Freightliner Popularity

Discussion in 'Questions To Truckers From The General Public' started by Supernaut, May 23, 2012.

  1. Supernaut

    Supernaut Bobtail Member

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    Nov 11, 2010
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    I have a pondering question about Freightliner trucks.

    I'm not a driver myself, but I noticed it seems to be the best selling brand of rig in the U.S. and also popular here in Canada. However from a lot of what I read about their products and driver complaints, even stuff on these forums, it would seem they're probably the lowest quality of truck out there. I once even read somewhere that the Cascadia drove some drivers to bankruptcy with down time and repairs. :biggrin_2556: I can't say thats a matter of fact, just that someone else said it.

    Which makes me wonder why they sell so well. Are they significantly cheaper than the competition? More dealer access? Some kind of incentive for large feets to buy them in mass quantity? Consumer ignorance perhaps? Such as in the way in the Automotive industry where sometimes the worst vehicles in class can be hot sellers pushed along by brand loyalty or style alone, word of mouth among the uneducated...etc.

    Or do I have it all wrong and Freightliners are actually a really good value?

    I expect I'll hear 2 very different sides of a coin here.
     
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  3. PayCheck

    PayCheck Medium Load Member

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    Jan 21, 2012
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    For the most part it's a throw away truck. Run it 800k and get rid of it. It's cheep and the old Detroit 60 was cheep to fix. The interior is cheep.

    Aside from that that actual truck/ platform isn't that bad other then it's relatively inexpensive.

    The big problem is it's affordable to fleet sales. I wouldn't buy a used one as they've been pretty abused buy the time they hit the used market.
     
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  4. RickG

    RickG Road Train Member

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    Jul 22, 2008
    Owensboro , KY
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    Many Freightliners are built in Mexico . Daimler hates unions and has shafted thousands of Canadian and American workers. They built plants in Mexico to build Dodge trucks and eliminated the Sterling brand. It's good to see ABF replaced their Sterlings with Macks. Freightliner kept production in NC only because Coca Cola and Duke Energy refused to buy Mexican made Freightliners.
     
  5. Inland-Pilot

    Inland-Pilot Light Load Member

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    Jackson, Ms
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    very well said by: PayCheck and RickG, IMO that's on the money right there.
     
  6. Semi Crazy

    Semi Crazy Road Train Member

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    The mega fleets buy them in bulk and then they are discarded years later so the used truck market is flooded with them so any swinging Richard with a few bucks can buy one a be an owner.

    Personally I would never buy used fleet trucks. I didn't even like driving new fleet trucks which is why I bought my own brand new truck. Used fleet truckers have no class.

    Volvo fits the megafleet bulk buy program also.

    The old Freightliners built in Portland are still considered real trucks.
     
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  7. Jfaulk99

    Jfaulk99 Road Train Member

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    I hate unions also, another plus for Kenworth in Chillicothe!
     
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  8. rogerbeep

    rogerbeep Light Load Member

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    May 14, 2012
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    Do not forget with a frightliner, you never need to roll the windows down for fresh. Air, it co:yes2557:mes in around the doors.
     
  9. roadreeler57

    roadreeler57 Light Load Member

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    Freightliner the best truck on the market for the money...Any negative replies about Freightliner blowing a lot of hot air & BS..
     
  10. RickG

    RickG Road Train Member

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    FOR THE MONEY . Right . And a Yugo was probably the best car "for the money ". Cheap price gets low quality , especially on Mexican made trucks made in plants owned by a German corporation . Freightliners are not what they once were . Neither are Western Stars . They run either Mercedes engines or Detroits and Daimler owns Detroit Diesel also . Go ahead and support the German corporation that ruined Chrysler Corp and put thousands of Canadians and Americans out of work .
    Freightliner , Schneider , and WalMart work well together earning high profits by dragging American workingmen down .
     
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  11. Kansas

    Kansas Road Train Member

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    Freightliner is the McDonalds/Wal Mart of the trucking world. They are the biggest manuf. therefore you hear the most about them, good and bad. Generally, bad news will make it around the world. Good news wont make it across the street. Therefore youre always going to hear more about Freightliner.
     
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