@mondyboy81 Good comment. I drive Solos now and again and hate them. Reason being, they are wollowy, vibrate like hell on idle and the steering feels so light, but at least the later ones are quite nippy. I noticed a lot of the switch gear is similar to that used in the Iveco minibuses I use to drive at First Hants/Dorset. The Optares are built pretty badly IMHO. BTY, do you like the Optare Metrorider? I don't, because I think they are ugly.
Some of the older solos sound similar to the old Mercesdes Breadvans they replaced. I';ve not a newer and different sounding one in my youtube account. P.S. Two of my solo videos are then at their very worst! 40323 is the number code.
The Solo uses the Alison AT auto box and Mercedes engines on the early examples, so mechanically it used many 0.814 Vario parts.
Later on, Optare offered them with Cummins ISBe engines and now with MAN engines as well as the original Mercedes engine. They also uprated the power from the Merc engines because they were a bit gutless for shifting the heavier Solo's about. Most of the dashboard and controls were Iveco sourced parts. Typical thing for Optare to do!
@mondyboy81 Good comment. I drive Solos now and again and hate them. Reason being, they are wollowy, vibrate like hell on idle and the steering feels so light, but at least the later ones are quite nippy. I noticed a lot of the switch gear is similar to that used in the Iveco minibuses I use to drive at First Hants/Dorset. The Optares are built pretty badly IMHO. BTY, do you like the Optare Metrorider? I don't, because I think they are ugly.
1100HondaCB 1 year ago
Some of the older solos sound similar to the old Mercesdes Breadvans they replaced. I';ve not a newer and different sounding one in my youtube account. P.S. Two of my solo videos are then at their very worst! 40323 is the number code.
hamsterbus 3 years ago
Lol, this solo isn't the best, keeps jumping in & out of gear!
Ally31334 3 years ago
The Solo uses the Alison AT auto box and Mercedes engines on the early examples, so mechanically it used many 0.814 Vario parts.
Later on, Optare offered them with Cummins ISBe engines and now with MAN engines as well as the original Mercedes engine. They also uprated the power from the Merc engines because they were a bit gutless for shifting the heavier Solo's about. Most of the dashboard and controls were Iveco sourced parts. Typical thing for Optare to do!
mondyboy81 3 years ago