Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

Lets say you want to grow you bussiness.
You want as many trucks as possible in a short period off time

2 options
1°you buy old trucks
lets say you buy 3 at 30 000$ a piece.
total spend 90 000$

2° you buy new
again 3
the finance compagny wants you to pay 3 months up front.
Rough guess ,the monhtly payment is around 2700$/month for 60 months
So that's 2700*3=8100 *3=24300$

Old trucks you spend 90 000$,new 24300$.
So new trucks need less cashflow.
That simple.

 

It may be not that simple....
After that 3 month up front you still have 57 payments to be made with total $461700. With used trucks you payed $90K and you all done with it. But it all depends what you do or what company you work for.. As for me I would prefer ONE used truck and that is what I have now.

 

We were talking about cash needed to get started.
Those payments later on have nothing to do with the start.
In fact ,those that use this way see those payments as part off their operating costs.

 

Unless u start with a big fleet where u get a massive discount, used truck is the way to go IMO

 

Company, I worked for, used to lease trucks, after leasing of 5-7 years they did sell trucks.

The used to upgrade emisson level every 5 years.

 

Actually, the only "americans" nowadays are VOLVO (!!!!!!) and KENWORTH. Rest of them are made in Mexico with parts from all over the world. Keep buying "american"! No matter how overpriced it is. Oh, I almost forgot. Keep waving the flag and put more money into a few so rich guys who are americans when they are talking to you but when they are doing business they are "international citizens".

 

Probably we love the synchronized transmissions for following reasons that escaped to you :

1) can improve the fuel efficiency by at least 1 mpg
2) are safer to operate
3) can save on stopping distance by 2/3
4) are quieter
5) doesn't allow the driver to beat the ### out of the truck

It's so funny but you missed the point totally with the brakes. Yes, it is govern in the middle, you are wright. But, even mentioned the reason : "stopping distance". Do you mind if your truck has better brakes or what??

 

I have Volvo cabover with synchronized tranny.

 

A bit later I gonna make a short review about this European truck.

 

