18 tonne lorry or 2 x 3.5 tonne vans
Discussion
Looking at comparing the cost of running 2 vans or an 18 tonne lorry
If I get an 18 tonne lorry it will be used to make 2 trips to stoke on trent a week and two maybe three trips to North London (I am based in Bedford) Obviously we will be able to use it for other trips as the business expands but I juust need some idea of the running costs of a second hand 18 tonne refridgerated lorry. doing approx 800 miles a week have about £20,000 to spend on the lorry or £20,000 to spend on a second van.
If I run vans I will only need to go to Stoke on trent 3/4 times a week but London 6 to 8 times
Insurance
MPG
Likely maintenance bills
Hourly rate for driver
I have a price for the 6 weekly check
And anything else I may have missed
I am leaning towards the two van route, I would need one full time driver, plus I could drive when required and also work in our unit when not driving if I go the van route
Thanks in advance Colin
If I get an 18 tonne lorry it will be used to make 2 trips to stoke on trent a week and two maybe three trips to North London (I am based in Bedford) Obviously we will be able to use it for other trips as the business expands but I juust need some idea of the running costs of a second hand 18 tonne refridgerated lorry. doing approx 800 miles a week have about £20,000 to spend on the lorry or £20,000 to spend on a second van.
If I run vans I will only need to go to Stoke on trent 3/4 times a week but London 6 to 8 times
Insurance
MPG
Likely maintenance bills
Hourly rate for driver
I have a price for the 6 weekly check
And anything else I may have missed
I am leaning towards the two van route, I would need one full time driver, plus I could drive when required and also work in our unit when not driving if I go the van route
Thanks in advance Colin
Bear in mind an 18 tonner is going to have a payload in the region of 9 tons
So for each trip the truck would make you would need 6 in a van if you were looking at running near to full payload.
18 tonner is likely to do 15-18mpg, a Sprinter for example will be around 25mpg depending on how it's driven but you have to take into account the fridge unit on the van will run off the main fuel tank whereas the 18 tonner will have a seperate tank.
So for each trip the truck would make you would need 6 in a van if you were looking at running near to full payload.
18 tonner is likely to do 15-18mpg, a Sprinter for example will be around 25mpg depending on how it's driven but you have to take into account the fridge unit on the van will run off the main fuel tank whereas the 18 tonner will have a seperate tank.
You might find that a 3.5t fridge payload could be considerably less than 1200kg.
18t would need very careful consideration, euro emissions? 4,5,6 ?
Weight limits in the delivery areas ?
£12 ph drivers rate for 18t fridge work ,O licence cost ?
Breakdown coverage on an 18t ,fridge cover ?
18t would need very careful consideration, euro emissions? 4,5,6 ?
Weight limits in the delivery areas ?
£12 ph drivers rate for 18t fridge work ,O licence cost ?
Breakdown coverage on an 18t ,fridge cover ?
TooMany2cvs said:
colinrob said:
Trouble with 7.5 tonne is it can only carry about 3 tonne so it def better having the vans
And a 3.5t van can carry how much...?also
once a year MOT after 3 years, no tacho, no O -licence, No operating centre shenanigans ... 50 /60/70 speed limits
ZX10R NIN said:
If you're driving into London don't forget the ULEZ which will have an effect on what truck you buy I'd say a 7.5 ton will be the better option.
3.5 tonner - anyone with a cat B licence can drive 7.5 tonner, O licence, tacho cards for all drivers , driver CPC for all drivers and manager CPC needed , maintainance contract, approved operating centre ...
if the vans don't make sense financially you may as well go for a 10- 18 tonne truck ...
I have a 7.5T Canter with curtainside and it can carry 4.1 tonnes. I run this alongside a Citroen Relay van. Quick deliveries at low cost = Relay Van Larger loads/Full deliveries = Canter. It's very economical too @ 22mpg ish
Take a look on Mercedes web site....got the canter at 1% interest rate so some very good deals around and you get a good warranty too.
Take a look on Mercedes web site....got the canter at 1% interest rate so some very good deals around and you get a good warranty too.
Edited by BishBosh on Tuesday 5th July 16:34
BishBosh said:
I have a 7.5T Canter with curtainside and it can carry 4.1 tonnes. I run this alongside a Citroen Relay van. Quick deliveries at low cost = Relay Van Larger loads/Full deliveries = Canter. It's very economical too @ 22mpg ish
Take a look on Mercedes web site....got the canter at 1% interest rate so some very good deals around and you get a good warranty too.
The problem with the Canter is they are perhaps the worse vehicle to drive that's ever been built. Incredibly uncomfortable, pathetic little engines with no guts and the build quality is shocking. That's why no-one uses them except the gullible that bought all the salesman's patter on how great they are and how cheap the finance is.Take a look on Mercedes web site....got the canter at 1% interest rate so some very good deals around and you get a good warranty too.
Edited by BishBosh on Tuesday 5th July 16:34
One thing not mentioned by the OP is how heavy is the product? Having done a lot of fridge work over the years, as a general rule the product tends to be heavy/close to max weight. Your 1.2 kg payload on a van could well mean that you can legally only take 1.5 - 2 pallets of product, and depending on the wheel base, that could be 2 pallet spaces wasted. On an 18 tonner fridge wagon you would be able to take 9x 1 tonne pallets by putting a single pallet in the middle on the head board and then 4 rows of 2 pallets behind. A typical 18 tonner would have a 10 tonne payload but as it'd be a fridge motor you'll lose the best part of a tonne on the cherry tank and fridge gubbins.
