What a company looks for in a demonstrator

[danny]

So when national express take a demonstrator, what exactly are they looking for that makes the perfect bus for the job, and how do they eventually decide to place an order with a manifacturer, hows 1908 looking in terms of future orders for example.

[PM]

Looks, cost, interior, reliabilty, easiness to maintain, popularity with staff and passengers

[andy]

Looks, cost, interior, reliabilty, easiness to maintain, popularity with staff and passengers

1. Initial cost
2. Fuel economy (probably nearly on a par with cost)
3. Maintenance costs ie. warranty available, parts, location of supplier workshops for servicing and repairs
4. Quality and ease of up keep of bodywork

Looks and interior are normally circumstantial.

[Bob]

The above cant have been taken into consideration when they ordered B6's and Excels lol theyre both crap buses, B6s for overheating and Excels for reliability

[andy]

The above cant have been taken into consideration when they ordered B6's and Excels lol theyre both crap buses, B6s for overheating and Excels for reliability

The problem with reliability and things like overheating is that you can't really assess those over the period you get a demonstrator, plus it is only one bus. It is always a bit of a gamble unless you can consult somebody else who operates the same vehicle.

[Discodave]

The above cant have been taken into consideration when they ordered B6's and Excels lol theyre both crap buses, B6s for overheating and Excels for reliability

Cost thats why Arriva have VDL buses cheap and nasty just like darts hence the envrio 200 at West Brom wonder how long they will last once out of warranty bet they will soon rattle and sound knackered like the dennis darts

[Bob]

Are SB200s cheapskate buses then dave? i hate the way the engine /gearbox screams when they try and put foot down or even pull away

[Stu]

The above cant have been taken into consideration when they ordered B6's and Excels lol theyre both crap buses, B6s for overheating and Excels for reliability

I'm pretty sure that when they were brand new the B6LEs didn't overheat, and the Excels were reliable. Time takes its toll, unless you can test a demonstrator for 14 years, you've no way of knowing how it will turn out in the future!

We're all raving about the new buses now, but what condition will they be in in 10 years time?

[PM]

The above cant have been taken into consideration when they ordered B6's and Excels lol theyre both crap buses, B6s for overheating and Excels for reliability

I'm pretty sure that when they were brand new the B6LEs didn't overheat, and the Excels were reliable. Time takes its toll, unless you can test a demonstrator for 14 years, you've no way of knowing how it will turn out in the future!

We're all raving about the new buses now, but what condition will they be in in 10 years time?

I can predict that in ten years time the omnilinks will be cracked up, broken and dead and the wright eclipse 2's will still be running sweet as a nut. And I dont know why companies still buy optare buses-even go north east has decided that versas are sh*t and they want to buy something else. It seems to be rotala that dont have a clue when buying buses: plaxton primos, mcv evolutions, and optare versas and optare versa hybrids-look good for about a week then rattle and break down. Tho to be fair, the MAN/centros are great and went on 3 today-lovely and warm and comfortable-yes, I dont mind the urban 90 seats probably because Im not thin  ;)

[Liberator9]

The Scanias will last; they are strong, have good engines and actually don't rattle as nearly as much as Optares. The rattling these days is coming mainly from one thing. The ticket machines and really it isn't the bus makers who decide on that. The Wrights will last a long time for sure but Optare are the only maker I wouldn't send any orders to now. The buses (have Solo Srs and Versas on our route) and they are unreliable, pretty rough riding at times and the axles creaking and squeaking on a two year old bus is hardly reassuring. ADL, Mercedes Citaros and MCVS are excellent and I'm confident that the Eco city and City smart from MAN are going to be good too.

[PM]

Agree about Optare-Mercs, ADLs, MAN's are good I agree tho not so sure about MCV-their build quality doesnt seem to be up to much

[Tony]

MANs are good hahahaha

Even Stagecoach are struggling to keep MANs running
Rotala reailised the mistake of buying big batch, and got shot of them as quickly as possible. The Plaxton bodies on the ones they still have are better then the MCVs, but MAN chassis are naff

[Liberator9]

Oh didn't know that; thanks. That would explain why Stagecoach moved over to Scania.

[PM]

MAN are nice buses for a passenger. They are smooth, really fast, comfortable and they cant be that bad as absolutely loads of them run in Europe and around the world. Rotala's MAN bodied centros seem fantastic as a passenger

[Discodave]

Are SB200s cheapskate buses then dave? i hate the way the engine /gearbox screams when they try and put foot down or even pull away

Drove the sb120 and sb200 from new and never known a bus with so many faults flashing up it was like playing bingo I got four corners then a full house and a breakdown that was 2701 been on road for 2 weeks Daf had to come out and then towed back what a joke (never knew what it was but same happened to 2702).  The fitters were supposed to be trained in repairing them but have just been left to rack and ruin.  The Ex Telford ones 37** were just as bad a liitle more powerful but the screaming engine and box have been like that since new just been programmed to be gutless.  I drive Daf trucks and they pull well and smooth but just when sitting inside feel they have been built to a price like the buses,  controls in driver unfriendly places uncomfortable seat, cramped cab and bunk compared to the simlar powered volvo,scania and MAN even on there basic spec they are just better and worth the extra money.  Why do you think Stobart has mainly Volvo and Scania they just make better motors and even NXWM buy decent volvo sd buses cant comment on there deckers after tridents (Was a WA/WN driver)  but I had no probs with them.