Hino standing the test of time on the Logan farm for 40 years.
Barbara Logan’s family bought a Hino 40 years ago to work on their farming property, Dove Dale, and have only just had to replace it with a new Hino 500 Series Standard Cab FE 1426 from Wideland Trucks. We recently spoke to Barbara to find out how she felt letting go of a huge part of her family history and how the Hino managed to stand the test of time.
Dove Dale was named back in the 1800’s - mid 1800’s after the Dovedale Valley in England. A big block of land of about 20,000 acres, surrounded by steep-rolling green hills and situated about 85km west of Maryborough in Queensland. It is exceptionally beautiful in summer after the rain and this is where the Logan family have lived and worked for two generations.
When Barbara’s parents bought in 1954, they ran the Dove Dale property by moving cattle on foot or by horse, before driving them to Brisbane for processing. But in the 1960’s, when trucks became a frequent feature on Australian roads, Barbara’s father decided to buy a Hino.
Q: You have just replaced the Hino that your father bought 40 years ago with the 500 Series Standard Cab FE. What were the main tasks your original Hino carried out on the farm?
My father just loved the truck as it helped him in his operations. The Hino would be used for carting weaners when taken off the cows, or carrying hay, water tanks, tractors, timber and steel, and helped the Logan family move houses. But before you do any of that, you need to have a quality vehicle. And of course, the Hino badge equals quality in my view. Manufactured in Japan, it's a beautiful machine.
Q: 40 years is an incredibly long time; how did it feel when you made the change to the new vehicle?
It was an emotional farewell. Today, in society, we are encouraged to get rid of a truck quickly instead of having it for a lifetime. The throwaway culture discourages looking after what we have and making it last for 40 years. For me, I was brought up in different times. I've still got my baby books, which are in impeccable condition because I was made to look after them.
Q: What made you consider purchasing a new Hino to replace your vehicle?
It was a total no-brainer. I go for a walk every morning and I try to practice mindfulness, but this day I was watching one of our staff driving our new tractor (we got rid of the 40-year-old tractor last year) and thinking, maybe I should think about the truck.
It was a recent change in the Government’s Instant Asset Write-Off incentive (IAWO) by the Australian government that motivated the switch.
I'm incredibly loyal, once I get onto a brand, I don't move off it. The old Hino has given us the most wonderful service. I had no reason to doubt that the next Hino would not do the same thing for us.
But the thing that I had to get around was parting with the old Hino and I just thought if dad was alive, he would say, ‘I think it's time’.
Q: Were there any specific features of the Hino 500 Series that particularly stood out when making your purchase?
Functionality was paramount and our family needed a bigger truck. The big ‘H’ on the front of a truck stood for quality. It’s got Sat Nav, air-conditioning, cameras everywhere and I love the fact that this is automatic, it’s just get in and drive!
The day it arrived, I'm in the house doing things and you subconsciously listen for an engine. In your mind, you build a story around the sound of a vehicle. When this new one arrived, it whispered into Dove Dale.
Q: What does the future for Dove Dale look like?
With no children to pass down to, the future of Dove Dale is uncertain but for as long as we are in operation, we will continue to carry out the same work using our new Hino. With the Hino 500 Series truck, there is less to potentially go wrong or need replacing and repairing. You need to look after it well and maintain recommended regular Genuine Services, replace the parts that need to be replaced with Hino Genuine Parts rather than going for cheaper alternatives. Then hopefully it can live a long life.
Thank you for your time, Barbara. We wish you, Dove Dale and your new Hino all the best for the future.