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The Mercedes-Benz 814 is the archetypal German vehicle: ultrareliable, solidly

engineered and quietly competent. There may be more exciting vehicles in its class, but we couldn't find anyone with a bad word for it...

• Mercedes-Benz's LN2 range, introduced back in 1984, extends from 7.5 to 13 tonnes. In common with all other manufactures, M-B relies on its 7.5-tonners to hoist up the sales figures in the UK middleweight sector: in this case that means the 814 and 817.

In 1995 M-I3 sold 2,902 vehicles in the T2 and LN2 ranges This places the German importer third, behind Iveco Ford and Leyland Daf, with a 22% share of the UK's 7.5-tonne market. Operators are demanding more powerful vehicles in all classes—some manufacturers now offer 7.5-tormers with more than 200hp on tap—but the 844 has defied this trend to remain the mainstay of the LN2 range, accounting for 95% of sales. Last year the company sold only forty of the more powerful 817s.

Air suspension is an option taken up by less than 3% of Mercedes-Benz operators at this weight; sleeper cabs are also a rarity.

EVOLUTION

The original 809 had a naturally aspirated version of the 3.97-litre four-cylinder engine used in the lighter T1 range. The rest of the LN2s use versions of M-B's 5.96-litre 0M366 straightsix. The naturally aspirated version in the 814 is rated at 134hp; the 817's turbo-charged variant (first used at 17 tonnes) produces 175hp. Besides having 26°0 more power the turbo-diesel delivers 40°0 more torque than the 814: to cope with this the 817 comes with a slightly larger clutch and stronger final drive. A 3.5-tonne steer axle is an optional extra on the 814, adding an extra 400kg capacity. It is standard on the 817, where it extends the loading tolerance to 800kg The range was launched with full-air drum brakes, five-speed transmission and a day cab; in 1991 the 817 appeared with the options of an L-type sleeper cab, ABS braking and a six or 12-speed box. Air suspension is offered on 814s and 817s. The 814 has a choice of four wheelbases from 3.15 to 4.9m; the 817 is offered at 4.9 and 425m. In standard form an unladen 817 weighs about 300kg more than a comparable 814.

OPERATORS

Hunter Vehicles was set up 41 years ago as a bodybuilder but subsequently expanded into truck hire. Most of the company's bodybuilding customers are in the South-East. The spothire and contract-hire operation is based in Enfield and most of its business is in North London.

Not surprisingly, Hunter uses its own dropside, curtain and box bodies throughout its rental fleet, which extends from half. tonne vans to 17-tonne rigids, Among a mixed fleet of Leyland Oaf 65 Series, ht-B 1820s, MAN L2000s, Ford Transits and Vauxhall Combos Hunter runs 35 M-B 814s, tastefully liveried with the green-and-blue Hunter tartan. Typical payload potential with a box body and tail-lift is 3,000kg.

Truck rental manager Alan Warwick said: "Our customers run all over the UK and into Europe. What they want is speed and reliability The Mercedes-Benz 814 gives them both. Were not too close to fuel consumption but we believe customers get between 16 and 18mpg and they seem happy with that."

"We like to change them every three years," added managing director Ian Hunter. "We retail them ourselves with a full warranty Each one is serviced and repainted by us before being sold. Residuals have been quite good but they have dropped recently...there is less confidence in transport at the moment. Material prices rose dramatically a year ago and I think we may be in for a tough time again. Nothing is ever easy to sell but I am confident about the 814s."

"Out on the road the 814s are covered by the Mercedes-Benz 24-hour breakdown service but what I can say about them is that they always come home from hire," says Warwick. "On average they cover about 60,000km a year and mechanically there is nothing we could point to as a regular problem. The clutches last better than most.

'Brake linings last longer than disc pads and the drums themselves are quite meaty when they're new. The cab trim is a bit spartan but bits don't fall off—the seats and adjustment are substantial.

"Most of our problems arise in service," he said. "Tyres are prone to sidewall damage: we check them every day along with the oil and water levels.

"The front bumper is made to withstand a frontal impact," he added, "but it tends to break if the end is snagged when reversing. Anti-roll bar bushes need regular replacement but that's not just a criticism of Mercedes. We will soon take deliveries of half a dozen or so P-reg models with both box and curtainsided

bodies. I think that shows our confidence in the Mercedes-Benz 814."

