07 Columbia or 06 Pete 387

Comprise......386 or T660....

 

Honestly, Between the two, I'd be looking for something else! I hate Freightliners but the 387 is a POS too, More of a POS than the Freightliner!

I had a KW T2000 for a short time. Can you say JUNK??? The 387 is the same truck with a red oval instead of a red KW...They're both not good trucks.
If you are stuck with one or the other I would hesitantly tell you that the Freightliner is the lesser of the two evils.

 

387 is not the same truck as T2 although its common believe shared by people who dont know $it about trucks lol

 

The are a couple Minor diffrances between the 2 however hate to tell your butt this. The Wiring Harness have the SAME PART# form Paccar the Sleepers are the same length width and if you get the Midroof 387 they are the SAME PROFILE. They ise the same Multiplex box for the Radio and CB they also use the Same Side box part # this one I got from a Body man for a local company. They needed a Replacement Sidebox door for a T-2. Well they ended up with one from a wrecked TMC AND IT FIT.

The only major Differance was Pete was SMART ENOUGH TO MAKE THE HIGHRISE A TRUE CONDO.

 

1. There are ONLY FEW MINOR similiarities. Bare cab shell, glass, mirrors, door (maybe just on the outside), maybe both sleeper side panels, steering wheel (the non-smart only, also shared with older DAF trucks. CB antenna holders... I challenge you to find more common parts, probably there will be few hidden somewhere... or not

2. 387's sleeper is WIDER, LONGER and TALLER. Way bigger. If you cant see this obvious difference, I will have to post the picture of that extra panel behind the doors on 387 which makes the difference.

3. Side box may be the same, but here is whats different:
- frame
- hood, air charge and cooling systems, air filters dont fit
- front/rear suspension (lately KW inherited Flex Air from Pete)
- there is no shared part inside except for the steering wheel
- fron axle is more setback on KW (I think)
- multiplex panel in the glovebox (or maybe whole under dash electrical system)
- gauges are separated on Pete, KW has clusters
-underbunk AC unit, both beds

You just have no idea what are you talking about
Stop the BS or this forum will become like any other - full of it

 

I'll give a +1 to the 379 idea, but I'll also throw in another name... Western Star. Look for a 4900 EX or FA with 82" midroof or ultra high. If age is not an issue, go with a pre-04 with 12.7 Detroit, 13 speed, and around 3.58 rears. I drove one like that and it averaged just under 7mpg pulling vans from Winnipeg MB to Dallas.

The newer 14L Detroit will do just a bit worse, probably averaging 6.4mpg with all other factors the same. The trucks I drove had the midroof... apparently there's another .4mpg to be had with the ultra high, since it comes closer to matching the trailer roof height.

Another reason to consider the Star is that they don't seem to be as expensive to purchase used as a 379. They are built like the Rock of Gibraltar. The down side is that they tend to be a bit on the heavy side, depending how they're spec'd from factory.

I know this will ruffle the feathers of the Cat guys on here, but if you can get a 2003 or older Pete, they can be found with the 12.7 Detroit as well. Decent compromise, IMO. A Detroit may not pull like a Cat, but it will probably last longer if properly maintained, and will cost significantly less when it comes time to do an inframe.

Just my $.02.

 

Then you right about Peterbilt being "smarter'. They designed 387 quite few years after T2 was built and learned from it. 387 is better, improved T2. But then, these are still cousins...