FL Century VS Columbia....What's the difference?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by zx150, Nov 23, 2014.

  1. zx150

    zx150 Medium Load Member

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    Mar 30, 2012
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    Just some random thoughts spurred on by many miles on the road..............

    Anybody know what the difference between the FL Century and Columbia is? Other than the hood and maybe instrument cluster?

    Driven many of both models and always wondered.

    Also is the Century still being built and is the Columbia now only available as a glider?

    Seems I'm not seeing any new Centuries on the road and all the new Columbias I see are all gliders.
     
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  3. Exiled

    Exiled Light Load Member

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    More electrical glitches with Century I 'v experienced

    2005
    14L s60
     
  4. Hurst

    Hurst Registered Member

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    Tampa, Fl
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    I dunno,.. I'd say they are on par.

    I have an 05 Columbia with C15.

    Drive train has been mechanically flawless.

    Many many electrical issues.

    The HVAC motor that controls the vents,.. toast.
    Main power lead for the ECM rotted
    ECM fried
    2 injectors
    Buttons/switch for the pwr mirrors
    Switch for the wipers
    Wiring harness for the injectors - replaced
    Headlight plug had to be rewired
    Short in wire from tractor to pig tale,.. shorted wire was actually up under the frame under the sleeper.
    Side marker/blinker on driver side sleeper keeps shorting out. Still unresolved,.. just keep replacing the bulb.
    ABS sensor wires keep throwing codes. Debating on just disabling the ABS all together.

    And all that has been just in the last 16 months or so.

    Hurst:smt111
     
    Exiled Thanks this.
  5. Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    Borispol, Ukraine
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    I'd say minor difference.

    1. Hood and headlamps. Columbia has Mercedes ML headlams, look cool, but more expencive and plastic lence needs resanding every two years.

    2. Columbia hood is shorter, that's why no place for big engines like C16, buaverage series 60 fits well. Some mechanics say - a bit worse access.

    3. Columbia instrumental cluster is usually simple, no so many buttons, features like Century class has.
     
    lovesthedrive Thanks this.
  6. lovesthedrive

    lovesthedrive R.I.P.

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    Sorrento Maine
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    According to Freightliner, the biggest difference from the Columbia to the Century. The Century has more insulation for driver comfort.

    The Columbia is the cheapest truck that Freightliner ever produced. There is little concern for the driver and was designed to be the least expensive truck for fleet operators.

    The Century and the Classic are supposed to be comparable in creature comforts. While the classic maintains the looks and feel of the trucks from the 1970's with poor aerodynamics. Yet the Classic offers dual intakes and dual exhaust. The best way to make diesel power is by how well the engine can breathe.
    The Century should give slightly better mpg because it is more aerodynamic. Less drag means that the engine wont have to work as hard to push it into the air at highway speeds. Again the Century has better insulation, you would notice this if you were to try and heat the cab with a tiny 1500 watt 115v heater. The heater will turn on less frequently in the Century.

    The top of the line for Freightliners are the Coronado. Remember what I said about the need to breathe? Well the Coronado has the ability to take in the same amount of air as the classic, yet she has ports that suck the air in. She is a streamlined beauty with a longer wheelbase giving you a more enjoyable ride. This is the Rolls Royce of all the Freightliners.

    The Cascadia's are the new replacement of the Century. All sorts of improvements all the way around. Better cruise control, roll stability control that was optional in Century is installed on all the Cascadia. Alot of the other "optional" equipment that was on the Century is in the Cascadia's now.
     
    The_Great_Corn Thanks this.
  7. porkchop_express

    porkchop_express Bobtail Member

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    Minimal difference really beyond looks. Our fleet used to be 95% Columbia's and 5% Century's. As far as ride and performance they were pretty much the same, the differences mainly came down to the exterior looks and some of the extras that you get inside the cab, that which might be nice, at the end of the day do not make it an objectively better truck.


    The Cascadia is a replacement for the Columbia & the Century. I would personally chalk up most of the "improvements" as smoke that Freightliner likes to blow up our #####, as far as trucks go the Columbia was a much better performing truck.
     
  8. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    the century was the higher end model made to cater to o/o.
     
  9. russtrucker

    russtrucker Road Train Member

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    Century discontinued in 2010 model year. Me and dad had a 2000 century. We bought it with a burned interior. We rebuilt it for three months. Placed insulation. Didn't included with the dash computer to read mpg. Had duel stacks behind the sleeper. 10 speed. detroit 12.7 500 hp. Vanilla white painted from outside and the frame was painted with metallic grape purple.
    Only having Coronado and Columbia now available as gliders. Cascadia is soon to be available as glider.
     
  10. russtrucker

    russtrucker Road Train Member

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    C-16 is the same as the c-15 with the size. You are more likely referring about short base 112 hood.
     
  11. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

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    Kellogg, IA
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    It is all about how it is spec'd out. Typical fleet specs, I would give the Century and edge. But a custom, well thought out specs... that is a wash.

    Was brought up that Century has better insulation. Fleet specs, maybe. But my Columbia has premium arctic insulation package and premium noise abatement package. I run only the upper tier of the country, and I have never turned on the engine coolant to the bunk heater. The cab heater keeps the entire cab and 70" midroof sleeper warm running down the road, even at -25F. A webasto takes care of the rest times. This is my third winter with this truck, and I still haven't turned on the water to the bunk.from the block to the bunk.

    Instrument cluster. Same thing. Fleet style, the Columbia leaves some to be desired. But mine has the Signature interior with wood grain dash instrument panels, and just about every chrome bezeled gauge that one can put in a dash. Same custom dash as any Coronado. Truth be told, the Columbia and the 1st gen Coronado shared everything the same except the nose. If one steps into my Columbia and then steps into a Coronado, they couldn't tell the difference inside. Even the floor mats are the same. A great sound system that makes it a pleasure to hear every instrument in a song, and the nuances of just a finger sliding on a guitar string. And do so while driving down the road.

    Oh, those air intake ports on the Coronado? They are fake. Unless one does some sort of aftermarket thing, the stock Coronado "ports" on the side are there only for looks. To be fair, I could be wrong on the newest Coronados, but the earlier models, it was just for appearances only.

    Cascadia gliders are already in the pipeline and have been for the 2015 model year. The Freightliner dealer that did my Columbia has been putting together Cascadia gliders for most of this year. I saw several of them last summer. They discontinued doing any Columbia gliders and the Cascadia has taken its place. Coronado gliders, up till now, have been the 1st generation model. But that changed this year also. Now Coronado gliders are the same generation chassis and body as the current production new emission laden Coronados. I have seen those also at the dealer.

    No compromises anymore. You can get a current production truck model from Freightliner as a glider and put in a pre-egr engine. My dealer is not doing them, but the Argosy cabover is still a glider truck offering. Freightliner said so in an article I read not long ago. They are a niche item and no dealer or third party is doing them, but one can get one and do the completed job themselves. I saw my first one a couple of weeks ago. A 2013 Argosy with a Detroit in it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2014
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