AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Cargo's long, steady road

18th November 2004
Page 71
Page 71, 18th November 2004 — Cargo's long, steady road
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Fiat, Iveco, Ford Cargo, Truck

Functional and practical, lveco's Cargo has proved popular with all types of operators since its birth in 1991. Geoff Ashcroft looKs at the progress of Iveco's 18-tonne E180.

F°flowing on from the original Ford Cargo in 1991, the Iveco Cargo accounts for one in three trucks on UK roads.

Its evolution has been gradual across the range. In 1996 came Euro-2 engines plus a raft of upgrades, mostly to cab trim and gearbox. Tector engines have recently been added for Euro-3. featuring common-rail injection and four-valve heads and badged CargoTector models. Reduced cost of ownership was the order of the day.

Pre-Tector, there were three engines to choose from in the 18-tonner at 180hp.230hp and 270hp, with six and nine-speed boxes on the two lower powered models and a ninespeeder for the 270hp variant.Tector-engined versions brought an increase in power to 210hp, 240hp and 280hp with gearbox choices unchanged.

Evolution

The Cargo Tector also added ABS braking, a 70A alternatodarger clutches, exhaust brake, electronic immobiliser and cruise control to the list of standard items.

Cab choice includes day, sleeper, top sleeper and crew cab, though the latter is a special order. A dual passenger seat can be found in later versions, offering a split backrest to create more storage space and working area.

Reduced maintenance levels on Tector models features oil and filter changes extended to 80,000km with fuel filter change at 160,000km and a poly V-belt change at 240,000km.

This model has recently been replaced by the Euro Cargo, which continues to run with Tector engines. Innovations include more in-cab storage. wideropening doors and improved ergonomics Bernard Edwards of Croydon-based Parkside Group reckons the 18tonne Cargo will be a hard act to follow:"They're not luxurious from a driver's perspective, but they do exactly what we want," he says of his six 18-tonne Cargos. "Reliability has been good—our oldest truck, on an N-plate, recently threw a cam follower but it's worked hard all its life."

Can-ying 22ft aluminium lengths in stillages up and down the country is the work of the Parkside Iveco fleet.They all sport sleeper cabs with curtainsided bodies, and are rated at 230hp; the fleet also includes a 7.5-tanner.

What matters

"We're not overly concerned with fuel returns, as most of them are comparable on this type of work," says Edwards.

"But we're more concerned with dealer backup and Grays Trucks at Croydon has been instrumental in keeping our faith in Iveco.We only need to pick up the phone and we're sorted."

Parkside Group has been building up its fleet and workload and is now considering replacing its trucks on a predetermined cycle. "We just can't fault the trucks and have been so pleased that we're probably about to replace our oldest model for the latest EuroCargo version," Edwards concludes Cambridgeshire double glazing manufacturer Tradelink Direct of March added two Iveco Eurocargo 18-tonners to its fleet in October 2003, to complement two 7.5-tonne MercAtegos."We liked the modern appearance, of the new Iveco, the spec and the local dealer,TC Harrison at Peterborough," says Tradelink's Paul Bish. •

Tags

Locations: Croydon

comments powered by Disqus