“OEM parts are better quality without a doubt,” says Paul. “The price has got to be competitive, but the warranty adds at least 10-20% value.”
All FUSO Genuine Parts carry a minimum 12-month warranty, which extends to 24 months if the part is fitted by an authorised FUSO dealer. While Paul and his crew of 12 do the lion’s share of maintenance in-house at their Seaview workshop, they depend on expert assistance when required from Diesel and Equipment Services Ltd just down the road.
“It’s handy having an authorised FUSO service dealership right on your doorstep,” says Paul. “I know [owner and director] Richard [Dalzell] from our days as apprentices together; we have a good relationship and his team do a great job for us.”
Outside of servicing trucks under warranty, DESL provides overflow support during busy periods and runs a back-up 24/7 emergency call-out service.
“A lot of our paving crews work at night, when traffic volume is low; we have a mechanic on call to deal with any issues in the fleet, but DESL is always available as back-up should we need it,” says Paul.
“During our busy periods over the summer months, we use DESL for any overflow maintenance work that we can’t handle ourselves.”
Operating from Wellington to Levin on SH1 and Mount Bruce on SH2, across to Castlepoint on the East Coast, Fulton Hogan’s lower North Island fleet has increased by around 20% over the past three years on the back of the region’s major infrastructure upgrades.
The FUSO mix consists of Canter, Fighter, HD and Shogun trucks, some of which have racked up more than 500,000km over 12+ years of service. Paul says a combination of careful servicing and overall reliability is the reason for their longevity.
“We look after our fleet – to give them a long life and to ensure they stay on the road more than they do in the workshop,” says Paul. “FUSO trucks are generally pretty solid.
“When you consider that these trucks are proven in what they do for us, along with the support we get from DESL and easy access to parts, FUSO will continue to be in the mix for us.”
