What do you fellow drivers think about this ugly truck I found???????

It's a running argument that you will find anywhere you get two or more truckers together. Some like Pete's, some swear by KW's, some will only drive Mack's and so on and so forth. Just like you find in cars, really.

One of the reasons I think that so many look down upon Freightliners is that they are probably the most common big company truck, and most of the used ones you find are big company trade-ins. If you want big and fancy with all the shiny gauges and extra toys, you probably aren't gonna find them on a carrier trade-in. But if you are looking for a decent, reliable, working truck, a Freightshaker with a Detroit D60 is a pretty hard combination to beat for general freight. You won't be the fastest thing on 18 wheels, and you will have difficulty pulling the great big heavy loads....but look at the money you'll save in repair and maintenance costs overall. And a bit of tweaking will pull your mileage up to an affordable rate.

I've driven the gamut at one time or another, from Freightliner FLDs and Classic XL's to the Centuries and Columbias, a couple of KW's, a Mack or three, a Pete that I loved, and even a couple of Volvos. And if I were speccing out a truck for work, I'd probably grab one of those old Columbias and drop an older motor/tranny into it. The short wheel base is, in my opinion, one of the greatest advantages the Columbia has over other trucks, and a small to mid-sized sleeper provides me all the comfort I need for sleeping.

The big shiny Pete 379 would be a retirement truck for me, something to play with after I've made all the scratch I'm gonna squeeze out of trucking. They look pretty going down the road, but I wouldn't want to get too much road dust on something like that.

 

Freightliner has been a leader in offering fuel saving options, 2:74 rears, direct drive transmissions, and DD engines. If you are going to make a career as an O/O then fuel mileage is KING! At 4.00 per gallon, .55 per mile for fuel, .20 maintence for older paid for equipment and .10 fixed cost are goals one should try to reach.

 

i have drove many trucks, from volvos and freight liners to the big shiny 379's and w900's in the end there all just trucks they all get the job done. its more in how they are specked out than the emblem on the hood. now my favorite trucks to drive would be a big long nose pete with a big hp cat. but would i ever want to buy one heak no. high purchase cost high repair bills poor fuel millage ect.

my favorite trucks as far as to buy are freight liners i feel there better built than the volvo's they have reasonable price tags on them.

i kinda have a bit of a thing for the fld120's and classic i feel they are a well biult truck for the price. the newer models like the columbia's interiors are a little inferior in biuld quality but still good trucks.

 

Paccar trucks forever. At least they havn't moved most of there production to mexico like freightliner has. Honestly the century, columbia's were built to be fleet trucks. Run them half a million mi a get new one some of the dealers will admit it. Besides my w900l is still easy to service and i can see the motor all the way around.

 

Its sad to say I and I will catch heck for saying it, but the Lesser quality Columbias and Centurys, 9400I 9200I, 670s 730s etc have all been created from the quality of drivers That the big companys have to work with now. You see driver abuse every where you look and there favorite saying is, I dont care its not mine. That is why you see these models every where. the industry had a need and it was filled. Pacar and Western Star are what are considered premium trucks, but even they are getting in on the fleet truck demand with some of there new models.
The thing to remember though is that once the cab is off the frame most trucks are almost equal. You have the manufactures coming out with there own drivetrains but most O/Os stay far away from them as they are not proven and expensive to service. A good fleet truck no matter how you look at as long as you take care of it will make you more money than a premium truck. Look at what the big companys are running and most have making money from moving freight down to a science.

 

I love my 1997 Freightliner classic with 1.5 Million on her...I just did a turn this week and brought $5,200 bucs clear home to the table in 5.5 days......I am from the older school.I could care less if you put me in a GMC White Cabover with no Air Condition and no heat..All i look at is the ''profit'' i can bring home to my castle i live in.I am a firm believer in ''low overhead''.

I have had trucks all my life and never once have had a payment.I pay 15,000 or less and look for a ''WORK TRUCK''.Something are new guys don't seem to wanna buy...

Again this is how i have been sucessful over the years in the O/O Business.This is IMO..

 

I brought home $5109 last week. But it doesn't really count cause I'm not a real pro since I'm driving a Columbia and can't see the back of the engine and probably have to get the guys at the TA to change my wiper blades for me. And it's not a Paccar. So it's not a real truck so therefore I'm not a real trucker. So never mind.

And I carry tools but don't know how to use them since my truck wasn't built in 1984. Good thing it doesn't take any tools to change a headlight and its so easy that by the time the guy in the W900 or 359/379 finds his screwdriver and starts cursing those little Phillips head screws that are rusted in place, I'm back in the cab and holding the wheel ( cause that's all I really am anyways is a steering wheel holder) and down the road. Good thing I'm driving a Columbia and not a real truck. Good thing indeed.

 

...Look here you not so real trucker...Get in that columbia and put on your non trucker face...ROLMAO..

 

By that logic, so are Pete 386's, 379's, KW T600 and Volvo 670, 780's. All used heavily by fleets as well.

 

LOL.....I've had just about every brand of truck, and one of the best I ever had was a FLD. Loved that thing.

And the only lemon I ever bought was a brand new Kenworth. The dealer took it back after about a year, lol.