I'm a guy who drove on the both sides of the pond for years. I'm not gonna get into details here. After all these years my verdict is : 100% for european trucks in this order. Scania, MAN, DAF. To answer to your question :
1) I don't like the the american gear boxes. Not because they are 'mericans. I don't like the concept. They are not safe to operate, they are noisy and waisting fuel for no reason. the reliability of them is just a myth. And the clutch pedal... My God!! the clutch pedal. If you have to do deliveries in the city... after 3 hours you will jump in one leg if need to go to men's room. Is remembering me about the trucks of the 80's. The eastern european ones.
2) The ride is very rough in comparison with the europeans. Before to play macho down the road I'm thinking to my future and that is including my health. All those shakings you have into an american truck are not doing any good to your health. In EU, I used to drive with a cup of coffee on the dash. No, not in the cup holder. On the dash! No, didn't have a lead. Just a normal cup as you have at home.
3) american trucks are a lot worse insulated. I really hate that. I cannot sleep well and down the road is giving me a lot of extra fatigue for no reason. Actually, when I started to drive in North America, after 11 hours into that grinding machine I could hear a busy line tone in my ears for good minutes. I wasn't used to drive in such a noisy truck. Also, my Columbia cabin seems to be designed and asembled initially as a strainer. After two years, I'm still finding holes to fill them up with different construction materials. I would like to drill some holes in the house of the person in charge with the quality (if they have such a thing) at Freightliner. Just to give to that person an idea about the job is doing. i will choose winter time to do that.
4) after all these years driving american trucks I'm still looking for a comfortable driving position. I'm more and more convinced that I'm chasing ghosts. I have to stretch myself for 80% of things i want to touch during driving. But probably these are new concepts of safety and comfort that a stupid european like me cannot understand.
5) Here I will give you a good one putting into the toilet a myth that I've seen among the "classic lovers". the access into european trucks is a lot more easier then in any american truck I climbed. The door is wider and taller. You have four steps and the lower one is about 10 cm from the ground. The position of the seat against the steering wheel and the door is much better. Now, I have a Columbia. I'd never been on a horse but this truck is giving me an idea about jumping from a horse saddle. Actually, I'm not getting out of truck, I'm jumping out of the truck. I've seen a lot of american drivers with the legs or heads broken because of this funny way to get in and out of their trucks. Go in Europe and you will not find stickers on the trucks like " 3 points handling". they just don't have this issue.
6) A better view when I'm driving. That means safer and easier to operate the truck. Actually I have a funny story from a canadian trucker. " I hate that Volvo bumper made in plastic. I prefer a chrome bumper". Why? I asked. " I broke some of them. With a chrome bumper I don't care if I'm touching something, is not breaking". So, if is not working, get a bigger hammer, eh?!? I strongly believe that if something doesn't working, stop doing that stupidity and think again, this time a lot better and smarter about you are doing.
7) The efficiency of american trucks are accordingly to my number somewhere of 1/2 of an european truck. I'm an O/O, so the efficiency is a deal break for me. Besides that, the truck is a production tool. It is not my toy, it is not my hobby (despite the fact I'm infected with trucking virus) and I have no intention to race the truck down the highway. That object has to move freight from point A to point B as efficient as possible. Driver's fatigue and safe operation of it is part of efficiency in transportation for me. I can get into the details but is not the case here.
8) How they are looking ... is just a matter of personal taste. When I bought the first truck I didn't enrolled into any popularity contest. I bought the truck with only one thing in mind : to be profitable!!!
9) Well ... here I will touch a sensitive point. The american myth it said that europeans are not comfortable because their cabs are smaller. Absolute false. The EU cabovers are designed way different then the american cabovers. So, for those who are thinking they know EU trucks just because they climbed once into american cabover... Guys, just drop it! The comfort of the driver is not given by the volume. Is given by the ergonomic design. And, trust me, those european designers did a very good job. Acces in and out from the driver's seat is easier. Getting into the bed is easier. Dressing yourself in the morning is as normal as you are home. All the things you need are at a hand distance, right they have to be. Storage spaces are designed with the utility in mind, they have the proper dimensions for the objects a truck driver is using daily or weekly. After six years I'm still looking to find a place for McNally road atlas. If I need something cold to drink I have to stop the truck and to get what I want. It wasn't the case back then in EU. Believe it or not, I've had a lot more stuff with me down the road in EU. Into this trucks I drove here, always is a mess. Don't tell me is not true, because I have eyes, too. I'm looking into the cabs of other drivers and I can see their mess either.
10) Aerodynamics. This is a good subject!!! I've seen many opinions on the american truckers forums that american trucks are more aerodynamic because they have that hood in the front. Actually that hood and the cabin gives the idea of the drop shape, a shape considered most aerodynamic. Actually, what's matter the most is how the air flows around the vehicle. I can guarantee that hood you love so much is not doing any good to the air flow. Is impeding the flow!
