ex-govt deefer; good or bad?

[POD]

I posed this question in another thread but it is buried in other discussions-
is the fact that a used vehicle is ex-government a positive or negative factor? Obviously they are maintained regardless of cost, but does that offset the potential abuse?
There are a few ex-govt 130s around the country in used car yards. I'm going to look at one next week that has been a vic railways vehicle. This one had the track-riding rig on it. I've really got no idea what sort of a life these vehicles have, and whether those heavy railway wheels and hydraulics cause long-term problems.
I'm working nightshift over the weekend so may not get back to this thread until Monday, but any knowledgable advice would be much appreciated.
Peter

[abaddonxi]

There are a couple of people on here with the ex-government 130's. From their reports, they are loaded up and it is worthwhile checking the chassis outriggers and suspension mounts for cracks in the welding.

Ah,

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/24520-ex-telstra-130-strengthend-chassis-diff.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/25058-specs-ex-telstra-130-crew-cabs.html


Cheers
Simon

[JDNSW]

I really don't think it is either positive or negative - each vehicle has to be looked at on its merits. As you say, being a fleet vehicle, it should have been properly maintained - but being a fleet vehicle it is likely not to have been treated like the driver would treat his own vehicle.

I don't know about the vic railways ones, but the similar ones I have seen in NSW have been pretty heavily loaded in use. This suggests that careful inspection for a cracked chassis would be a good idea. I seem to remember they tend to crack near the front tray mounts, but someone with direct experience might want to comment. (repairable, but something to beat seller down on)

John

[Larry]

It all depends on which department the vehicle has come from.
We bought a Land Cruiser in 1990 at auction that was from the Australian Museum, two years old, 60,000 km, lots of accessories (I don't think the winch had ever been used:thumbsup:) & very well looked after.

Other agencies, such as State Rail, I wouldn't even think about.:no2:

But that's just me.:D

[Boxhead63]

I agree with Larry i wouldn't touch an ex rail vehichle, even if i knew the allocated driver or how well it was maintained. In NSW the ex Railcorp track reco and construction fleet has been changed over in the last 18mths from the old Ford Couriers to the latest 4.0l model and the new hump backed Tritons, the old Couriers being sent to auction or sold in general sale to RC staff, (the latter happened to very few) keep in mind there were hundreds of these vehichles, most of them specced up with winches, canopies, bullbars, lights etc. $1100 was close to the top price payed for most of them.
Any other Gov. Dept. i would think think the vehichle was worth a good look at. Railways fleet, you would want JC himself to go over it, but then again he was a carpenter, not a mechanic.

Cheers

[one_iota]

Railways fleet, you would want JC himself to go over it, but then again he was a carpenter, not a mechanic.

Cheers

:Rolling:

[justinc]

I agree with Larry i wouldn't touch an ex rail vehichle, even if i knew the allocated driver or how well it was maintained. In NSW the ex Railcorp track reco and construction fleet has been changed over in the last 18mths from the old Ford Couriers to the latest 4.0l model and the new hump backed Tritons, the old Couriers being sent to auction or sold in general sale to RC staff, (the latter happened to very few) keep in mind there were hundreds of these vehichles, most of them specced up with winches, canopies, bullbars, lights etc. $1100 was close to the top price payed for most of them.
Any other Gov. Dept. i would think think the vehichle was worth a good look at. Railways fleet, you would want JC himself to go over it, but then again he was a carpenter, not a mechanic.
Cheers

Actually, I AM a Mechanic:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

:Rolling::Rolling::Rolling::Rolling:

JC

[Gillie]

All the ex railway 130's that I have looked at have been in atrocious condition. They are certainly given a hard life. I am not sure if kilometers traveled on the track shows on the odometer. Maybe someone could clarify this.

[Boxhead63]

Motivation or drive for these vehichles is the same as if they were on the road. Yes, mileage is clocked up, but generally speaking the motors are left idling for hrs. on end. Therefore, the hrs. these things run for is anyones guess. I couldn't imagine this would be to good for them. LR or not.

[scarry]

A few years back(around 10,how time flys)Mate of mine bought an 80 series tojo ex QLD police for a song.It had winch,bulbar,after market springs.
He used it for work,did 320k and never had a repair,not even an oil leak,or a clutch.

Just normal maintenance stuff,brakes,tyres,batteries,etc

[rick130]

Mines an ex NT Bush Fire Council CC and they are flogged and heavily loaded with big water tanks etc. so the chassis was cracked.
Actually haven't gotten around to fixing that yet, but it's only been six, or is it seven years .........? :D
It also came with all the fruit.
Physically it had dents all over, but it's actually been OK mechanically, only had the clutch lever break at 220,000km (replaced plate, etc at the same time)
About to click over 245,000km too.

[isuzutoo-eh]

when state rail was selling off S3s (?) many moons ago, potential buyers were warned that they had done as many K in reverse as forward. Not sure if current rail regulation allow reverse running of Hi Rail vehicles but worth a mention

[abaddonxi]

when state rail was selling off S3s (?) many moons ago, potential buyers were warned that they had done as many K in reverse as forward. Not sure if current rail regulation allow reverse running of Hi Rail vehicles but worth a mention

According to Ferris Bueller, putting it up on blocks and leaving it running in reverse doesn't wind back the clock.:D

[POD]

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking of the heavy dolly wheels etc, hadn't occurred to me the effect of them running a lot on the rails. I know that at least up until recently, the railway dolly wheels were driven directly by the road wheels, so the vehicle was in reverse the whole time. And this does indeed wind back an odometer. I believe there is a more modern system with an idler arrangement so the vehicle rides the rails in forward gears, not sure whether this is widely used though. So, a vehicle that has been spending as much time taking km off the odometer as putting them on, has spent hundreds of hours running in reverse- and has no doubt spent those hours at high revs in order to get anywhere- then has been left idling in between times. Think I'll strike the ex-railway vehicles off the 'desirable' list then.
The museum one would have been a good find. Are there any other govt agencies that use these vehicles nicely?

[JDNSW]

I would be very surprised if any modern speedos had an odometer that would reduce reading when run in reverse - in all the speedos I have had apart the counter is actually operated by a ratchet that is driven by a crank via reduction gears. The ratchet has the same effect regardless of the direction the crank is driven.

Further, the only 130s I have seen actually operating on rails had the wheels turning in the normal direction, with the tyres running on the rails, the railway wheels serving only to guide the vehicle.

But I still think they will have been pretty much flogged! As with any second hand Landrover, the condition matters much more than the age or mileage.

John

[abaddonxi]

Rural fireys. There were three up for auction earlier in the year or late last year in apparently excellent condition. I've heard of others as well.

Cheers
Simon