TIPPERS
Page 28
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TESTERS' CHOICE SCANIA P114 8x4 m by Kevin Swallow The obvious test for this category would be to ask Bob the Builder which of the three tippers on parade he would use if he lived in the real world. As Neil Morrissey was unavailable for comment, CM has taken the initiative and suggested a tipper for him. But, despite having only three contenders to choose from, it proved difficult to select an outright winner.
The 26-tonne 6x4 MAN 26.284 was edged out of the reckoning by nothing more than a lack of directly comparable tippers: it has many admirable qualities I(and is at least guaranteed a bronze medal). That leaves a brace of 32'tanners: the 8x4 Scania P114 and the 8x4 Daf 75CF. The Daf was tested hot on the heels of the Scania in mid-June and was billed as a tipper more than capable of dealing with all types of work bar "muck and bullets. It is designed with payload over
power in mind and, despite tippermen's
traditional lust for power, its results cer
tainly impressed us. The 9.2-litre 320hp engine produced an excellent drive and there were no doubts over its ability to put in a solid day at the office.
The gripes proved minor but ultimately decisive. The price tag was higher than the Scania's and cab storage proved insufficient. Tippermen might only have a hard hat, some paperwork and a sandwich box to cater for, but there was no space behind the seat— and thin door pockets provided poor back-up to space in the headlining and the centre tray.
We also questioned if a 32-tonne tipper with a relatively small engine would survive three years of daily slog from building site to waste disposal tips and back again.
Our tester said at the time that no fleet manager will receive a P45 for specifying an 8x4 Scania as it represents a pretty safe bet. In fact, it shines in many areas—not least its 335hp, 10.6litre engine which returned slightly better fuel figures than the Oat We found that the driving experience in these two vehicles was separated only by the Scania's slightly more powerful engine.
Another issue that swayed our judgement was the price difference between these two evenly-matched competitors: at the time, the Scania was markedly cheaper than the Daf. Although the Dafs payload was 200kg higher than the Scania's, this was more than cancelled out by the Scania's slightly better fuel return. We also noted that the Scania's rear axles are designed to take 700kg more weight with its heavy-duty chassis.
The storage stakes were well in favour of the Scania, with plenty of areas to stash the tipper driver's essentials, as well as our tester's clutter. At tickover the Scania was notably quieter than the Daf and scored points for its superb drum brakes, which came with ABS, and gave notably shorter braking distances than the Daf.
Another factor in the
Scania's favour was an impressive twoyear repair and maintenance deal. Oafs two-year/unlimited distance cab and drivefine cover through Daf Aid was not to be sneezed at, but manufacturers are realising that cover for the entire vehicle can have as much influence on prospective buyers as fuel return and list price.
MAN offers its customers one year unlimited-distance warranty with second-year driveline cover up to 200,000km.
We tested the 6x4 MAN 26.284 at the start of the year, and it stood up well enough in the 26-tonne category with decent fuel returns and a very nice price tag. It handled well in the wintry conditions and, despite the usual bleat about storage and lack of a decent entry step, the MAN was well received.
The 6.9-litre 276hp engine impressed the CM team; on the road it felt like we had more than 300hp on tap. If it had had a partner in crime to compare with the MAN might well have pipped its larger competitors at the post.
In the end our Testers' Choice is the tried and tested Scania with its more powerful engine, cheaper price tag and aftersales service. But that's no adverse reflection on the Daf or MAN.
And yes, we do realise that Bob's yard is only big enough for a 4x2 tipper, but we didn't test one of those.