Nextdrop:
Firstly thanks all for the responses - just to clarify the truck will usually do 4-5 nights out per week both on long distace uk and doing se england to germany , france and the like but occasionally we spend longer away ive just had a unit go to finland and we are doing Greece for the first time in a couple years.
Loads tend to be machinery and boats not big ones and things like motorhomes. All things like straps and chains we tend to carry on the various trailers either in bulkhead lockers or side lockers.
I would love to using something like a new merc gigaspace thing but I’m priced out !
Well personally I’d much rather do European work in a Premium than do UK work in a big cabbed truck. As for being embarrassed driving one, it’s a job and there are far more factors to job satisfaction for me than just what truck I drive and if another driver wants to look down on me or ridicule me for driving one, I think they must have a few issues that I’ll never understand.
Nextdrop:
Firstly thanks all for the responses - just to clarify the truck will usually do 4-5 nights out per week both on long distace uk and doing se england to germany , france and the like but occasionally we spend longer away ive just had a unit go to finland and we are doing Greece for the first time in a couple years.
Loads tend to be machinery and boats not big ones and things like motorhomes. All things like straps and chains we tend to carry on the various trailers either in bulkhead lockers or side lockers.
I would love to using something like a new merc gigaspace thing but I’m priced out !
beanie:
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the French use them. Look around and see what TRANSALLIANCE, LANDAIS, GIRAUD and SAMAT operate.
Times have changed in France, perhaps you’re basing your judgement upon what you see (or saw) over in the UK? Giraud no longer exists; Transalliance use mainly Spanish or eastern subbies; Landais is a small firm and not really a reference for wider French tastes and SAMAT (like ND) use whatever comes at a good price.
A lot of French firms still use Premiums, I guess ours has over a thousand, mainly 460hp versions. They’ve been a successful truck, many of them run 24 hours (distribution work in the daytime, trunking at night) and give few probs. The current 460 does pretty well on fuel too, especially with the taller diff ratio. The front cab anti-roll bar has a tendancy to crack, and you need to carry a few spare bulbs/fuses, but our depot fleet manager says they’ve been as reliable as anything he’s run in the past (Scania, Daf, etc)
Like many others have said already the seating position isn’t the best. They need to fit a Volvo/ Isri seat, and sort out the legroom as even the LHD models are pretty cramped. I was never a huge fan of Premiums before but now, doing 3000-odd km a week in one, I don’t mind them at all.
I think fan belt tensioners are a bit of a weak spot on Premiums. Most of our fleet are 10regs and seem to have suffered from this, some more than others. Mine is an 11reg and has been fine so far, so maybe its something that has been sorted by Renault now and is nothing to worry about.
Pimpdaddy:
+1^^^^
Even ND are now moving to DAFs so what does that tell you…!? They look absolutely ugly IMO, a real embarrassment to be seen in one. Volvo engines aren’t the best on fuel consumption I think, you can get better mpg in other types running @ 56 even…
Decent motors for decent drivers #simples!
That DAF probably offered Norbert Dingledangles a better deal than Renault did.
Is it an old one,as I thought the latest version was the 460?
Ken.
Thanks ken I need to check this out tomorrow morning my emailed quote says 2012 Renault Premium 450 Dxi premium with a few options including the “excellence”
Let us know.
10bhp is neither here nor there, but I have driven a 460, and it was a very recent model, 11 plate iirc.
They come in 3 flavours, Alliance, Privilige and Excellence. I would have thought that the Excellence comes with the underbunk fridge as standard, but I don’t know. It may well be an option on them all, but if I were you, I would have it.
I’ve driven Premiums from the 385 to the 460, and I have to say, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to drive one, as I think the latest ones are about the best fleet truck out there.
The fridge does come as standard on the exellence and yes they are options on the others.My seats are also isri and both are on air.They have lumbar support.I honestly cannot fault mine at all.If you are going for a premium the driver or yourself if the driver will appreciate it more.Slightly different seats,different visor,factory fitted hands free built into the stereo and headlight washers aswell as the fridge.Not many of the excellence around where i live infact the only other one i have seen was one of keedwells from down south.
