Used Focus: MAN TGX 26.480

Anyone thinking of starting out as an owner driver would be wise to invest in a used MAN TGX. Why blow your savings on a show-stopping new Scania V8 when you can purchase something sensible like this instead?

Expand your business first, and then think about climbing up the ladder.

What makes it such a wise purchase? Well for starters, a TGX represents great value for money. There is also a wide range of specs available – engines, cabs, axle configurations etc.

Plus, there are numerous low-mileage examples on the used market today, and it’s easy to pick up a decent truck with plenty of life left in it for as little as £10,000 to £15,000.

What’s available

This week’s Used Focus truck is a TGX 26.480, which is offered for sale by MM Acquisitions in Preston. Whereas the majority of 6x2s were mid-lifts, this one is a rare tag axle example.
Tag axles are a bit like Marmite. On the positive side their short wheelbases make them more manoeuvrable in certain situations. Plus, traction can be improved in sticky scenarios. This explains why they are popular with timber, plant and aggregate hauliers. But, on the downside, they have a tendency to bounce about a bit when running empty with the tag axle lifted.

This truck dates from 2013 and is still in excellent condition. It features an XLX twin-sleeper cab (one down from the top-height XXL cab). It is a Euro-5 version – but don’t let that worry you – as it is the SCR version, which did not have the problems that blighted its EGR ‘Add-Nothing’ siblings.

Complete with automatic gearbox, the truck features a 2.9m wheelbase, tipping equipment, alloy hydraulic tank and alloy wheels. It also has chassis infills, on-board weigher, camera system, cruise control and hill start assist. It is MoT’d until the end of April. The truck, which has covered 593,424km, is finished in the previous operator’s livery. Some might see that as a plus point – after all, it’s not plain white, and a simple change of branding will result in an attractive, traditional livery.

CM's Opinion

MAN’s residual values aren’t class-leading, which is great news for used buyers. If you are looking for a cheap starter truck, or a short-term fleet expansion fix, you can’t go far wrong with one of these.

This example is priced at just £12,500, which, when you consider it has a tag-axle, appears to be a bargain. Add a 480hp engine and a high-roof sleeper cab into the equation, and you have a lot of truck for your money.

And don’t be put off by the mileage. MANs are built to last, especially when looked after, and there are plenty on UK roads that have covered in excess of
1 million km.

MAN suffered with its SCR-only Euro-5 models, which lost it some customers. While some never returned, those who did have been pleased to discover a far superior product.

To recap, if you want a decent-priced truck to get you going, that won’t financially cripple you, then you could do a lot worse than buying this TGX.
It ticks a lot of boxes.

For more information contact MM Acquisations

History of the MAN TGX

The boxy cab featured on the TGX first appeared in 2000 as the TGA model, but received numerous facelifts and tweaks over the years, the most recent being last year.
The cab was also used, albeit briefly, by ERF (2003 to 2006).

In typical Germanic style, the cab is offered in both full-width and 2.3m narrow versions, although given the latter was still 2.5m wide over the mudguards, the only benefit it offered was a slightly lighter kerb weight. Cabs came as day, sleeper or high-roof in narrow form, and as sleeper, high-sleeper and full-height sleeper options on the wider version. The day cab was considerably more spacious than that offered by rivals such as DAF, Volvo and Renault.

Under the cab were a variety of MAN engines. The later models had a choice of the D20, D26 and D38, although the former has since been replaced by the D15.

On the continent, 4x2s rule the roost, but MAN offers mid-lift, tags and small mid-lifts as 6x2s for the UK market. It means there’s an array of MANs for new buyers, which is replicated in the second-hand market.

MANs have respectable unladen weights, so offer a decent-enough payload. Fuel returns have generally been good, and the latest models are performing exceptionally well.