Dawson Rentals is in the top five UK rental companies with 42 depots supplying everything from CDVs to 38-tormers. The company is based in 'motown' Milton Keynes, less than a half a mile from the HQ of Mercedes-Benz UK. But that's not why the hundreds of 7.5tonners in Dawson's rental fleet are predominantly M-B 814s. "It's customer acceptability," said engineering director Paul Kelly. "They are very well liked. The cab is a good size, it's comfortable and has sensible controls."

Replacing so many vehicles every two-anda-half to three years gives the company a great deal of purchasing power. "But they are comparatively expensive to buy in the first place," Kelly points out, "although they are popular in the secondhand market and maintenance costs and back-up are exemplary. A premium product helps us give a quality service to quality customers. That badge on the front still holds a certain charisma."

The rental operation is split between longterm hire (up to five years with full maintenance); short-term spot hire and leasing Most of the 7.5-tonners are equipped with curtain, dry freight or refrigerated bodies. Many work on local urban deliveries but some run abroad. They average about 85,000km a year.

"The 814 is reliable and requires only a minimum amount of downtime—less than the Leyland Daf 45 which we also run," said Kelly.

"Mercedes

Benz and Volvo set the stan dards on parts back up: we've never had a problem.

They're a bit expensive but they're always available_ The 814 has been around a good while and the fact that very few changes have been made works in its favour. I don't think there is any one thing I can pick on that is a regular fault. Residuals are satisfactory. We retail them through National Drivelink with outlets in Edinburgh, Norwich, Canterbury and Milton Keynes. They also handle the vehicles that customers trade in."

Drivelink recently listed a 1994 M-reg Mercedes-Benz 814 with a 20ft curtain-sided body at £18250. "Mercedes-Benz supplies a supportive role to Dawson's own back-up for our customers," Kelly explains. "If I have any complaint it's that in some areas the M-B 24hour service is stretched. As far as replacements go we can't afford to become complacent. We keep an open mind and always look at newer models to see if they have anything better to offer."

SIG has a fleet of some 450 vehicles. They are operated by 10 industrial insulation subsidiaries but controlled centrally by Sheffield Insulation fleet management.

Transport manager Malcolm Dungworth said: "Prices for new 814s compare well with other makes. If a manufacturer wants to sell into large fleets it has to match the opposition. We inherited many of our existing Mercedes-Benz 814s with company acquisitions; we also operate a large number of Leyland Daf 45 Series. The vehicles generally work within a 50-mile radius of their depots so the mileage is quite low, ranging between 40.000 and 65,000km a year. The unladen weight of the 814s is heavier than for our other 7.5-tonners but we only have a few that run fully laden and get near to the limit of the front axle. On most of our operations the

loads are limited by the body's volume."

Computerised records help the management team keep track of detailed maintenance and fuel costs for every vehicle in the fleet. "About 15.0mpg is a typical fuel consumption for the 814s," said Dungworth. "We look at each vehicle after six years and decide whether to sell it or run it on a bit longer. We own all our trucks. The value is written down over the period to match the value we would expect from a buy-back deal, but we don't trade them in. Most are bought by dealers and private hauliers that have been known to us over several years—we accept the best of three or four bids. The 814s always fetch a good price.

"If it's above the set residual then the individual company gets the (.1-edit and if it's lower they suffer the loss," he concluded. "It's in their interest to look after the trucks and drivers usually respond quite well with the Mercedes We don't always use main dealers to carry out maintenance; we also have contracts with companies such as TNT Truck Care. Spares are expensive but we don't have a tremendous amount of problems.Where our

companies request the Mercedes-Benz 814 we will continue to use them. We would only advise against it if we thought it was not in their best interests."

DEALERS

Brandrick Trucks, an independent dealer, always has a wide choice of rigid chassis among the 80 or so vehicles in stock at its two sites near Warley, in the West Midlands. Director Warren Cole reports that he sells quite a few Mercedes-Benz 814s."There is always a good demand for them, from about 1988 onwards," he says. "Early ones need to be looked at a bit closer but generally they're in very good condition. The trim is pretty robust and we don't experience any major mechanical difficulties with them.