11) Talking about the hood. Having that blinding hood in front of you is protecting you in case of a frontal impact. Do you really think that a piece of finer glass and a bumper can protect you?? Is the engine protecting you, isn't it? Completely false! I can witness that because one of my friends died in such an accident. Despite the fact that he crushed with passenger half of the hood into a container trailer, he was killed by the engine that went into the cabin. The funerals took place with a closed coffin and you know why. Was nothing left to show ... If he had a EU break and retardation system he would be alive now.
12) Brakes. I'm not even trying to ironic, rude or sarcastic. But... when I drove the first time an american truck and I've seen how hard is to stop it I was thinking somebody is playing me or making fun of me. I just couldn't believe how unsafe it is. The amazing thing into this is composed by two facts. EU trucks speed limit is 90 km/hour. American trucks can run even 125 km/hour legally. What Am I missing here, cause I cannot get the point. Beside that, I don't remember to have problems with vibrations in EU. What has that in common with brakes? The drums! I know two guys who spent about 10k USD and two years chasing that and finally they found a drum out of balance.
13) Another myth is that one the EU trucks cannot handle the weather of North America. Let's see. The steering axle (the weight on it) is heavier. What do you prefer in bad weather? A light one, or a heavy one?? The steering system of an EU truck is a lot more precise. Should I ask what do you prefer when you squeeze you back part of the body that even a needle can get in, during the black ice roads?? Air ride system. At EU trucks you can chose how hight can be the suspension. Can help that in bad weather? the answer is " Yes! A lot! Beside that, the air pressure on the air ride bags is not adjusted only front to rear, is also adjusted right-left. Can help that to a side wind?? What about a very inclined road??? What about when your load shifted? But what about to have a trailer that is so flexible that will keep the wheels down no matter how wavy is the road? Would you like to see that? You can see that, but not here. The air ride suspension of a trailer is also self adjusting front to back and left-right. And above all, believe it or not, Europe has very bad weather too. Also, there are trips that you are coming back home after 3 weeks. That thing with " we have longer trips here" just cannot stand up straight.
14) Fuel economy. Should I talk about that??? I don't think so. As long as I see here people who are running at 4 mpg and they are happy, that they need to work 3-4 days extra to cover the loss... but they are so happy when they are the first at the top of the hill. What good for to be the first at the top of the hill driving a commercial vehicle... is beyond my common sense. Is there any race with a high prize and I didn't found it yet or what?
15) Blind spots. Well, I can write a book about the issues of the american trucks but this chapter would be half of the book. In top of the thing you have that long hood, the american manufacturers managed to mess up the sides views, too, trough the "macho/classic" design. Guys, are you looking for more troubles or what? I don't want to talk about mirrors because I just cannot compare them. In Europe they don't have nothing similar to what we have here and call " hood mirrors". Despite that, they are doing there a lot more dangerous manoeuvres, tide corners, streets, small dock yards and so on. Are the european mirrors better designed or made?? I think yes. Also, I didn't find the mirrors shaking in any european truck. That is part of the safety, don't you think so? I can bet all my money that your "good looking" truck will not help you too much when you'll be in jail because you killed someone you didn't see. Happen many times.
15 reasons to not like the american trucks. There are more but these are the most important ones. Is too much to say "they are hating". These are real issues with the american trucks, like it or not. And you know what, give to me the ugliest truck in the world but make sure is most efficient, safe and easy to operate. I will be very happy with that.
Now, I will put the cherry in top of the cake. I'm living in Canada. And because I want to give a try to a Scania here in Canada (are my money, why do you care?! I didn't ask for that!) I've started to figure out the legal way to do that. Well...Well... Well... I didn't know what to do. To laugh... to cry... to scream... to moan... The law is saying that you can import a vehicle from other country then USA (this is including trailers I suppose) only if ... You better sit now! Only if they are older then 15 years. I bag your pardon!!! What!??!?!??! Older is a vehicle, less safe it is. They have the guts to say that is for safety purposes. I've tried to read that while I was standing upside down. Didn't worked out. I still cannot get it. The "best" part of that text was something like the vehicle manufactured in other countries are not meeting the safety standards of Canada Transportation. Is not about to import a vehicle and after that to put it under some tough tests. No, no,no. Just cut it of from the start not even give a try or a chance. I'm wondering if our ancestors would think that way, what kind of vehicles we would have today? Horse wagons, maybe? Canada officials really want to make this country a safer place? Don't tell me that they are trying to protect the local economy. I don't buy that. What "local economy" ?? Navistar who asked for a lot of money to keep the plants open in Canada and one year later ran away with the money? what local economy, that one who is using parts made in China and putting them together in careless way, in Mexico??? What is so "local" into that? I better stop here before a black car to crush over me while I'm crossing the street.