Owner Operator If you were going to buy a new truck in the next year or so, what would it be?

[Mike]

It's a totally hypothetical question.... Not.

I am approaching a crossroads pretty soon. Trade my truck as planned at around the 500k mark (406k currently), or keep it.

Assuming it will be a new truck, what is the best out there now? Durability, fuel economy, etc..

Can't complain about the Cascadia. Other than some goofy electrical gremlin that causes issues with the interior lights once in a while (really not a big deal), it has been flawless.

Well, not flawless. It did decide to develop a link in the front rear end, but that was taken care of by Freightliner at no cost to me. Repaired while I waited for it at the shop. One day follow up on that because they rolled the seal when they installed it, but that was taken care of quickly.

Beyond that? little things like the seals on the injector pass thru tubes. Not that they were really leaking, but they are super easy to do so if they show any signs of seepage, the dealer replaces them while doing other maintenance. It's something I have never complained about.

That said, Volvo has supposedly come a long way in terms of fuel economy. I would consider one.

Putting fuel economy to the back burner, I'm actually considering a Kenworth W990. Probably a very bad idea, but I'm contemplating it.

And, all of this though is for nothing if the wife decides to move forward with getting her license, because then it will be a straight truck with a huge sleeper.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[krelithous]

i would go for a cascadia with a DD15. good fuel economy. parts are pretty cheap compared to others and are available just about everywhere turn around times are minimal. and detroit says that motor won't need an overhaul until 1.2 million miles ( depending on what it's pulling around ). i would also opt in for a manual over an auto shift easier to maintain cheaper to fix.

 

[389 Hood]

I'd buy whatever truck I could cut the roof off of and bury in the ground as a giant flower pot.

 

[krelithous]

I'd buy whatever truck I could cut the roof off of and bury in the ground as a giant flower pot.

get a tesla then you'll have a BBQ also

 

[Electric Chicken]

My former quarry truck hasn't had any gremlins, it's just old and was ran in tough environments so parts needed replaced but it was priced accordingly when I bought it.

Parts aren't cheap but even during the pandemic I never had major downtime due to supply issues.

Compared to some of these multiple month nightmares you hear and read about, I consider it to be a great truck. Ride quality aside, I still made money with it while chasing that down.

Given that and the fact that the bulk of it is made and assembled not just in the USA but in my and the neighboring state, I believe I'd support that with a new purchase if I ever could/can.

Oh and when I needed tech support for the factory software program (PTT/Premium Tech Tool), it was an older IT guy in North Carolina not offshore.

 

[389 Hood]

I remember mine being down for 4 months due to a DEF quality sensor. It was during the 'plandemic' and the part was back ordered. I kinda liked getting paid for sitting at home all that time.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I remember mine being down for 4 months due to a DEF quality sensor. It was during the 'plandemic' and the part was back ordered. I kinda liked getting paid for sitting at home all that time.

Yeah I couldn't afford that.

 

[389 Hood]

They couldn't either. But...

 

[krelithous]

Maybe a volvo with an isx engine rare combo. The ved engines are hit or miss with problems and some of the techs seem to not know how to fix em. Maybe just keep the shaker and just bank money and take more time off

 

[Electric Chicken]

Maybe a volvo with an isx engine rare combo. The ved engines are hit or miss with problems and some of the techs seem to not know how to fix em. Maybe just keep the shaker and just bank money and take more time off

I wouldn't do an ISX.

The D13/MP8 is a good engine. I'd stick with that.

I don't know what a ved is.

 

[Duck]

Maybe a volvo with an isx engine rare combo. The ved engines are hit or miss with problems and some of the techs seem to not know how to fix em. Maybe just keep the shaker and just bank money and take more time off

You haven't driven a truck with an ISX built after 2010 have you? I think if you had, you wouldn't want one.

They were great engines before the emissions bullshit neutered them.

 

[Rigjockey]

I don't even know what a good truck engine with the emissions crap on it.

Back in the day before the emissions crap it would have been CAT, Detroit and Cummins in that order.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't even know what a good truck engine with the emissions crap on it.

Back in the day before the emissions crap it would have been CAT, Detroit and Cummins in that order.

I wouldn't know what else to buy either other than what I'm familiar with fixing.

Although I haven't dug into the actual engine itself (yet). Just the external bolt on stuff.

I'd like to think after about 18 years, you can buy almost anything today and be as fine with it as anything else. But I don't know if that's true.

IOW I would hope all the manufacturers have finally figured it out.

 

[krelithous]

You haven't driven a truck with an ISX built after 2010 have you? I think if you had, you wouldn't want one.

They were great engines before the emissions bullshit neutered them.

name me one good motor that's not a boat anchor that has the emissions crap on it.

 

[Electric Chicken]

name me one good motor that's not a boat anchor that has the emissions crap on it.

MP8.

Have one. Fixed emissions. Not a boat anchor. Just old.

Everything needs repairs after it gets old.

If I had $180,000 today or was willing to take the loan for it, I'd buy a brand new one in a heartbeat.

I don't love repairing the emissions system but the old Ford makes me gag with the exhaust and the Mack does not.

 

[Electric Chicken]

So the new Mack has gone the way of Western Star. Western Star is now basically a Freightliner with a special hood.

Mack is now basically a Volvo with a special hood.

This is making literally EVERY truck look the same.

It's depressing.

 

[krelithous]

So the new Mack has gone the way of Western Star. Western Star is now basically a Freightliner with a special hood.

Mack is now basically a Volvo with a special hood.

This is making literally EVERY truck look the same.

It's depressing.

kw's stopping the w 900 more depressing

 

[Rigjockey]

kw's stopping the w 900 more depressing

I was reading an article about that the other day. I think they are ending production at the end of the year. That is depressing. The W900 is iconic!

 

[389 Hood]

The long hood Pete is gone the way of the dinosaurs too.
Now, trucks will be just like cars. Rolling nondescript blobs rolling down the road.

 

[Electric Chicken]

The long hood Pete is gone the way of the dinosaurs too.
Now, trucks will be just like cars. Rolling nondescript blobs rolling down the road.

Yeah just because I have a nondescript blob doesn't mean everyone else should have one too.