Volvo

I am a tech at an International shop. We work on them all. To be honest, we run and hide when a Volvo comes in. Unless it has a ISX in it, I would pass. The cab itself just seems goofy compared to the other makes. Volvo is different with its German designing. Most non-Volvo dealers won't touch the Volvo engine, especially when it is electronic. We just don't have the tooling, or experience to get into it and be as competitive as a Volvo dealer. As for service at the dealership level, Volvo has the smallest network of dealers That's not good when your engine won't start with a check-engine light with the Volvo engine and the mechanic at "Larry's Garage" tells you there is nothing he can do for you.
Just my $0.02.

 

what motor does this truck have. any more specs???? i've had volvos for years. i'll try to help , johnny

 

Would the Volvo electronics screw with the techs even if it had a Cummins ISX instead of the VED engine?

 

Cummins is pretty popular, the techs at their should be fine.

 

Volvo is all around a good truck...just as long as it has the Cummins. And be sure it doesn't have front air bags. That was a mistake from day one.

 

Steel Volvo cab = Rust

 

This International Tech doesn't know much about Volvo's, and doesn't know that Internationals are REALLY far down the list in terms of desireability for purchase. Just drive a Volvo and ANY other truck out there, and you will immediately realize that Volvo is clearly the best in terms of comfort and ergonomics for driver. I have a 2006 VNL 780, which provides the best sleeper cab comfort in the industry--no doubt about it. The VNL 670 is slightly smaller and has the usuall double bunk arrangement typical of a fleet purchase truck. But at the driver's seat both are the same--the gauges and controls are all lay-out as if an engineer really pondered what a driver would like. The cabinet space is so much larger than the 387 Peterbuilt I used to have as a company driver. The six level jake brake is placed as another lever on the steering column, not a switch on the dashboard, and there are electronic controls that provide instant fuel savings, gallons remaining, engine diagnostics (in plain English), and so on. Everything is designed to allow the driver to keep his eyes where they should be---on the road. There are no overhead switches or hard to reach dashboard switches. The steering column itself has better adjustability than any other that I've seen. Controls for mirror adjustment, and even the dash shape are all carefully engineered, and that's why Volvos are worth as much as $10,000 over other used trucks out there. Volvo is not for the Harley biker crowd. It's not the economy and quickly ubiquitous noisey rattle trap Freightliner. There are airbags and shocks in front and back to support the cab above the rail frame assembly, and the doors have double rubber to keep out road sound. Unlike most trucks, the International in particular, driver and passenger can have a decent conversation at normal voice volume.

I do agree though that the 500hp Cummins ISX engine is the better choice over any of the Volvo motors if for no other reason that Cummins parts and mechanics are everywhere. Cummins is an engine only company and they build the best motor. But, a Volvo with a Cummins engine is more expensive than the rest for a reason--it's the best of the crowd.

Your 2006 Volvo-Cummins truck will get 7mph. I recommend that you try to upgrade to super singles on the drive axles, and if you buy a trailer, put the aluminum rims on the trailer tandems. By doing this you'll not only have improved fuel saving rolling resistance of the super single tires, but have 1,000 pounds of decreased weight at the trailer nose end, and another 500 lbs savings at the tandems. This will allow you to fill the fuel tanks when you want to, and still wait confidentally when the trailer is being loaded extra heavily. While the guy at the next dock sweats it out with duals on this tractor and steel wheels on his tandems, you will receive the same load, able to ponder whether or not you really need to bother with scaling it.