Makes of Lorrys - Opinions?

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Carrots&Mints

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looking for a lorry to buy, not a massive budget unfortunately, looking at around the old Leyland Dafs, the old Mercs and the Ivecos which seem to be popping up within our budget.

Any reviews, tips hints and another other things that you can think of?
 
I have an old Merc (814). She's not fast and took a little bit to learn how to drive (upside down gears, sharp brakes) but is reliable and solid-and every mechanic/lorry driver/horse transporter I've met since I got it has told me to hang onto it.
 
How small a budget? If it's really tiny, luck with have lot to do with it!

Agree with MoC's Merc comments, both the other two are in fair supply. Some people love Ivecos, there's a view they where more downmarket than the Leylands and not as well built.

With both, the chassis can rust but that's usually not terminal. The cabs can just fall apart though.

Mechanically anything pre-electronic will be fairly easy to fix, but parts prices can be steep - and as they are now out of production there are fewer pattern parts made and even s/h stock is less good.

Don't knock other makes out of hand, I have a Renault Midlum and it's superb.

The first thing to do should be to find a really good mechanic who will do a proper pre-purchase inspection for you. There are real bargains to be had, but there are also eveil dangerous money-pits waiting for you!!!
 
Ive had Daf, Iveco and Merc 814 and IMO each has its pros and cons but with an older vehicle Id definately go with the Merc. My mechanic says they are bullet proof, go forever, simple to repair and rust the least in an older vehicle. I sold my newer Daf last year as it was just too big and wasnt getting used enough to downsize to a trailer which I hated. I put a wanted ad on Preloved and Monty Merc found me! :) Hes old, he isnt quick off the mark but he appears solid and is fab! Def agree with the getting used to driving one, this was the reason I sold my last Merc but I didnt want to spend a fortune and for me if buying old, then it had to be a Merc. Im currently driving it without horses in as the upside down gears mess with my head ha ha.
 
I'd had an old Mercedes 709D and it was fab. Mechanic as above really rates them as reliable, will go on for years and easy to maintain. I loved Betsy as she was called :) but sold as horse semi-retired and not getting enough use out of her.
 
Carrots&Mints said:
looking for a lorry to buy, not a massive budget unfortunately, looking at around the old Leyland Dafs, the old Mercs and the Ivecos which seem to be popping up within our budget.

Any reviews, tips hints and another other things that you can think of?
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I have had 1 Cargo then 2 Iveco Cargo's and I love them - easy to drive and give the horse a smooth ride. I would not buy anything else and easy to maintain.
 
We have A Layland Daf (R reg) and love it, it drives beautifully compared to some other Lorrys i've been a passenger in.

Our commerical driver friends reccommended Daf when we were looking with Merc being their other option but we didn't see many of those atall! I've driven 3 different Daf's (our R reg manual, 13t 07 plate 4over4 gear shift, 64 plate 22t auto) and all drove wonderfully.
 
I have an L reg (92) Leyland Daf 45 which is still going strong. I paid £3500 over 3 years ago, but have had to spend probably about £2500 over the 3 years resolving issues with brakes (leaking) and ignition electrics, plus odds and ends. It's heavy - wooden build - and slow, but now the electrics are sorted it starts every time on first try, and it pulls up any hill albeit slowly. Parts are easy to come by, and mechanics like it. Before I bought it the cab had been resprayed, and looks like new. It has only done 160,000km (I have all old MOTs), so fully expect it to go on for many years yet.
 
Ive got an old merc 814. Every time I take it for plaiting the mechanics rave about. The mechanic who looks after it for me, also loves it. They all say the same thing, cracking truck, basic , so easy to maintain. As others have said hes not very fast, ( definitely a he, hes called malc.) but he gets us where we want to go. Malc drives like a car too, very easy.
 
Asha said:
Ive got an old merc 814. Every time I take it for plaiting the mechanics rave about. The mechanic who looks after it for me, also loves it. They all say the same thing, cracking truck, basic , so easy to maintain. As others have said hes not very fast, ( definitely a he, hes called malc.) but he gets us where we want to go. Malc drives like a car too, very easy.
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Mine is called Maude :D

both the local recovery companies who have worked on mine for MOT etc say they used to run the 814s on their fleets and loved them. I do confess I didnt find it the easiest to drive and it took a fair amount of practice for me-OH found it far easier.
 
