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The Multistar has found its way to several South American fire departments, mainly in some of the larger cities.
While it is not clear how well it has been received there, it has not been well accepted in Europe. This is mainly because of its lack of stability and road performance - due principally to its unusually high center of gravity...
Added by Rob Johnson on 26 June 2018.
While it is not clear how well it has been received there, it has not been well accepted in Europe. This is mainly because of its lack of stability and road performance - due principally to its unusually high center of gravity...
Added by Rob Johnson on 26 June 2018.
Les:
It is possible that some of the Multistars which have shown up in South America may have been used units which were turned over (not literally!) by fire services in various European countries, including the UK.
There has been quite a steady pipeline of supplying used European fire trucks to South America for many years now, and this would not be at all unusual.
Of course we previously experienced quite a number of the similarly ill-fated British PHPs being sold off and exported after only a few years' service some years ago, with several ending up in Ireland.
It does seem sad that these fire services, often with awfully limited budgets, are spending good money to buy what they think is the latest technology, when in fact they are acquiring appliances that have been quite reasonably rejected by their original owners as unfit for purpose.
Added by Rob Johnson on 28 June 2018.
It is possible that some of the Multistars which have shown up in South America may have been used units which were turned over (not literally!) by fire services in various European countries, including the UK.
There has been quite a steady pipeline of supplying used European fire trucks to South America for many years now, and this would not be at all unusual.
Of course we previously experienced quite a number of the similarly ill-fated British PHPs being sold off and exported after only a few years' service some years ago, with several ending up in Ireland.
It does seem sad that these fire services, often with awfully limited budgets, are spending good money to buy what they think is the latest technology, when in fact they are acquiring appliances that have been quite reasonably rejected by their original owners as unfit for purpose.
Added by Rob Johnson on 28 June 2018.
How could a builder not realize that they a unstable and go ahead and sell them?
Added by Les Davis on 28 June 2018.
Added by Les Davis on 28 June 2018.
I too have difficulty understanding this. Perhaps Magirus would argue that if they are driven slowly enough they are safe.
But that is a difficult sales pitch to make to fire services, who make a point of getting to most incidents as fast as possible!
It does seem that most accidents with these (and most other fire trucks) involve cornering. Modern trucks have powerful engines and can both accelerate and cruise quite fast, unless a governor is installed on the engine. They also have much better brakes than in former years, so they usually stop well.
But what they do not usually have are suspension systems which permit rapid cornering, and this just gets worse if the center of gravity is too high, whether because of set of booms, an oversized and/or badly located water tank, or both!
The Multistar was originally conceived as a multi purpose aerial cum pump water tender for German volunteer fire companies who wanted an aerial, but did not have sufficient budget to acquire a new aerial unit which might only rarely be needed.
As Germany has no less than 22, 000 volunteer fire companies, this must have looked like a big new business opportunity.
But very few were sold, and most of the units which have been produced were exported.
In addition to its handling issues, which became obvious rather quickly, it was very expensive. And they missed the fact that German volunteers can always buy used aerials from larger full time fire brigades, which are almost always well maintained and perfectly fit for purpose, as well as costing a fraction of what they would pay for a new Multistar.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 June 2018.
But that is a difficult sales pitch to make to fire services, who make a point of getting to most incidents as fast as possible!
It does seem that most accidents with these (and most other fire trucks) involve cornering. Modern trucks have powerful engines and can both accelerate and cruise quite fast, unless a governor is installed on the engine. They also have much better brakes than in former years, so they usually stop well.
But what they do not usually have are suspension systems which permit rapid cornering, and this just gets worse if the center of gravity is too high, whether because of set of booms, an oversized and/or badly located water tank, or both!
The Multistar was originally conceived as a multi purpose aerial cum pump water tender for German volunteer fire companies who wanted an aerial, but did not have sufficient budget to acquire a new aerial unit which might only rarely be needed.
As Germany has no less than 22, 000 volunteer fire companies, this must have looked like a big new business opportunity.
But very few were sold, and most of the units which have been produced were exported.
In addition to its handling issues, which became obvious rather quickly, it was very expensive. And they missed the fact that German volunteers can always buy used aerials from larger full time fire brigades, which are almost always well maintained and perfectly fit for purpose, as well as costing a fraction of what they would pay for a new Multistar.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 June 2018.
Iveco
Added by on 29 March 2016.