The comments by others about O-licence apps/cost and all the monitoring, red tape and conformity that goes with it are well worth noting. I would say if you can comfortably max out the cube in the vans without going overweight then definitely stick to 2 vans unless the business expands to the point where you can fully utilise the 18 tonner every day.
All that jazz said:
The problem with the Canter is they are perhaps the worse vehicle to drive that's ever been built. Incredibly uncomfortable, pathetic little engines with no guts and the build quality is shocking. That's why no-one uses them except the gullible that bought all the salesman's patter on how great they are and how cheap the finance is.
One thing not mentioned by the OP is how heavy is the product? Having done a lot of fridge work over the years, as a general rule the product tends to be heavy/close to max weight. Your 1.2 kg payload on a van could well mean that you can legally only take 1.5 - 2 pallets of product, and depending on the wheel base, that could be 2 pallet spaces wasted. On an 18 tonner fridge wagon you would be able to take 9x 1 tonne pallets by putting a single pallet in the middle on the head board and then 4 rows of 2 pallets behind. A typical 18 tonner would have a 10 tonne payload but as it'd be a fridge motor you'll lose the best part of a tonne on the cherry tank and fridge gubbins.
The comments by others about O-licence apps/cost and all the monitoring, red tape and conformity that goes with it are well worth noting. I would say if you can comfortably max out the cube in the vans without going overweight then definitely stick to 2 vans unless the business expands to the point where you can fully utilise the 18 tonner every day.
Well I have to disagree, I have run them since 2003, I do drive them as well as have my employees drive them daily. No complaints. The only gripe I have is that the speed limiter is set so that everything overtakes me on the motorways, however I think that's not too bad as I don't end up having to overtake except on hills where I can keep up my speed and the big riggs slow right down. Off the lights it's very quick but then I went for the most powerful engine, less stress lots of power better at holding a full load and strangely more economical. Why would I buy a 7.5t truck only to carry less weight just to be more comfortable? Business is there to deliver the max within the rules for the least cost and the Canter does that much better than a daf with it's silly 3.5t payload. Nothing to do with being gullible but actual research into what is right for your companys operations.One thing not mentioned by the OP is how heavy is the product? Having done a lot of fridge work over the years, as a general rule the product tends to be heavy/close to max weight. Your 1.2 kg payload on a van could well mean that you can legally only take 1.5 - 2 pallets of product, and depending on the wheel base, that could be 2 pallet spaces wasted. On an 18 tonner fridge wagon you would be able to take 9x 1 tonne pallets by putting a single pallet in the middle on the head board and then 4 rows of 2 pallets behind. A typical 18 tonner would have a 10 tonne payload but as it'd be a fridge motor you'll lose the best part of a tonne on the cherry tank and fridge gubbins.
The comments by others about O-licence apps/cost and all the monitoring, red tape and conformity that goes with it are well worth noting. I would say if you can comfortably max out the cube in the vans without going overweight then definitely stick to 2 vans unless the business expands to the point where you can fully utilise the 18 tonner every day.
I change my truck 3 years ago last time so it's on a 2013 plate. Just past it's 3rd mot without issue, I did look very hard at the alternatives out there and nothing touches it for the amount I can carry. I will run it another 2 years then look again.
Take this with a pinch of salt if you like but I actually run one so speak from experience.
If weight is not important then something else will probably do
BishBosh said:
Well I have to disagree, I have run them since 2003, I do drive them as well as have my employees drive them daily. No complaints. The only gripe I have is that the speed limiter is set so that everything overtakes me on the motorways, however I think that's not too bad as I don't end up having to overtake except on hills where I can keep up my speed and the big riggs slow right down. Off the lights it's very quick but then I went for the most powerful engine, less stress lots of power better at holding a full load and strangely more economical. Why would I buy a 7.5t truck only to carry less weight just to be more comfortable? Business is there to deliver the max within the rules for the least cost and the Canter does that much better than a daf with it's silly 3.5t payload. Nothing to do with being gullible but actual research into what is right for your companys operations.
I change my truck 3 years ago last time so it's on a 2013 plate. Just past it's 3rd mot without issue, I did look very hard at the alternatives out there and nothing touches it for the amount I can carry. I will run it another 2 years then look again.
Take this with a pinch of salt if you like but I actually run one so speak from experience.
If weight is not important then something else will probably do
If the drivers are happy with them then clearly they haven't driven anything else!I change my truck 3 years ago last time so it's on a 2013 plate. Just past it's 3rd mot without issue, I did look very hard at the alternatives out there and nothing touches it for the amount I can carry. I will run it another 2 years then look again.
Take this with a pinch of salt if you like but I actually run one so speak from experience.
If weight is not important then something else will probably do
What is the limiter set to (from the digi tacho display, not what it says on the dial) ? If the tacho display is showing anything less than 90kmh then take it to the dealer and get them to up it. Don't let them fob you off with "ah, this is the Eco variant, sir, they're all set to 85kmh and we can't alter it". MAN tried that one with me and lost. They can be legally set to 90 on both the pedal and the CC but no higher. Alternatively if you get on the interweb and look for truck remapping companies, most will also do speed limiter adjustments so long as they have the dealer package. It's about a 10 min job once they've hooked up the laptop to the OBD port.
I wouldn't say that a 150hp engine is particularly powerful in a 7.5 tonner these days either. The MANs at the place I'm driving for are 180s and even they feel rather gutless, although in fairness I'm used to driving a 480hp tractor.
If it works for you then fair enough, but a 4t+ payload on a 7.5 tonner with a 150hp engine isn't going to be flying past many big rigs on hills!
Gassing Station | Commercial Break | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff