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OPERATOR EXPERIENCE
Page 119
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FODEN S108 8 x4.
ORIGINALLY TESTED: 5/5/84. (Gardnerengined model tests 2/5/87; 11/5/85) ENGINE: CATERPILLAR 3306 B 270hp. GEARBOX: FULLER RTX1160B 9-speed. BACK AXLE RATIO: 5.29:1.
TESTED GVW: 30.44 tonnes.
OVERALL RESULTS: 5.24mpg/24.65mph. ORIGINAL TEST REPORT PLUS POINTS: Long life and reliability expected of Cat engine/ common spares situation for operators with Catpowered earth moving equipment/payload advantage/crisp gear changes/quick acceleration/ good brakes and steering/quiet cab. ORIGINAL TEST REPORT MINUS POINTS: no exhaust brake/only average fuel consumption.
Operator 1 has three vehicles under contract to a well-known quarry owner.
Operators 2 and 3 are both owner drivers engaged on motorway building projects.
All three operators had previous good experiences from Foden vehicles. Operator 1 operates three Foden S108's and had never had anything else. The one change that all three made was in specifying the Caterpillar engine. All had operated vehicles with this engine for a minimum of three years and all commented on the reliability of the unit.
Operator 1 had ordered the Cat in preference to his usual choice of Gardner 6LXDT as the reliability of his last Gardner had left him dissatisfied.
Again with their operations in mind, the three operators felt that the Foden was one of the best vehicles for the job. They spoke of low tare weights, exceptional chassis strength and general build quality. The best points were thought to be the suspension and cab comforts. The minus points were agreed upon as the noisy cab, lack of exhaust brake (with the Gardner) and the gearchange. Operator 3 described this as 'stirring a bucket of bolts with a stick'.
Dealer service was thought to be good to average and the cost of spares and service items in the same category. All three operators undertook their own servicing once out of the warranty period.