"We liked the looks, the price and their reputation for
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reliability" Guy Wood All Purpose Packaging is at Stevenage. close to junction seven on the AIM. As the name says, the company supplies industry with all types of packaging material. Operations manager Guy Wood oversees the operation of 15 vehicles which include Scanias, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco as well as three Leyland Oaf 65 Series 17-tonners and one 45 Series 7.5-ton ner.
"We only bought the 65 Series about six months ago," Wood says. "We liked the looks, the price and their reputation for reliability. We chose the 65.240CF with the thought of running with a trailer but we haven't done so yet. They were not much more expensive than the 210 models and still cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz or Scania equivalent. Packaging is quite light so we have had the trucks downrated to 14 tonnes GVW while being fitted with 26ft bodies with an overall height of i4ft. Even so, the payload remains at about only 4.0 tonnes. Although we specify a roof spoiler, the big body takes its toll on fuel. We are returning about 11.5mpg, which is still better than we get elsewhere. The Scanias give about ro.3mpg on similar work.
"Appearance is important to us. We maintain a smart fleet and use the curtainsided body as an advertising medium. Our plan is to change vehicles after five years, even though the mileage will still be less than 5oo,000lan. We bought the 65s, one with a sleeper cab offering extra operational flexibility, with two years' free servicing but after that it will be cheaper to bring them in-house.
"We have only had one warranty claim up to now. That was for an electric motor in the mirror head. Vale Truck Centre at Luton exchanged it quickly. "Everyone here is happy with the modern styling of the 65 Series Leyland Daf and the drivers like them, too."