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REVIEW
2017 Scania R 730: Operator Review
There's no tougher test of a truck than slow speed, stop-start driving – which is why Melbourne-based Tony Roussos has relied on Scania for the past 19 years…Purchased from his father, Tony Roussos's business, Suarez Nominees, specialises in transporting asphalt. It is slow, hard, dirty work, conducted in tight conditions and often at night.
The job entails taking the old asphalt that’s been dug up to the Downer EDI plant, located in the outer eastern Melbourne suburb of Bayswater, where it is crushed, recycled and mixed with new materials then transported back to the site.
Once on site, Tony drives along at around 10km/h, 'feeding' his load of new and recycled materials into the giant road machines that turn the mixture of ingredients into roads.
Scania through and through
Throughout his career Tony has been a loyal Scania owner and although he has owned a couple of Americans and Europeans, he quickly returned to the Scania brand.
His first Scania was a 1984-model 112 followed by a 113, then over the years, a 143, 450, 460, 480, 500, 580 and a 620, as well as twin-steer models.
All up Tony has owned 10 Scanias, with his latest being the recently purchased top-of-the-range R 730 V8. So, did the love of Scania's come from his father?
"No," says Tony.
"Dad had another European truck which he bought new in 1987 and kept for 27 years until he retired.
"I started off driving Dad's truck and to be honest the first Scania I bought came with a contract, which got me into the place.
"It grew on me and since then I have pretty much remained with Scania ever since."
Smart trailer
At the same time as the arrival of the R 730, Tony took delivery of a new bespoke trailer – a first for the asphalt industry in Melbourne. Although it looks like a tipper, it’s not.
Built by Trout River Trailers in Hallam, Victoria, it's a state-of-the-art trailer with a walking floor. Inside is a conveyer belt that feeds the bitumen into the machine that lays the road.
"It's fantastic to operate and makes working in inner suburbs so much easier, as I don't have to worry about power lines anymore," Tony says.
One visit to Tony's workshop and you quickly realise why he has chosen the R 730. Under cover are a couple of very special V8 passenger vehicles undergoing restoration in Tony's spare time.
"I'm all about the horsepower to be honest; as you can tell from my office and my workshop, I'm into cars.
"In 2009 I bought the Scania R 620, which was the biggest at the time, and I have just sold it to a guy who works for me. The R 620 was a great truck but now I have the R 730 – the same as the Holden Racing Team."
V8 disciple
After owning 10 Scanias Tony knows every nut and bolt in them, and the standout feature for him is their reliability – especially the V8s.
"If you keep up with maintenance you won't have a problem," says Tony.
"I've got my own workshop and every weekend I am underneath it greasing it and looking for anything that might have come loose or worn between major services. But, to be honest, we've rarely been off the road with any problems."
Tony is certainly enthusiastic when it comes to the V8 engines that power his Scanias past and present, claiming they are bulletproof.
"I love the power and torque; I can't get enough of it," he says.
"My R 730 has a 14-speed Opticruise automatic gearbox. The performance of the R 730 especially on hills is the best. I've yet to come across a truck that can beat me up the hills. They say the American trucks have better power but I suck them up in my air cleaner and shoot them out my exhaust pipe – and it is very easy to drive."
Room to move
Manoeuvrability is a key to Tony's work, operating in confined spaces and new estates with their never-ending winding roads and cul-de-sacs.
"The turning circle is unreal," says Tony.
"That's why I love the cab-over design of the Scania. It is easy to get into these jobs and move around."
Each year Tony averages 120,000 kilometres and, like any business owner, he keeps a close eye on overheads. With a gross weight of 46 tonnes, operating in the most punishing environment for a truck – urban stop-start, slow-speed driving – the R 730 is averaging an impressive 2.3 kilometres per litre loaded and up to 3.5 kilometres per litre when empty. And to maximise tyre life he regularly rotates them – his work includes a lot of turning, which quickly wears them out.
Dandenong difference
Scania's unsurpassed reliability has helped grow Tony's business over the years and there has been little if any downtime.
His R 730 was purchased through Scania's Dandenong factory-owned branch. Not only was Tony happy with the deal he received from salesman, Ben Nye, the customer service also impressed him.
"I've never had anything major put me off the road with any of my Scanias and while there have been minor issues, the willingness of the boys at Dandenong to get me back on the road quickly is fantastic," he says.
"I know them all well and they are a great bunch of blokes; they know their stuff and they love what they do."
Tony undertakes the day-to-day maintenance on the R 730 and it came with a Scania three-year service plan. After owning it for just 10 weeks it's already clocked more than 30,000 kilometres.
No turning back
"I tried an American brand once to see what it was like," says Tony.
"The cabin was small and the seats uncomfortable, which is the opposite of the Scania.
"A couple of my mates own American trucks and I let one of them drive my Scania and he couldn't believe the difference. He's now just bought an R 730 almost identical to mine, and he thanks me every day for letting him try mine.
"I know I could have bought a smaller, lighter model to give a bigger payload, but I've done the hard yards and this truck is a bit of a reward to myself. I'm enjoying my job now with the R 730 more than I ever have before."
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Written byHoward Shanks
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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