"Day-cab models are more readily available but the sleeper cab models prove to be more difficult to find. The average mileage of any 7.5-tonner varies between 30,000 and 50,000 miles a year. A lot of them are used on contract lease from new and are bought in the used truck market by small own-account operators. As always, price varies on condition. You can expect to pay a bit less for one with a flat body but there isn't much difference in the price of a curtainsider or box. A 1993 814 on a K-plate, with a sleeper cab and 20ft box, would re-sell for about £17,500. The same model with a day cab would go for about 1:2,500 less".

Frank Zadowski is sales director for franchised dealer Ensor Motors of Warrington, which also has outlets at Stoke. Nottingham and Leicester.

"We don't keep much used stock," he says, "we trade most of it out to dealers The used truck market is very jittery at the moment and prices are falling. Dry freight and curtainsiders are the best sellers with new and used 814s. There always appears to be a high demand for 814s with high-cube bodies but that's probably more to do with the low numbers of that type of vehicle that are available.

All 7.5-tormers are weight sensitive." he points out, "and the sleeper cab adds around 200kg to the unladen weight so it not going to be at the top of everyone's priorities. Extras, such as an air kit that may cost a £1,000 on a new vehicle, will add little to the secondhand value but it might make it easier to sell. The rental and contract-hire fleets are a good source of young used 814s but even older ones drive well and do not seem to age like some models. It's the only 7.5-tonne truck that has a full air braking system like the heavier ranges, which is a selling point in its favour.! would be quite relaxed with its six-litre engine at anything less than 350,000 miles. On resale, a 1994 L-registered 814 with a box and day cab should fetch £14,500."

SUMMARY

There isn't a truck made that can claim to be perfect but none of our 814 operators would admit to any problems with major or indeed minor components.

As 7.5-tonners go it's on the heavy side with a chassis-cab weight of 3,135kg for the longest (4.9m-wheelbase) chassis which is needed for a 20ft body length.

But for spot-hire use, often with inexperienced drivers, the Merc's rugged construction and ability to soak up punishment seems to be of more importance than maximum payload.

In one of the toughest market sectors M-B is up against strong opposition, notably from Leyland Daf, lveco Ford and MAN. But M-B got this model right first time and a few years on it still in its prime. Its reputation means that good examples command high prices; that could be good news or bad news, depending if you're selling or buying.

For M-B, of course, the news is all good.

C.3 by Bill Brock

-CIFICATION

MODEL: Mercedes-Benz 814 4x2 rigid chassis with day cab. Design GCW: 7.5 tonnes.

Manufacturer: Daimler Benz AG, Stuttgart,Germany.

ENGINE: Mercedes-Benz four-stroke, naturally aspirated diesel Cylinders: Six, in line.

Capacity: 5.96 litres.

Maximum net power: 97kW (132hp) at 2,800rpm. Maximum net torque: 384Nm (283114t) at 1,500-1,900rpm.

TRANSMISSION: Mercedes-Benz G3/60-5/7.5 five-speed synchromesh 310mm-diameter single dry plate clutch with hydraulic assistance. Final drive: Ratio 3.15:1.

BRAKING SYSTEM: Full air with self-adjusting wedge brakes, dual-ciir air dryer and load sensing on drive axle.

Parking: Spring brake on drive axle. Exhaust brake: Air actuated on manifolds.

STEERING: Recirculating ball with integral assistance.

CHASSIS: Ladder-type high-tensile steel with channel-section sidemembers: body mounting brackets, rear under-ride guard and front towing pin. Suspension: Parabolic leafsprings and anti-roll bar front and rear. Wheelbase: 3.70m.

Wheels and tyres: 215/75R 17.5 tyres on 6.00x17.5 wheels Fuel tank: 125 litres.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 24V, 2x12V 135Ah batteries. Generator: 30A alternator.

Manufacturer's prices (retail ex-VAT).

Laminated windscreen £192.53 Injector set 036.24

Piston liner set £32.79

Rear brake chamber 6199 . 53

Complete headlamp unit £91.60 Wiper blades, each £12.07 Engine oil filter £7.84

Complete clutch assembly £318.00

Door mirror £58.16

WORKSHOP TIMES

Manufacturer's standard workshop hours Replace clutch assembly 5.6 Replace injector set 2.0 Replace one head gasket 7A Replace brakes, front and rear 6.7 Remove and replace engine 11.3 Remove and replace gearbox 4.8 Renew engine oil and filter(s) 0.5

ROADTE S

M-B 814 Voile body 25.10.90 M-B 817 curtainsider 09.01.92