VOLVO FH13.480 GLOBETROTTER XL
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The ramifications of a major transport business going pop can be detrimental to a truck manufacturer's reputation, as well as its bank balance. Trying to remarket reams of identical vehicles isn't easy. Just ask Renault following the collapse of City Trucks in 2008, or Scania, which deflected the Tesco-spec Scania P-cab 4x2s complete with day-cab.
However, both the French and Swedes have shown that it can be done. One advantage Volvo had over its contemporaries when Volvo-loyalist Innovate Logistics spectacularly collapsed in 2009 was that the fleet was strong enough for operators to show interest.
Volvo says it had 200 vehicles to remarket, and in the space of 12 months has got that number down to just 40. The ex-Innovate fleet has been spotted up and down the country with the distinctive orange bumper and wheelarch trim.
Various hauliers, such as WH Malcolm, which picked up 20 ex-lease trucks, have snapped up some, others have joined rental fleets and some will find their way into the hands of owner-drivers.
In the three years it has been on the road,YNO7 AZP has clocked up the best part of 300,000km. Registered in June 2007 this Euro-4 truck has the D13D driveline with selective catalytic reduction and a six-cylinder (inline) design with its injectors electronically controlled.True peak power is 473hp (353kW) from between 1,400rpm and 1,800rprrt and maximum torque of 2,400Nm is achieved between 1,050rpm and 1.400rpm. Transmission is the Volvobuilt, 12-speed I-Shift, which has a direct-drive top gear. It comes with long-haul economy software.
The cab is the Globetrotter XL with Prestige trim. The interior has been given a spruce up. while the exterior has three additional Kelsa light bars fitted to the top, the grille and around the bumper.There are also two additional fuel tanks There's nothing to suggest there are any inherent issues to be concerned about and the service history shows that no major components have been replaced.
A day behind the wheel is not going to show any problems, so its important that buyers understand their rights if something breaks down. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, a consumer might be entitled to a refund, replacement. repair and/or compensation where goods are faulty or not as described. There are a few exceptions to this rule, including goods over the internet, so he wary.
If we could advise anything, it would be to make sure the buyer and vendor are in agreement when a deal is struck. A reputable vendor, certainly any franchised trader, will make good any issues, and in the case of YNO7 AZP, there is a manufacturer-backed service history You'll need to pick up the phone and ask about its price tag. CAP, which provides information on used vehicle pricing, suggest this truck is worth £32,500 (plus VAT) when retailed.
On the road
YNO7 AZP has averaged approximately 100.000km a year and is entering its prime. The first thing you notice is how well it handles 44 tonnes gross weight. Key to this is the 12-speed. 1-Shift transmission. It was one of the most advanced transmissions available on the market in 2007, so all the driver needs to worry about is chauffeuring the cargo.
Like all automated transmissions, it has a manual override and manual option. Driver trainers, whether employed or brought in, will probably advise the driver to "leave well alone': Our advice is to employ driver intervention and force the well-endowed engine to actually use the majority of its 2,400N m torque. rather than allow the engine-management system to change, favouring power when the going gets tough. The bottom end of the torque starts to fade out at 1,050rpm, and the ECU will look to change well before that in order to opt for power over torque. With longer hill climbs, the driver can plot the ascent and make sure the vehicle uses the engine properly. On shorter hill climbs. though, it's worth letting the engine find its place in the gearbox before taking over.
Judging the distance to the brow of a hill and the downward trajectory of the rpm needle is no different in an auto than in a manual. If the driver thinks it will make it without a change. they can save a little bit of fuel and momentum by not changing.
The other area where driver intervention is required is travelling at 40mpli. The driver can sit in top gear if it's empty. hut when fully-freighted, roads need to he assessed on their merit. Drivers should not be afraid to take control and change down before a hill is reached. It's worth remembering that the software for the transmission can only assess the part of the road it is in contact with, and the changing characteristics of the engine. On the motorway our designated test speed of 85kni/h allowed the vehicle to travel unhindered and working trucks to pass without creating a rolling roadblock.
On the return leg the Volvo held onto its top gear almost every time on the hill climbs, with the exception of the one on the M42 eastbound after .11. With torque overlapping at 1.400rpm into peak power. the driver has a clear choice, either let it lug or power over the apex of a hill, Lugging is the preferred option and it delivered a sound response each time we plumped for torque.
When we did have to drop a gear to 11th on the M42, the engine didn't hold as well when using power. but did plateau as soon as the revs hit 1.300rpm.
On a descent, the Volvo Engine Brake (VEB) stops the vehicle gaining too much momentum. There is enough scope to gain revs before you are encouraged to intervene and apply your foot to the brake pedal.
Manufacturers engineer trucks for an extended running period, so at around three years old and with 300,000km on the clock,YNO7 AZP's new owner is likely to get a welloiled motor. Handling and ride are meticulous, hut a steering mid-lift axle might help smooth out those tighter turns