Excellent Mb Trac Record

Posted on Friday, 3 July, 2015 by Frank

Last month we spoke to James Farquharson of Farquharson Farms in Aberdeenshire who own a fleet of MB Tracs. James’s father bought his first MB Trac in 1982 (before James was even born!). It was a 900 turbo followed shortly after with a 1983 1000. James’ love for the MB Trac started at a young age, growing up around them and the first tractors he drove.

James told us they currently have a fleet of four MB Tracs on the farm; a 1985 MB1500 (the only original to the farm); a 1986 MB1000; a 1989 MB1600 Turbo; and a 1990 MB1100. They also have new U400 "S-trac" forward control sprayer (based on a Unimog chassis).

We asked James the role the MB Tracs play on the farm and he explained the MB1000 with 2000 litre demount sprayer is used to supplement the farm spraying in tricky seasons and for spraying grassland. The MB1100 sits on flotation wheels all year round and pulls a set of 12m cambridge rolls as well as raking silage. The MB1500 is used mainly for haulage; it pulls a 10,000 litre bowser of liquid fertilizer to the fields when sowing. And the MB1600 they have only acquired recently so are yet to decide on its job description.

We asked if the MB Trac were up to the job at hand and proving beneficial. James claims the small tracs are very good for demount sprayers as they are light, very well balanced and don't burn a lot of fuel, and the larger trac models are well suited to haulage because of the extra power, suspended front axle and the higher road speed.

James believes the key features and benefits of a MB Trac are excellent fuel economy, reliability and ease of replacing parts, even an original 30yr old rusty bolt will come out and re-use without stripping the threads!

His advice to any potential buyers is as long as there is oil in the engine (and it is black) and a good gearbox (as they can be expensive to repair) then you can't go far wrong. He says it’s not down to the hours it’s done, but if it’s been loved or tortured and the way it feels when you drive.

What Our Customers Say

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I couldn't recommend Simon and the team highly enough, they sorted all transportation and took all the stress out of the situation. A1 service guys, thank you

Nick & Martin

Apex Tree Surgeons

"Atkinson Vos know what they are talking about and offer great advice whenever you need it. They are always ready to help at the end of a phone line too."

Gerard Bredenoord

"Brilliant company to deal with and a really helpful group of people who know what they are talking about."

Ben Mauger

"First contact with Atkinson Vos became a success, smooth ordering parts, great prices, great support. Fully satisfied customer from Sweden."

Lars-Erik Bammis Ohlsson

When I bought my U1000 “Rustbucket” , Simon gave me a fair & frank appraisal of its condition. The mog was cleaned and shipped professionally with no issues upon landing here in Australia. Since then, AV has provided me with excellent spares support and the occasional bit of advice. Posting was always prompt and economical via Royal Mail – this has taken a lot of the pain out of restoration. Highly recommended.

Pieter

Atkinson Vos not only supplied my Unimog some years ago but they have been ever present when I needed any advice or assistance. My Unimog recently underwent a full refurbishment in their workshop and I have to say the result has been nothing short of superb. My Moggy is not only in great mechanical shape but it looks great too. Top marks Atkinson Vos.

James Mc Donnell, Ireland

Whenever I drive my MOG on to their yard, I have a feeling of excitement about the opportunities for upgrade and improvement that Atkinson Vos offers. Anything is possible, and everything is done to a very high standard!. Atkinson Vos prepared my Unimog to an excellent standard. Their aftersales service is great too.

Roelf

Hi Simon, The shims arrived last week. My unimog is now running perfectly! Thank you a lot for the excellent service, I really appreciate it!

Casper Hanekamp

We have been using Atkinson Vos for a number of years now, they have carried out some upgrades and all servicing and repairs, their staff are friendly and always willing to help. The workshop guys always offer advice and easy fix solutions over the phone and on the odd occasion visited our workshop to view and inspect the vehicle. I would not hesitate to recommend the company, Thanks to all the staff.

