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Page 77
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The key to success for independent used truck dealers is quality over quantity. Get the right vehicles and you're quids in. This month's Taking Stock reviews a classic from Smith Brothers — a Scania Topline.
Typical. Just as Commercial Motor shows up at Smith Brothers' yard near Widnes in the middle of a heat wave the sun disappears, the clouds pack the sky and the rain comes tumbling down. Luckily for this month's Taking Stock Stephen Smith picked out a truck bright enough to make up for this dark overcast day.
A good quality. late-year Scania is on the wish list of most dealers, independent or otherwise. Everything about its reputation gives dealer and customer alike the confidence to do business.
Top-of-the-range Scanias ooze quality and desirability, leading to impressive residual values, helped by the fact the used market isn't swamped with them. Smith picked up a pair of 2002 52-plate 4x2 R164 Topline tractors from an international operator in Birmingham — answers on a postcard if you recognise the haulier's colours.
In keeping with the 'international' tag, BF52 J XL comes with two 700-litre fuel tanks and the Classic-spec cab. It has leather seats, aircon, a sunroof, two bunks (one over the windscreen; the other on the rear wall) a sliding passenger seat for extra leg room, and a glossy black and grey interior.
Optional extras have been taken off or were never specced so the cab doesn't come with a fridge, just a storage box behind the engine cover.The dark interior is in stark contrast to the orange and blue paint job._ not all trucks can be white!
The driveline comprises the 480hp version of the 16-litre V8 with a 14-speed direct-drive GRS900 gearbox.The operator ran with 385/ 65/22.5 wide-single front tyres but that aside this R164 is as it was when it rolled off the production line three years ago.
It's plated at 40,000kg and the tractor comes with a 7.5-tonne front axle capacity with 11.5 tonnes on the rear — all standard stuff. Behind the cab is a sliding fifth wheel and lead-up ramps. It looks a little crowded on the blue-painted chassis, but that's down to the size of the fuel tanks.
Spot on
This example was first registered in September 2002 and it's clocked 417,000km, which is spot on according to CAP Red Book's average mileage estimate. Smith Brothers has priced 13E52.1XL at £42,500 (ex-VAT).
When we arrived the service history wasn't on hand but Smith assured us that it was completed by an approved Scania dealership (the mudflaps revealed which dealer sold it originally). To date, no major components have been replaced.
The stick-on livery had been removed to leave a clean exterior.The only sign of damage is on the rear-axle wheel covers which have a few slits over both sets of wheels.This is normally caused by not putting enough air into the tractor when uncoupling and hooking up the trailer; it's strictly superficial.
Drivers, especially when they double up have a love/hate relationship with the Topline as the top bunk is above the windscreen, but it does offer plenty of internal space for one driver.
A dark colour always helps when it comes to hiding wear and tear inside the cab but after a prolonged inspection we couldn't find any real flaws.That's either a credit to the driver or to Smith Brothers for its valeting; we suspect the pristine condition is down to tender loving care by the former and a decent job by the latter.
The interior isn't in entirely mint condition. It does look like it's been lived and worked in, but its clean and tidy, and doesn't have any damage which would age the vehicle prematurely. •