Talked it through with my accountant - because of my end of year is what she said plus its a good deal I have had a magnum 480 of them before on contract hire for a year and it was a good truck and no hassle when it went back after its year. If I buy s/h which sometimes I do most premiums whilst in good value and condition tend to have worked on fairly mileage intensive operations.
This a brand new truck no waiting list which has to be good.
Ok then fair enough, for me if it’s not a scania, DAF, MAN or Volvo then it’s not good enough… I don’t know about actros, nobody has ever trusted me with one of late, second hand is not a bad idea…
Pimpdaddy:
Ok then fair enough, for me if it’s not a scania, DAF, MAN or Volvo then it’s not good enough… I don’t know about actros, nobody has ever trusted me with one of late, second hand is not a bad idea…
The renault driveline is volvo these days but a new cab comes out next year.Dont be up your backside until you try it
Pimpdaddy:
Ok then fair enough, for me if it’s not a scania, DAF, MAN or Volvo then it’s not good enough… I don’t know about actros, nobody has ever trusted me with one of late, second hand is not a bad idea…
Well I used to think the same, traditionally I have been a Volvo man, I still have 1 scania - a 124-470 brilliant truck never cost me a thing but it is getting on a bit 6 years old.
I love a 105 SSC with either a 460 or 510 the problem is unlike Renault, DAF look to build to order and aren’t trying to buy Market share at the moment whereas I can sign for the renault and go and pick it up.
A brilliant drive pulls very well,comfortable superb on fuel,brilliant auto box (I shift) best bunk ive ever slept on in a truck,good mirrors.Poor interior space,very poor external lockers,cab too narrow to see skelly pins when droping on a 40ft container.lack of room for your left leg.A good choice for an Od or small business.makes a lot more sense than 500/600/700 BHP trucks working in the UK
Nextdrop:
I love a 105 SSC with either a 460 or 510 the problem is unlike Renault, DAF look to build to order and aren’t trying to buy Market share at the moment whereas I can sign for the renault and go and pick it up.
105 is good all round on curtains & fridges, only tried the sc but it was a 410. DAF have always had lead times I think, unless you drop lucky on a cancellation…
cant you go back to another Magnum? i think if i was tramping down to Greece (as i once did, for a year, in a SSC) I would pick a Magnum over a Premium if i was looking at Renault.
And i would imagine the driver would be happier with a Magnum?
The gearbox is better on the renault and the engine break is on par with the volvo.My premium out pulled a brand new 460 daf on friday up the bank on the A1 where you come off for A64 and i was bang on 44 tonne.The daf was pulling a container and i had me bulker on.
starfighter:
I think the 450 is the 11litre and the 460 the 13litre.
460 is the 11 litre too. Just the updated version of the 450. I don’t think you can get the 13 litre in the Premium. Only the Magnum. 13 litre starts at a 480 i think.
Driven quite a few Renault Premium from 08-61. Personally, I think they’re OK. Never spent a night in one but I wouldn’t spend a night in any truck so that isn’t a criticism. Lovely autobox, reasonable engine and fuel economy. AdBlue a pain but that isn’t unique to the Premium.
It’s a bit dodgy on the electrics - but it’s French so it would be… Mostly just bulbs and messages saying there are faults that don’t exist.
It’s arguably the best value truck out there at the moment.
starfighter:
I think the 450 is the 11litre and the 460 the 13litre.
460 is the 11 litre too. Just the updated version of the 450. I don’t think you can get the 13 litre in the Premium. Only the Magnum. 13 litre starts at a 480 i think.
Ah I was getting confused with our FM 450 and FH 460. The Volvo guys said the FH had the Volvo engine and the FM the Renault one. Thought the Premium has the 13litre Volvo lump too.
it’s a job and there are far more factors to job satisfaction for me than just what truck I drive and if another driver wants to look down on me or ridicule me for driving one, I think they must have a few issues that I’ll never understand. 
Mostly just bulbs and messages saying there are faults that don’t exist.