Originally Posted by david07003

What do you think about the Pinnacle line? One of the claim of fame is the no idling feature. Good feature; does it work?

Originally Posted by david07003

Over all, would you say that Macks are a slow truck compared to the rest?

Originally Posted by david07003

Sure, but why not for OTR? I mine, you dont see Swift, Schnieder, Werner, etc running Macks. This is what I am trying to find out.

Originally Posted by 69W900A

Also consider for large fleets like Swift, purchase price comes into play. Mack is probably gonna be a more expensive truck than a Frieghtliner or Int'l. Plus weights come into play as well. Mack is generally a heavy truck as they have always been a vocational HD kind of truck. Although Mack does have some OTR spec trucks these days it's hard to make a dent in a market that they haven't ever really been in with any kind of presence.

Mack has a LOT of trucks on the road, but they are not as visible. No one stops and looks twice at a garbage truck, or USPS truck or the country Roads truck.

Originally Posted by striker

Well, I drive an '09 Pinnacle. The no idle feature is an option on the trucks, it's only popular in some areas. My local Mack dealer has only sold one of two with this feature. This is mine the day she arrived, 9/25/08 with 650 +/- miles. MP8, 445 hp, DPF, 10 spd Eaton/Fuller Auto shift (which contrary to rumours, once you learn how to use it, it's great, my last autoshift got 670K out of the clutch brake and the clutch had 100K left on it, company traded it in at 978K), 48" flat-top (##### Mack screwed up the order sheet, it was supposed to be a 56" flat-top).





only if they are governed slow, until mine was turned down to 67 mph, I could pull to 80 mph like crazy, we run the Colorado Mtn's and I have no problem pulling Vail, Eisenhower, Berthoud at 80,000 lbs. From Dec. to Feb. this past winter 5 days a week I was pulling 80,000lbs from Walden, Co to Denver over Berthoud Pass, Floyd Hill, and Genesee. I was pissing off my co-workers because I would start up Berthoud and have to let off because I was hitting 60 mph in some spots, Ive got 3.77 gears.


I run local/regional. This is the 5th Mack I've driven with this company, I previous one ran thourgh 14 states in 8 years.

Originally Posted by striker

Actually, from what I understand, in terms of pricing/willingness of dealer to haggle from high to low:


1. Int'l (the new lonestar commands a premium price)
2. Peterbuilt
3. Kenworth
4. Volvo
5. Western Star
6. Mack

My boss almost bought me an '09 Pete, but a Pete spec'd similar to my Mack was $124,000 and Pete wouldn't deal, we paid $112,500 for my '09 Mack, gave $8K trade-in on my '00 CH that I was driving (in fact Mack resold that CH two days after taking it on trade for $12,500).

Originally Posted by 69W900A

Large fleets don't normally deal with dealerships for purchasing, they deal with the corporation. When Swift bought 3000 Kenworths a few years ago that deal was done right at PACAR/Kenworth, the local KW dealer had nothing to do with it.

The amount the dealership is willing to "haggle" depends on the dealer, salesman and regional location. I can get a much better deal on a KW than I can on a Volvo or Mack. That has nothing to do with the PRICE, but my KW dealer will work with me on the price more than the local Mack dealer. At a dealer level all this is pretty dependant on the location and dealers a person is working with.

Originally Posted by david07003

I noticed that you said flat top, is that a top good for wind that they added? Can you take it off easily if you needed to drive tankers or flatbeds?

Originally Posted by striker

It sucks in a cross wind. My old truck was a 56" condo, if I was in a cross wind, other then feeling it blow I never knew it, with this one, the wind will get inside the roof fairings and whip around and cause the back of cab fairings on top top to shudder and rattle like crazy.

Originally Posted by david07003

And she lets you sleep next to her even though you dont drive a Mack! Strong marriage you have. lol