Merc Huh! You really don’t listen do you! 
From personal experience, things to be aware of if its the V6 engine.
Have a look at the history to see if the heads have been done, the liners move very slighlty up & down with the pistons (yes they are designed like that) which after a while causes a wear ring in the head, which in turn allows the head gasket to fail. This is a known fault and the replacement heads have been case harded to eleviate the problem. The new heads cost £250 each and there are of course 6 of them.
I had problems with the compressor constantly coking up, which led to no air being built up, this was apparently caused by the oil feed being a crap design, no fix was available.
The biggest bugbear was of course the fully automatic gearbox, very slow and prone to failure, I hope to god your hasn’t got one of these!
Of course, my Merc may have just been a bad one, but, the dealers are the same ones you’ll have to endure. Full R&M and the motor still fails the MOT three times in a row!!! 
Anyway, enough of my bad experiences, I hope that it all works out really well for you.
drove two 480 megas and both changed gear different.one was slow but merc are supposed to be able to do something via laptop? to help. also had a problem in italy when i got stuck in top gear(full auto)and the fitters did something to the box where it drove like a normal actros with the clutch pedal folded out. like any make/model you can get a bad one,hope you’ve got a good one. might be worth a call to the previous owner for a bit of history. good luck.
Paul, I run a 52 reg 2546 megaspace and its been a pretty good truck so far. I bought it just over 2 years ago and run it alongside a 52 reg 124.420 scanny. they are on identical work pulling slidaflex coil carriers at 44 tonnes. The merc averages 7.5 to 8.25 mpg while the scania averages 8.75 to 9.5 mpg, the merc also eats tyres the centre axle is a lift only where the scania is lift and steer and is far kinder on tyres.from a reliabilty point of view the scania is way in front and goes through 6 weekly inspections without a problem the only unscheduled repair was 2 front cab mountings replaced at xmas. The megaspace has had a number or problems a new intercooler rad, new header tank, new heater fan in the cab, new exhaust box, new door check strap, you get the picture always something but it has never broke down on the road or cost me a load. I won’t be rushing to buy another and shall replace it next year with a R480. The Actros is a well sorted motor these days and I have operated far worse a Renault and a Foden Alpha spring to mind but thats for another day. Good luck with it Paul and remember that fourth step when you get out or you will fall on your arse like I did 
it’s the semi auto job, dip the clutch to engage a gear job, when i test drove it didn’t find the box slow but obviously twenty minutes down the road is not the same as driving one all week.
i was that wary of buying a dog of which theres plenty about the fact that it’s come straight from merc and has been on full r&m from new (which hopefully means any probs have been sorted) swung me into buying it, seems with these for every two people you talk to, you’ll find one who hates em and one who loves em! theres a lad in our yard who runs three an 03 and 04 mega plus a v reg long distance, he really rates them and wouldn’t have anything else, i also know someone who has just took one back to merc at the end of a three year operating lease with the r&m and says he wouldn’t have another if they were giving them away with bags of crisps!
must admit i’m far from convinced i’ve done the right thing hence i’m sat here at 3.30 in the morning pondering (maybe that should read worrrying) about the wagon! spose the advantage of buying rather than leasing is that if after six months i can’t get on with it, it’ll be no bover to get shot for something else.
Is this the ex Deben one they were advertising the other week ? The Actros is a bit of a “motorway” truck from what I remember. From the experience I had they’re pretty solid as long as you look after them. I and my colleague put 675K on ours in just over 2 years. Head gaskets go at about 500k but most of our problems were caused by poor dealers and the ridiculous schedules the trucks & drivers had to put up with (Limestone Cowboy will confirm).
Good luck with the new motor, are you still pulling steel for Truswells ?
no mate that came to an abrupt end when two tossers from abs took over running the job, now pull for a large fence manufacturer who supply b&q and jewsons.
don’t know if it’s the same wagon, as the fella’s got a yard full of mercs all out of wentworth park.
Had a look at that MAN xxl today at EVS.
Paul you are right that it looks a little hardworked- all the blue paint peeling from wheel guards ! - shame though , i might have been tempted but seeing it is my first motor and spending hard earned cash i want something that is cherished - thats if such thing exists 
Good luck with motor mate, sure it will be a good un.
Come on Paul, wheres the pictures then?!
Paul b or anyone else shopping for a truck
Have you considered a rental truck?
I tell you why, I can only give you an example on Scanias but you will get the idea,
Scania Truck Rental, will rent you a truck, I think what you get age wise depends on how much you pay, but we have got quite a few customers that have rental trucks, several have them sign written etc,
because the trucks are owned by scania they are effectively on full R+M packages at no extra cost, breakdowns are covered (except chargeable items such as damage, where i believe truck rental pick up the bill and charge you, but don’t quote me on that), as are tyres tax and servicing MOT’s etc included
The only thing you pay extra for is damage, and i think punctures or damage to tyres worn ones are covered by truck rental
If you have a good local rental office you may even find yourself in a brand new or nearly new truck, as they try to keep the fleet fairly new
Now the one good advantage is if you decide you don’t want the truck anymore, ring em up and de hire it, job done, no contract tied to for 2 years etc, I have seen some people run a rental truck to decide wether they want to buy a new one,
Got to be worth a phone call surely? That way you are not paying for a second hand truck that might in a few months time cost you dearly and a few months down the line you decide you don’t like the vehicle you don’t have the hassle of trying to sell it on.
Hope this gives you some idea
Pete
well done mate for the brave decision , ive just picked up my 05 plate volvo fh12 auto , like you ive resisted the full r&m but gone for the volvo mbi and servicing which i reckon got for a decent price which includes belts every year and mots , talk soon and ill moan about the crap rates and cheap netto mars bars im getting , but im still my own boss and doing my own thing
megaspacedout:
Had a look at that MAN xxl today at EVS.Paul you are right that it looks a little hardworked- all the blue paint peeling from wheel guards ! - shame though , i might have been tempted but seeing it is my first motor and spending hard earned cash i want something that is cherished - thats if such thing exists
Good luck with motor mate, sure it will be a good un.
did you look at the long distance mp2 next to the gate? looked a tidy thing and may have been tempted myself if i hadn’t bought the megaspace.
porkifer:
well done mate for the brave decision , ive just picked up my 05 plate volvo fh12 auto , like you ive resisted the full r&m but gone for the volvo mbi and servicing which i reckon got for a decent price which includes belts every year and mots , talk soon and ill moan about the crap rates and cheap netto mars bars im getting , but im still my own boss and doing my own thing
any Pics ?
so how are the motors going ? porkifer and paul b
hugely impressed with the merc, this week covered 2,146 mile, although mainly light loads of fencing but an average of 9.2 mpg is still very impressive, a full load of timber back from inverness on friday and it pulled like a train! the cab is ridiculously big inside (single bunk with overhead lockers) and a very relaxed drive, to be honest i’ve heard one or two say they don’t like the box but i’ve found it very easy and can’t really see any problem.
obviously the real test is how much it costs to keep on the road and only time will answer that question.
If you think the bed is big, you’ve not laid on a MAN TGA bunk or a DAF SSC, anyhow …ANY PICS!
patience my friend, the wheels are in motion 
what, you’ve put the film into Boots and are waiting for them to develop it?
You’re motors moved from the stone age (ERF - Merc) so nows the time to change your camera! Can you still get thoses little flash cubes?
pics as requested
Looks tidy Paul hope she does you well mate
Tramper:
:lol: Can you still get thoses little flash cubes?
Showin your age there tramper…