Asha said:
Ive got an old merc 814. Every time I take it for plaiting the mechanics rave about. The mechanic who looks after it for me, also loves it. They all say the same thing, cracking truck, basic , so easy to maintain. As others have said hes not very fast, ( definitely a he, hes called malc.) but he gets us where we want to go. Malc drives like a car too, very easy.
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MotherOfChickens said:
Mine is called Maude :D

both the local recovery companies who have worked on mine for MOT etc say they used to run the 814s on their fleets and loved them. I do confess I didnt find it the easiest to drive and it took a fair amount of practice for me-OH found it far easier.
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Sorry to jump in on your post :( but hope you dont mind me asking MotherOfChickens and Asha a quick question.
Im fine going up and down the gears, its just when I have to go from say 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd, my head goes to mush as I cant think what gear Im in, with them being upside down. Do you think of yours having a 4 speed box and kind of forget 1st, so 2nd is 1st etc. Ive actually put a sticker on the dash but its still messing with my head lol Im sure the more I drive him, the better I will get.
 
Thanks for the advice Guys - We ended up buying one this weekend which was well within our budget. I said to mum, I preferably want a tilt cab as its easier for the mechanics, or if not I wanted a coach built one that's been done properly. So I was happily browsing away on Friday at work (probably had work related stuff to do but horseboxes are obviously more important), and happened to stumble among this wagon on Ebay, so I watched it for the day as it was ending in the eve, and it didn't sell. So I got in touch with the lady who owned it and asked her if we could come and view, she was only an hour down the road. Its a bit older than what we were originally looking for but it ticked all of our boxes and most importantly it was safe. So its coming home with us this weekend :)
 
Oh its just a little L Reg Leyland Daf, Coach Built, Tilt cab and has a Luton. Got a decent living with oven hob and 3 way fridge, little tack locker or could possible be loo room? Horse area has solid wooden floor with rubber matting, the walls are EVA matted and PVC lined. Does have outside tack lockers which I was a bit dubious about, but we don't have any loons that will be travelling so can't see this being a problem. Chassis looks well no obvious signs of rust. Abit of rust on the cab doors but we have a company who are on the same yard as our stables that will weld that up. I am going to get all the locks changed as they did seem very very stiff but that's all I could knock it for. Perfect for me and mum :)
 
Dads a hgv driver and machanic and when we went looking it was either a daf or a merc and tilt cab or he wasnt fixing them 😂

He hates iveco ( nickname is I Vibrate Everything Comes Off! 😂)

Get it looked at before you buy too make sure the engine is cold before you start it up.

Just seen your up date. Really pleases for you we have a 91 plate leyland daf and its brilliant
 
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Landcruiser said:
OP, you have bought my Lorry's twin sister!
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Is yours blue? lol!

Slightlyconfused said:
Dads a hgv driver and machanic and when we went looking it was either a daf or a merc and tilt cab or he wasnt fixing them ��

He hates iveco ( nickname is I Vibrate Everything Comes Off! ��)

Get it looked at before you buy too make sure the engine is cold before you start it up.

Just seen your up date. Really pleases for you we have a 91 plate leyland daf and its brilliant
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Thanks for that, the lorry was definitely cold when started and it started perfectly without any issues and we took it for a drive for a good 20 mins no issues, its only done around 150K - my car has more miles on it!

After reading reviews on the Iveco - we decided to stay well clear of them, they are cheap but cheap for a reason I think. I did have a merc as my preferred choice but not a lot on the market at all!

I think we just happened to stumble on a bit of good luck with this one.
 
I've had a Bedford, a DAF, a Cargo and now have a MAN for sale (cheap!) and the MAN is a superb engine, fantastic gearbox and clutch, trouble free brakes, and the chassis/cab is rust free at fifteen years old.
 
I have an old iveco and appart from the odd spot of welding, a clutch slave cylinder and part of the exhaust ive not had to have any work done on it in the last 10years.
Has taken me up and down the country and never missed a tick.
 
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