After 18 years, DAF and Paccar Australia are celebrating the sale of their landmark truck
Paccar Australia has sold the 4,000th DAF vehicle in Australia, with Steve Brown of S&J Brown receiving the keys to the milestone truck.
Sold at Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe in New South Wales, the 4,000th truck marks the second milestone truck this owner-driver has received from DAF after getting hands on the first CF85 in the country.
“It was a bit of a surprise, being the 4,000th truck, because I was also their first CF85 customer in 2002,” Steve Brown says.
“I tested out some of the competing vehicles, but in the end the CF85 got me over the line because being a previous DAF owner, I knew it was going to be very reliable and productive, and Suttons came up with a good deal.”
Brown first came into contact with DAF after trading in his Ford Louisville 14 years ago, just a few years after starting work as a car-transporter.
“Back then it was the first European truck I had ever driven,” he says.
“Being the first Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe CF85 customer, I got to choose the number plate: DAF430, which related to the engine being 430hp.”
Brown has chosen a 6×4 FTT as his newest truck, shipping with a ZF 12 speed AS-Tronic transmission and a 13-litre Paccar MX engine at 460hp.
“All up I’m carrying around 35 tonne, which includes seven cars,” he says.
“The DAF has a really good tare weight so it lends itself well for our needs and it’s got that balance of performance.
“And I’ve got to say, the quality of the ride you get out of the truck with the sound proofing — it’s comfortable, quiet and easy.
“It’s like driving a car.”
Since first arriving in Australia in 1998, DAF’s local range has expanded to include the LF, CF75, CF85, and XF105 series trucks.
Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe, which has operated as a servicing location for 80 years, has been selling models since the dealership side opened in 1998.
“We’re delighted that Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe was able to deliver the 4,000th DAF,” Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe DAF sales manager Daniel Glynn says, the team member who sold the milestone truck.
“I feel very proud we were able to deliver this milestone.
“The CF series is a very well kept secret in some respects, in a very competitive market segment, but once customers get in it, drive it and take ownership, they simply re-order.”
Originally selling DAF trucks in Ireland, Glynn arrived in Australia in 2008 and has won the 2014 Paccar Rising Star Award on his way to becoming the DAF sales manager at the dealership.
“Suttons Kenworth DAF Arncliffe was my local dealer so I dropped in a resume and before I knew it, I had the job,” he says.
“From my perspective, the awareness of DAF trucks has improved significantly and they’re very much accepted.”