Deals On Wheels #454

Big boys. Western Star and Kenworth were bought largely
for roadtrain runs to the north-west but consolidation saw
some moved to container work where they struggle to
match Scania on fuel
For driver Dan Owens,
there’s a lot to like
in the G-series cab.
Comfort and ease are
high on the heap
High praise. “They’re
sensational on fuel,” says
Warners operations manager
Geoff Underdown, “and a
perfect fit for this work”
fuel figure around 1.6 km/litre (4.52 mpg) for a
Kenworth K104 powered by a 550 hp C15 Cat
on much the same work.
“They’re way behind on fuel, no matter
how you look at it,” he states.
Geoff further insists that constant analysis
of fuel consumption through the on-board
fuel monitoring function highlights the
value of the ‘Scania Driver Support’ feature
in encouraging drivers to simply drive better
and more economically.
Still, he agrees an inherent preference for
American gear among some drivers is not
easily swayed. “Our general policy is ‘one
driver, one truck’ but that doesn’t always suit
what we do. Even so, some just don’t want
to know anything different but more often
than not, we find that once they get to drive
the Scanias, most attitudes start to change.
Sometimes, very quickly,” he smiles.
Similarly, he cites Scania’s driver training
as a valuable asset in achieving the best from
the driver and the truck, quickly adding
that the multi-stage retarder has led to a
significant increase in brake life.
Yet while fuel economy and importantly,
a high level of standard safety features, are
the main attractions, overall comfort, easy
access in and out of the cab, and reasonable
service costs are also high on the list of likes,
according to Geoff Underdown. “And the
local dealership is close by and on the ball,”
he asserts.
Quiet for a moment, Geoff insists, “For
our local work, the G500 is a no-brainer.
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