1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202 
Get off your high horses
Page 77
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
s 380hp enough to haul a 44-tonne artic? it seems that opinions vary...
The used market is unforgiving if a product is considered not to be cutting the mustard, but it seems the jury is still out on whether the 6x2 380hp tractor falls into this category.
Widening residual values between 6x2 380 and 420hp tractors is a direct consequence of the transport industry perceiving the 380hp engine to be too weak for post-40-tonne work.
The step up in GVW from 41 to 44 tonnes is the main catalyst as operators want 10hp per tonne, or as close as possible. Owner-driver Scott Barrett, based in the Midlands, sources as a minimum second-hand 420hp 6x2 tractors for fridge work at 44 tonnes.
"Anything less won't do," he says. "The last 380hp I had, a Volvo FM12, I replaced with a 420hp engine.The difference this brings is better journey times and better fuel consumption, by around 0.5mpg. It saves me money and satisfies my driven."
Barrett reports that other operators and owner-drivers feel the same, but concedes there is a when in Rome' philosophy and isn't willing to drop horsepower as it might reduce his competitiveness.
However, figures from the trade tell a different story. Phil Holmes, used vehicle sale manager for independent Scania franchise Keltruck, working out of Burton on Trent, says demand for 380s has picked up recently as operators realise they will do the job.
He cites the 380's cheaper price tag, by some £4,500, and reckons that while it might lose a few minutes on journey times, the fuel consumption is invariably identical or better, si