Hi everyone
I am looking to buy a truck and I am not decided which make and model to pick and I need some advise from older O/d s.
I don t have money to buy a new one and I am thinking buying a 7 - 8 yrs old one.
1st choice VOLVO FH12 56 -07 reg 650.000 km
2nd choice DAF 105 XF 57 - 08 reg 630.000 km
3rd choice MAN TGX XXL 08 reg 655.000 km
budget in £16k
My question is which one is doing better mpg and last long? I am more interested to last long than mpg 
Thank you all 
Wouldnt touch a m.a.n
Daf well the ride qaulity is not bad and the super space is nice place to spend a week but resale value dont stay good on them .
For me volvo with the 13litre engie wont go far wrong some good buys on volvos atm to go 56plate no add blue better pullers and no hassle of the add blue not many about though . If manual gearbox nice gearchange cabels Re 700quid if strtched from abuse
I would go with the Volvo also, if it was me it would be manual every time as I’ve lost count of how many times drivers with I shift autos have had problems that they can’t sort themselves at the side of the road or on site, by that I mean problems that are not always linked to the gearbox in its self
I shift may be fantastic when new but there’s more to go wrong, I still run a 52 plate fh12 460 manual, it had 2 gear cables 8 years ago and a clutch at about 560k, the gear change is still spot on for a cable set up!
I know many local operators that run both Volvo and/or Daf, I do know the Daf’s are good on fuel and after hearing many horror stories I wouldn’t bother at all with MAN!
You don’t say what type of work the truck will be doing and who will be driving, with that in mind buying at 7-8 years old I would think the priority is to minimise costly potential problems and have the ability to get yourself moving or out of a scrape without expensive call out charges
The truck to buy is an extremely simple problem to solve,the actual make not relevant your priority should be to first consider WHO will be doing
the servicing.Top notch garage should be on top of any vehicle you buy but ask around local operators as to WHO is giving the best most reliable
service then you could choose a vehicle on that criteria.Which is why down 'ere in the West Country we still prefer the 'orse n cart local agents ■■■■.
Why don’t you try something nice and simple like a Mecedez Benz Axor , very but very durable and simple truck .
Out of the 3 you have put up, i would go Daf 105 good workhorse good on fuel parts not to bad price wise, Volvo can be a bit naughty on fuel and other electrical problems, Man kin expensive like others have said steer clear, Good luck mate.
A Scania R420 or the Volvo
Thank you all for your advise. I put all your advice together and I decided myself to put my money into a DAF XF 105 08reg
Well done mate, good choice for od lets hope its a good one. Good luck bud.
Volvo I swear by them! Even tho my username is scania730 
Julian78:
Thank you all for your advise. I put all your advice together and I decided myself to put my money into a DAF XF 105 08reg
They’re a good truck, I’d say there’s little to choose between the Daf and the Volvo, I wouldn’t personally buy an MAN of that vintage.
Can’t fault a Renault though these days either, bulletproof Volvo engines and drivelines without the Volvo price tag.
SCANIA730:
Volvo I swear by them! Even tho my username is scania730
Hear mixed reports regarding I shift gearboxes , most of which are not good.
shugg:
SCANIA730:
Volvo I swear by them! Even tho my username is scania730Hear mixed reports regarding I shift gearboxes , most of which are not good.
The I Shift gearbox is simply a ZF manual gearbox, where the clutch pedal and gear lever movement are computer controlled. They drive superbly, far better than the automatic gearbox in a Scania or Daf, everybody says the same.
As a gearbox, they are very long-lasting, because a computer can control the gear changes far better than even the best human. The only real problem that I Shift gearboxes suffer from is clutch release bearing failure at around 550,000 km, but then a manual gearbox truck would need the clutch replacing at that point too because the plates were worn out.
And an automatic gearbox is much kinder on us oldies with creaky left elbows and knees. 
do volvo use a zf box now
If they use somebody else’s now, it’s still a manual gearbox with a dry clutch rather than a traditional wet autobox with a torque converter.
Harry Monk:
As a gearbox, they are very long-lasting, because a computer can control the gear changes far better than even the best human. The only real problem that I Shift gearboxes suffer from is clutch release bearing failure at around 550,000 km, but then a manual gearbox truck would need the clutch replacing at that point too because the plates were worn out.And an automatic gearbox is much kinder on us oldies with creaky left elbows and knees.
Have to disagree with you on a couple of points Harry. Firstly, some older iShift box’s also have had some problems with very long shift times, particularly the first change after pulling away. (we’ve had it on an 04 FM & a 55 FH) Secondly I think I’m better at choosing the right gear than the iShift system, I can get better fuel returns in manual than full auto every time.
Your correct on your last point though, I’m back in a manual now and even though I far prefer it to the auto version (it’s a Scania) my left knee is often ‘feeling it’ at the end of a long one like yesterday!!!
Ross.