Coach House Antiques, a trade-only furniture and giftware supplier based in Accrington, recently purchased two DAF XF 480 FT trucks, which will join the company’s 28-vehicle, all-DAF fleet. Both tractor units feature Super Space Cabs and have gross combination weights of 25 tonnes. The company plans to keep the DAF duo in operation for eight years, specializing in multi-stop deliveries.
“We run light, and we find the relatively large engine size delivers excellent economy despite being tasked with demanding multi-drop duties,” says Allen Jones, transport and distribution manager at Coach House Antiques. “We regularly see returns in excess of 10 mpg. This relaxed engine characteristic means we can extend the truck’s whole-life prospects – we replace them every eight years with approximately 750,000 kilometres on the clock.”
Super Space Cabs
The Super Space Cab in each of the DAF XF models is key for Coach House Antiques because its trucks typically run “all week.” They also serve as an incentive for drivers to stay with the company long-term, including a number of drivers that have been employed for more than 20 years. “We really do have some first-rate drivers, thanks in no small part to the trucks we supply them,” says Jones. “The big DAF engines really take the stress and strain out of the job, and nights away are more than manageable in the Super Space Cabs. A happy driver is a productive driver.”
Strong Dealer Relationship
Although Coach House Antiques has its own team of technicians, which Allen says “are all conversant with the DAF product,” the company has stuck with DAF brand not just for the quality of the trucks, but also for its experience with the brand and its local dealer, Lancashire DAF. “We enjoy an excellent relationship with our supplying truck dealer, Lancashire DAF in Preston, and we’re delighted with the overall DAF partnership,” says Allen.
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