BEWARE WS 5700

My last Western Star 4900 was built in Portland. My new Cascadia came all the way from Mexico to Alberta.

 

I won't type out the whole list again, but will say in hopes that maybe somebody from Daimler Group reads these forums....I love my 4900 Western Star (and the design and layout of all Star's) but the build quality is atrocious. Lots and lots of build flaws in my Portland built truck. Stupid stuff that should not have gone unnoticed. It's almost like they didn't care what it looked like.
Yet all their videos brag about how they cost more because of the quality. Our Mexican built Coronado 122SD had way better build quality.

 

So sad, but what can you expect from freightliner...get it out the door so we can sell it and we'll figure out the problems later mentality has ruined alot of products, quality and pride in craftsmanship.

 

I actually have to take back EVERY bad thing I said about this truck. I finally got off my rear and took it to a WS dealer (not freightliner) and they went above and beyond to fix EVERY little problem I mentioned and many I had never noticed. Now I am as happy as can be with the truck and am thinking of buying another.

 

Get the right exterminator and the bugs disappear.

 

While I don't have the 5700, I have a 4900, we've found that our F-liner dealer, who we have a great relationship with, hates seeing a Star roll in the door. And the get rather pissy when asked to work on it. So now it will only go to the WS dealer to be fixed

 

Our company just bought 35 new 5700 xe tractors and pretty much they are the most driver unfriendly truck that I have driven in my years of driving. The HVAC is deplorable the windows fog up and you can't see out the side glass at all. We were told today that the dealer has to replace the actuator on them and it is a 6 hour job to do it. If you turn on the defroster it sounds like a woodpecker tapping on a flat piece of steel and it will not go away. All in all I would not recommend these trucks to anybody!

 

I've kinda followed your posts in a few different threads and saw all the problems you have been having with your truck. I am glad you found a dealer that decided to stand behind their product and get you straightened out. It's very sad how many problems the 5700s are having. It is a pretty pathetic situation and really reflects badly on Western Star. I sure hope they get their act together and get the QC situation changed. They are one of the nicest looking trucks out there, but who is gonna want one if all they have is problems?

 

Yeah, all my problems were really cosmetic. They all have been addressed and fix. I'm really happy with the truck now. In comparison when I bought my 09 Cascadia I had some major issues. It was a new truck at the time. This has been minor stuff.