Please educate me on truck, engine, transmission brands

If I could I'd find an early 2000's Mack with an E-tech and a Maxitorque. When I was a kid that's all my dad drove and those trucks took more abuse than they could handle...still fired up every day. Had a sound of their own too

 

Volvos are great for a driver comfort. Freightliners are about 75% of all trucks on the road so parts and maintenance are easy anywhere. Freightliners are meh for driver comfort.

 

I heard older international like eagle or something with detroit and 10speed will be most affordable and quite reliable if you get it from good ole truck driver retiring ...not from the dealer lot ...volvos bit tricky and people dont like to work on them compared to w900 , 379 , columbias etc ... especially on the west part of the country ... chicongo is complete opposite - cant find people to work on classics , if you dont mind driving freightliner or international - way to go . I really like cascadia compared to my kw , but my kw pulling like a train and nothing come close . At the end of the day wheather its 250k pete or 20k columbia - if the job gets done - both drivers put same gross amount . Some people take pride in their petes and kwS , some people dont care - get cheapest , most reliable and fuel efficient truck and go . As far as trannies people say : 10 for employee , 13 for owner operator

 

Any brand 1995-2003.
12.7 S60, N-14, CAT.

Transmissions and rear ends depends on what your intended service is. Generally 3:42 - 3:90 rears, and 10/13/15/18 transmission.

A lot of the specs have to do with your intended region/trailer/freight.

My lesson learned was to buy the truck you're going to keep, and keep it up , rather than repeat the expensive process needlessly.

2006-2016 used I simply would not recommend for many reasons.

Do not be too concerned with price of purchase - the wrong purchase will send you into the red for at least a year if you can weather it.

 

First of all - you're not allowed to call them that anymore.

Secondly - An Owner operator is well within his rights to have 3 more trannies because of the extra risk involved.

 

Not even going to get into convertibles, or 18’s.

 

Id steer clear of Volvo good comfort but expensive to have work done to. Freightliner with a Detroit (good all around engine) would be my suggestion generally speaking parts are cheaper on a frieghtliner. If you can 07 an later pre emission or 14 an newer emission truck. Make sure before you buy to do a dyno test and oil sample.

 

Lol

 

GMC Astro with a 318 Detroit,, note downshift bobtail, imagine grossing 73,280,,,