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4th August 2005, Page 61
4th August 2005
Page 61
Page 61, 4th August 2005 — MAN
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Erf, Man Ag, Sandbach, Eta, Man Se, Laptop, Truck

In last years' test MAN was let down by the call handling procedure. No doubt backsides were kicked at Swindon — this year the phone was answered after one ring by the cheerful Maureen. She took our details very efficiently, giving us an incident number and completing the process in just three minutes. Eight minutes later she called back with what seemed an optimistic ETA of 15-20 minutes, but 191/2minutes later, the van was at the gate.

It's not just the MAN/ERF truck range that's a family. Brothers Richard and Peter White (the latter having only started the previous week as an apprentice) bowled up promptly from the local MAN/ ERF dealer The Truck Centre having received the call "TGA with no electrics".At the time Richard was in the workshop fixing an ERF ECX from the local ASDA depot, just across the road from our Argos breakdown site. "It had a top door hinge split and I'd taken the door off and had just welded it," he told us,"so it was quite handy for us."

Their little Courier was carrying the usual array of batteries, testers and fuses while White senior also had a MAN-cats II laptop diagnostic computer.TheTGA's electronic sophistication clearly requires some knowledge.— [hey are complicated," he confirmed, before adding with a determined smile,"but we do try "The laptop clearly helps when checking out fuses and relays and isolating faults. Richard White told us that clutch trouble can also be behind a typical call-out: "The drivers sit with a foot on the clutch and on the R7iA they can be quite sensitive. It's more abuse than wear." MAN's decision to adopt the Tipmatic auto as standard equipment should be good news, then.

When it comes to getting to breakdowns Richard White reports: The A421 can be a bit of a pig at times." He reckons that understanding the basic ins and outs of a vehicle will pay dividends in the event of a problem. "Learn the way to drive them— and use the handbooks."

Duration of initial call: 3min Time for ETA: 8min ETA: 15-20min Time to arrive : 31min

Tags

Organisations: ETA, Truck Centre

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