Favorite model of semi?

Oh they pay. Just not what they pay the driver.

We had a 389 in the auction sale for trucks And that one I think gathered around 40K in bidding. I recall several older Petes in good condition almost that much used and I drove both of them through and as far as I was concerned, one of them I would have been a buyer myself it was in that good a condition.

Pete will have to find something and reach deep to compete. And Im not sure they can and still keep the quality.

 

Regarding the Pete without thinking about anything else such as price. The sleepers have to be a studio and offer equal space versus the volvo, FLD 120, KW Studios etc. If you can do that and still maintain what Pete was or is rather with those long noses etc which allow for room to get into them to wrench on stuff that would be a goodie. You will want to move the exhaust around to the back rather than just behind the doors. Make the pipe a bit larger through too.

Some of the stuff on the petes such as the air cleaner cans, those are worth thousands to replace should they get damaged. Expand the cab a little bit chances are no one except a team driver is going into that right hand seat and other models offer more cab room. And finally but not least, try to use more common industry componets in the truck nose to tail so that anyone can fix them at any time. No need for a specific pete dealership.

 

Man I wish I could be more help but honestly this is over many heads here.......

PB is a billion dollar company and has to know what it takes/will take. I think OEM's hands are tied by the gov obviously so now it comes down to who can service pepes the absolute fastest and cheapest...and honestly the least!

Now about every single driver is going to answer, "what truck if all the same specs?", differently.

Show me speedy precise diagnostic perfection like a pit stop.....that is what I NEED if, IF, I even consider buying a new truck.... huge if, after talking to Penske about 7 year leases.

Why bother buying and "owning" this new crap when all it does is OWN YOU at 2500 per month + more downtime/lost revenue! (or at least=downtime to a old truck so what is the point!)

 

And Penske highly prefers Freightliner when they spec/build you a lease truck....they claim they CAN NOT get the resale value on a PB that you speak of....

 

A used Pete with a Cummins is an extremely scary proposition imo.
I've talked to too many guys that have instantly put $10 or $12K into the EGR/DPF systems right after purchasing.
Cams, liners, seem to have problems.

If you were a really big company, or someone with deep pockets, I could see taking a chance, but for the common Mo, no way.

 

I have tried to drive others. Yet I am more comfortable with a Freightliner Cascadia. Controls are laid out where they are easy to find. Creature comfort is good. Mega carriers use them so there are alot of shops around that will have what you need easily.

Tho I prefer a 13 speed. Local dealers are saying that 10 speeds have a better warranty.

 

Freightliner with a 10 speed.

Besides that I've driven a Ken, didn't care for it, and a Volvo, toward which I feel neither here nor there.

Currently in a rental this past week, Freightliner, 13-Auto. The only cool thing about that is that I don't have to put down my beer to shift.

 

Whoever makes a truck that will have the least amount of problems within 500k miles and has a painless warranty system is going to get the business.

 

Agreed.
The only thing I can say about the other brands? When I was working with other mega carriers? The reasons that other drivers wanted something other than freightliner? It was so that the mega carrier couldnt work on that particular fleet lease truck. Tho frankly if your leasing? The point is to keep costs down. If you cant trust the company you work for with your lease? Why in the world did you sign up with them for that lease in the first place?