Freightliner Popularity

Haters be hating. HaHa
Logic- The best truck is the truck that averages the most profit, best fuel economy and least downtime. That truck will be the most sought after and people who drive other makes will come up with excuses and say negative things. Freightliner out sells every other make. Companies know what truck makes money. I'm in a Cascadia right now and it's comfortable, quiet and keeps me moving. And why does being assembled in Mexico make it "cheap"? "American" manufacturers have been making cars and trucks in Mexico and Canada for years. I guess you only support American companies and ALWAYS buy "Made in the USA" right?

 

Your right. Ford makes its new diesel engine and the super duty in Mexico, they just "assemble" the engine in America so it can be called "made in the USA".

I'm driving a 13 letter ##### spreader now. I actually enjoy it 100 times more than my Columbia I had. It rides smooth as ever.

What this all boils down to IS PERSONAL preference. That's it. No truck is better than others because we all will have our own opinions about them.

MY opinions are as follows.

Mack- I love the looks, not sure about the engines as I've never had experience with them.

Volvo- can't stand the looks or the interiors. Would I drive one? Yeah if i don't have an option but I would never buy one.

Freightliner- love the classic xl's but that's it. The interiors are OK but the build quality seems to lack in their trucks built after 2000.

Kenworth- love the looks, the t660 is the only Aero truck I think id ever want. Id love to have a w900l

Peterbilt- only trucks I like that Pete made 359exhd/379exhd/389. Id love to have a long nose Pete. The looks are by far the best I've seen on classic trucks. Ill take that brick hood over a sloped nose any day.

International- only two trucks i care for by them are the lonestar and 9900 series. I like the 9900 series because of the hood and the sleeper. The lonestar is nice because I favor the interior the most and the looks of the old style trucks is just sweet as hell.

This is all my opinion, but that's just what it is, an opinion. Its what I favor over something else.

Some people buy trucks like Volvo or other Aero trucks for fuel economy, other people buy trucks like Pete's or kw's for the class that comes with them.

Its all personal preference, that's all.

Just my. 02



Ethan

 

I'm driving for Tyson Foods and our trucks are K/W, Volvo, Mack, International Pro Star and Freightliner. My truck is due to trade in for a Freightliner in July and I can't wait.

Cargo Transporters: Peterbuilt, International Pro Star and Freightliner

Wilkes Trucking: K/W

Hollar Transportation Services Inc.: K/M, Freightliner Classic and International.

Schneider National: International 9600 cabover, flatfloor cabover, Freightliner Classic and Century.

I did all of my training in old Pete and K/W cabovers, Volvo/White and GMC/White trucks.

I'm not someone who just says what others repeat. I've actually driven the trucks and I can speak from experience. The comment about new Freightliners and air cutting through them is just bull. The older Classics and FLDs just like K/W and Petes were not insulated well. International is the only truck that still has the problem.

 

I can attest to to the mack ( an old superlinerwith walking beams,) , an emoryville ( where is kitty when you need him? ) also the the kw and of worst of the lots the shakers and the toilet paper that wipes it, volvo

The shaker : do not even like classic xl draftier than a christmas spent alone at a truckstop...
Volvo : felt like i was going to roll every time i went around a.corner, and almost a cabover i need a nose out there ######
The 13 letter #### spreader : that old shiny 290 left alot to be disired, it never quit me though farm rig you know
Kw : my last rruxk i will ever purchase for our farm this thing screas xlass and yes it helps when you throw a handful of corn at me while standing sideways and not hit me........

Ghanks to kitty i know when i twisted up that cab that reddish dingy color ment cummins...

 

I'm not fond of Freightliners. I was left on the side of the road too many times driving a columbia for Roehl (one is too many times though), and it didn't hold the road as well as the mack I drive now does. Also, the fuel pump shook loose in it's housing twice. That was on paved roads. Now, I take this mack into mud pits and crazy rock hills and dirt roads. It has taken enough of a beating for me to be very impressed with it. Add to that I know of some good mack mechanics personally...If and when I get a truck, it'll be a mack.

 

I know what you mean, my Columbia had 725k miles when they finally sold it. Then I got a Columbia with 170k miles and it had a whole host of problems because it sat for 5 years.

Their beginning to sell off the Columbia's a lot sooner now because of the better mileage of the prostar and cascadias.

Ethan

 

Well I've only been in two trucks. The first was a 2004 Volvo, which was constantly breaking down and shook like crazy, plus it has very little room on the inside, and didn't seem meant to carry heavy loads through mountains. Most you could get out of it then was 25 mph maybe 30. On a flat road it did great, but mountains were hell. Now in a 2019 Freightliner cascadia, it has so much more interior room, the beds a good size and comfy, going through the mountains we can get between 45 to 50 mph when fully loaded. As for the wind coming in as others have posted, our truck does not have that issue. Is it the best truck out there? Probably not, but we're alot happier and way more comfortable with this truck. When getting the opinion of truckers, just take it with a grain of salt. It's like asking a big group of guys who best football team is. They're all gonna tell you that theirs is the best. Plus there is a surprising amount of truckers with small dick syndrome out here, pretty sure they've got donkeys beat in the stubborn department.

 

Our fleet is leased from Penske; we started with Volvo day cabs and has a few nightmares with the emissions systems that have been solved. We did switch to Freightshakers due to the dealer being only a mile away while Volvo is much further making the parts chase a bigger adventure for Penske.

We made the change after a long discussion with the Penske shop people at our location who pointed put the bulk of their headaches were the Volvo's while the 'shakers were hauling every day...

Now back in the 90's when I was actively training tank drivers; there was no comparison to any other brand, the 'shakers all had door problems and broken cheap plastic interiors.

You know they had problems when the little used passenger door needed the window rolled down and a healthy slam while pulling on the outside of the window opening to get the door closed.....and the constant rattling! made it hard to take a nap....

 

This literally sounds like a reveiw from a person who never drove a truck.

 

Companies love Freightliner trucks because they are cheap compared to other brands.
For the drivers those trucks are completely a disaster in every aspect.
I have never drove a semi truck in Europe that looks and runs like those freightliners in U.S.
It's a shame that daimler makes such primitive trucks for north America.