Advice on purchasing a truck regarding horse power

Hi everyone.

I apologize if this is in the wrong form, I was looking around and wasnt really sure where to put it.

I am from Australia and looking to purchase a new truck for the job that I will be doing soon. I have few options but my question is regarding horse power because I am getting some mixed advice. Its usually by people who are trying to push they product ie sales man, and they are telling me either I cant do it or some say I can.

So, I need a rigid truck which is going to be 8x4. I will be buying either DAF CF85 460HP or ISUZU FJX2000 350HP. Isuzu is demo from a dealer and DAF is new truck which is much more expensive. This is where the problem is.

Isuzu can take 18 tonne (39600 pounds) and DAF can take around 13 tonne (28600 pounds) BUT I also need to pull a trailer and trailer will be able to carry another 18 tonne.

That leaves me with Isuzu carrying around 36 tonne (79300 pounds) with 350HP and DAF 31 tonne (68300 pounds) with 460HP. Obviously DAF would be better but I wont be carrying that much weight often and it will all be highway work.

Price is whats keeping me from purchasing DAF but also Isuzu is ready to go because body is already on the truck. If anyone has any advice, please share

Thank you for your help

 

I feel that you are right, its this price difference that is playing with my mind. There is around $57000 (AUS) saving if I go with Isuzu and there is also advantage that it can carry more without the trailer. Question is, will 350HP be enough to pull all that weight?

 

Terrain that I will be pulling this trailer will be all mostly flat, with two small hills. It wont be on daily basis as well, twice or three times a week and not always full capacity.

If the job was everyday with that kinda weight and it had many hills than I would be looking at DAF only but I am leaning with Isuzu because its cheaper by quite a bit.

 

Fully loaded looks like this:
DAF is 13 tonne on truck + 18 tonne on trailer = 31 tonne
Isuzu is 18 tonne on truck + 18 tonne on trailer = 36 tonne
Those are all net weights.

I am just looking at Isuzu website, it has GCM of 42500kg so it means that it can not pull a trailer because Truck + Trailer with Isuzu is 55000kg.

 

DAF has lower payload because of heavier engine, but it also doesnt make sense that is has almost 5 tonne lower pay load.