2012 maxxforce prostar opinions

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Boogy, Sep 28, 2014.

  1. Boogy

    Boogy Bobtail Member

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    Sep 28, 2014
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    Looking for input on a potential purchase. I do know about the issues with the maxxforce 13. But I have the opportunity to buy a Prostar that was an Idealease truck at a International dealer from day one. Its a 2012 with 280k and the specs I'm looking for other than the maxxforce. But it comes with a full 300k mile FULL factory warranty that covers everything including the exhaust treatment system with no deductible and towing. Along with all service records from the dealer as they were the owner. I can buy the truck for 49500.
     
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  3. magoo68

    magoo68 Road Train Member

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    Many owner/ops with full warranty lost their shirts on that engine due the week or two downtime every month .. If you don't idle period you may get lucky and not break often . Dealers can't give that engine away hence the big discounts and promises
     
  4. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    I applaud Navistar for going out on a limb and trying a different emissions strategy than everyone else, but as implemented the maxxforce is about as bad as it gets.

    That said, it can be managed. Do not idle it & you can probably go 3-6 months between dealer visits. The actual repairs only take 4-12 hours, but plan on being in the shop nearly a week due to the work backlog & backordered parts.

    The Omaha International dealership has (had?) a bunch of new 2013/2014 Maxxforce 13 prostars skyrise condos with tag axles, direct drive, & electric apu's -- a setup that can average over 8mpg out of the box. And they were selling for ~$110,000-$120,000. I would go that route and get a full warranty new truck rather than a rental/lease truck that's been flogged its entire life. And $49,000 isn't that great of a deal on a used maxxforce prostar. Not bad, but if I'm buying a headache I want to pick it up for a song. I'd rather get a 300,000-mile conway prostar with tag & direct drive for $52k than a idealease truck with unknown specs.

    just my $0.02
     
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  5. Rehab

    Rehab Bobtail Member

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    Aug 16, 2010
    Festus, Missouri
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    I'm driving/buying a 2012 Prostar with a Maxxforce 13 right now. Just about to turn 300,000. The only "engine" problems I've had so far was a cracked turbo housing that let oil contaminants into the DPF. I had to do a parked regen about every 150 miles. The fix was replacing both turbos, all the EGR and the DPF. Took a year for it to do its first regen after the fix and now I'm in the regular cycle of maybe one rolling regen a week. Should have been maybe a 4 day job but the International dealer in KC took 2 months with 3 visits. I don't think they know how to work on a Maxxforce. My engine runs great and its a strong puller too. Just hauled 45k across I-80 in Penn and the most I dropped on the steep hills was one gear. Never fell below 55 mph and the mpg thing on the dash showed 6.7. I'm having more problems with the transmission than anything. Eaton Fuller 10 speed and I don't have a clutch brake that works so it grinds when I'm trying to put it into gear from a dead stop. Shop has replaced the hydraulic unit and that didn't fix it. Next they want to replace the master cylinder when I get back home again. We'll see if that fixes it. I've been wondering about what to do when it gets to rebuild time with this engine. Maxxforce 13 is a compacted steel MAN engine and I can't find any information about rebuilding it. Thinking about replacing the engine with a "clean" ISX engine but either way, rebuild or replace is gonna be pricey.
     
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  6. Passin Thru

    Passin Thru Road Train Member

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    Roberts out of North East Pa ran them and my bro hated them. In the shop for electrical and engine more than they ran I believe. Not sure if they have any left, think they went with even worse Volvo.
     
  7. HardlyWorkingNeverHome

    HardlyWorkingNeverHome Heavy Load Member

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    Every fleet is dumping the 2010-2013 maxxforce pro stars. They have low miles because they want out with highest resale they can get. I'd avoid these trucks like the plague. The 2014 was redesigned emissions wise. I think there will be hidden value in the trucks running yellow coolant. I would run red in it though because yellow is not sold at many truckstops.
     
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