like this too Dan, nearly as good as a Star and streets ahead of anything Sweden, France or Germany purveys. Japan doesn’t even rate.
Star down under.:
Punchy Dan:
Star down under.:
Tell ya mate you need a Western Star 4900 or 6900, with a ■■■■■■■ ISX and manual 18 speed.westernstar.com.au/western-star-4900-fxc/
westernstar.com.au/western-star-6900-fxc/
Sorry, I shouldn’t be flippant but, I have cabin fever.
That will do for me
There’s a man with impeccable taste. You might like this too Dan, nearly as good as a Star and streets ahead of anything Sweden, France or Germany purveys. Japan doesn’t even rate.
Anything ■■■■■■■ will do me bigger the better but preferably with out the bonnet .
Despite…
Not having driven one for many years, I’m a Volvo man. The i-shift being the best thing out there bar none. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve over-ridden it. But it does appear to suffer from a poorer build quality from what I gather on here than it used to.
norb:
Older trucks just keep going ,new ones are like millennials ,constantly throwing tantrums …
It’s all too much for them. They need their safe space and comfort blankets. Mind you, I used to throw tantrums when the DAF I used to drive took control away from me (exactly as Jud describes above) right when I needed it. 
yourhavingalarf:
Despite…Not having driven one for many years, I’m a Volvo man. The i-shift being the best thing out there bar none. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve over-ridden it. But it does appear to suffer from a poorer build quality from what I gather on here than it used to.
Do they still come with broken electrical windows that won’t go all the way to the top or have they finally fixed that?
One of the ones I liked the best for day work multi drop was a volvo FM 450 , pulled well and kept up with most things on the road but I wouldn’t want to spend a week in one