Chris Brayne

Super Rod Ltd

I have waited many years to start my expedition RV project and the team at Atkinson Vos has helped to bring this to fruition. Appreciated the quick responses to the myriad of questions I had additionally the support from build to delivery state side. Many thanks to the entire team at AV.

Mike Greenberg

"We have always prided ourselves with finding the best qualified people available, be they doctors, lawyers, engineers, or whomever. We applied the same process to finding our dream Mog Expedition Camper and have not been disappointed with Atkinson Vos. Paul and Emma both have done superb jobs answering our many questions and leading us through the purchasing / export / import process. Based on their performance to date, we are confident Atkinson Vos support will be there in the future where ever our travels may take us.”

Mary & J R Argo

"Atkinson Vos are the absolute experts on UNIMOGS in my opinion. They offer wonderful advice apart from sourcing spares and thereby make things so much easier" "I would go to them rather than any German supplier for my UNIMOGS. All put together, it's the best package deal." "Simon and Frank are passionate in what they do and men of their word. That's what I think sets them apart. They have literally turned me into a Unimog addict."

Solomon Benjamin

"We first met with with Atkinson Vos at the Adventure Overland Show in Stratford-upon-Avon. Frank and Paul had really impressed us as hosts and as a result we were determined to travel to the headquarters in Bentham. After a smooth discussion with Simon and Frank, we were certain that we found the partner to upgrade our Unimog. Two weeks later work had already started! We have too many kind words for Simon, Emma, Paul, Mark and the rest of the team to fit in this testimonial! Their knowledge and expertise in Unimogs made us feel assured. We were helped and cared for throughout the whole process, They are a phenomenal team, and we enjoyed the time we spend with them, Thanks guys! Souren and Kati"

Souren and Kati

"The inspection of my Unimog was executed thoroughly and the itemized repair quote was reasonable. In short my Unimog is a testament to the fantastic work delivered by Atkinson Vos. This is a compliment coming from someone who appreciates quality work and has an eye for detail."

Joe Dos Santos

After taking on bigger tree work as my business grew, I knew I needed a Unimog. After doing my research on different commercial vehicles sold in the UK i found Atkinson Vos and I felt I was in good hands. The quality of service, care and reliability from Simon and his team has been a really good experience. The team have built my Unimog to the exact spec of what I needed. I'm over the moon with it. I'm getting lots of feedback from customers and passers by that are impressed by the green machine. I would highly recommend Atkinson Vos to anyone that specialises in Arboriculture.

Jon Welfare

All Seasons Tree Care

“Thank you for sorting out the Unimog parts. Well chuffed at the minimal corrosion and the quality of the bits. Thank the boys from the workshop for me. They were brilliant helping us load up. “

Tim Richardson

County Construction & Development

"Mark has done a fantastic job and in poor weather conditions too, he resolved an unexpected pump failure and replaced it in time for us to use the Unimog almost immediately after he finished. Our unimog has been on some high profile jobs since Mark left and has impressed all who have seen it in action"

Jim

Forth Logistics

"As a company owner Great British sports cars in the automotive sector, I know how important it is to have a team that offers great customer service but also has the depth of technical knowledge of their products, this has been especially helpful with a personal project of mine restoring an 1969 Unimog 416 were finding people that really know there stuff has been invaluable."

Richard Hall

Great British Sports Cars

We own an expedition camper, built on a 1990 Mercedes Benz 4WD truck. While the mileage was low, we were worried about parts that might have suffered from age. Atkinson Vos gave the truck a comprehensive survey and then performed a week’s worth of repairs and upgrades. The result is like having a new truck. Wonderful to work with people who really understand this type of vehicle. Our highest recommendation.

FREDERICK COOK

Emma and Paul, Just a quick message to let you know the Mog was delivered on time and very professionally this morning. Thank you for arranging the transport quickly after our haulier let us down a couple of times. I hope to use Atkinson Vos again in the future as the Mog has exceeded all expectations, the paint finish, and the overall cleanliness of the machine is second to none. Many thanks again to both of you for a smooth sale and for keeping us updated throughout the process.

Bradley Moncrieff

Landpro Contractors Ltd