Used Mercedes Benz Econic: 12 issues to know before you buy
You are 12 potential issues to know about before you buy.
Truck Buying Advice - Lucy Radley
September 2, 2020
Click here to view all of the used Scania P Series tippers we have in stock.
Scania vehicles, and particularly Scania rigids, always present a challenge when it comes to finding points used buyers should look out for. Scania prides itself on reliability, after all, and the fact that it is a struggle to identify faults backs that up. Indeed, several operators told us it was precisely because they never had any problems with their Scania 8x4s that they kept on buying them, one going on to say: “You pay a lot more up front but the uptime is unbelievable – no ABS faults, no broken springs, no chewing through brakes or anything.”
Bearing this in mind, here are the issues we have been alerted to, some of which, in fairness, are more to do with used tippers in general.
1. Tipping body floor
Tipping body floors need particularly close inspection to ascertain whether they need to be replaced – or whether they have been already – especially if the bodybuilder in unclear. Problems in this area not uncommon once vehicles reach five to seven years old, depending on what they have been doing.
2 Mirror arms
In common with other P-series trucks, older examples with aluminium mirror arms are vulnerable to corrosion, resulting in the mirrors themselves rattling around.
3 Brackets
Quality of brackets used by bodybuilders to attached side guards etc varies considerably, some being far better than others. Best to check before purchase.
4 Gearbox
The gear linkages and universal joints are prone to failure in models fitted with manual gearboxes.
5 Electrics
Reports of odd pairs or batches of trucks as recent as 16-plate needing ECUs, or generally having “unreliable electrics”. Check history where possible – vehicles that have had these problems tend to keep having them.
6 Second steer pivot bushes
Trucks on muck-away or quarry work sometimes show problems with second steer pivot bushes if drivers forget to regularly grease them. Close monitoring recommended.
7 Steering idler arm
Steering idler arm prone to problems due to lack of grease, caused by awkward positioning, which means it often gets missed.
8 Shackle pins
Along similar lines, the shackle pins close to the exhaust sometimes cause issues as their position means that the grease is melted out by the heat.
9 AdBlue
Generalised AdBlue faults, including pump issues, NOx sensors and erroneous warning lights displaying on the dashboard.
10 Diffs
Examples of diffs needing replacement once vehicles reach four to five years old if they have been on particularly rough work.
11 Software
As with many vehicles used in the construction sector, 8x4 tippers are often maintained in-house by operators and never see a Scania dealership. It is, therefore, vitally important to ensure that all software updates have been done and to continue to present the truck for further updates from time to time.
Click here to view all of the used Scania P Series tippers we have in stock.
