Paying cash for an older semi tractor vs. financing a new one

I guess I don't, LOL. And maybe I have a little troll in me too, lol... but I really don't see the value or practicality.

But the truth is if it's something that someone likes and they're willing to spend the money for that, that's their business. I guess we all spend money on things that other people would shake their head at.

But to me it's kind of like that buddy that we all have. You don't want to go to his house when his wife is there because it's never a good scene. You know better than to try to call him on the weekend because his wife has instructed him that that's family time and it's her time and how dare any of your friends try to take you away from me. So he's a really great guy that works hard and does all the right things, but spends the weekends with his wife screaming and hollering at him what a jockstrap he is and how lucky he is she doesn't dump him because he doesn't deserve her and how he never does enough for her. All while she does everything she feels like doing when she feels like doing it. And when you talk to him, he thinks she walks on water. Well, maybe he'd like to drown her once in awhile but you get the idea.

So it's the same as Peterbilt. If you tell me you're happy I'll be happy for you.

I just can't comprehend it even a little bit.

 

If everybody loved Peterbilts, then the other manufacturers would've gone out of business because everybody only bought Peterbilts.

Love em, hate em. It's nice to have options.

 

Don’t hold back now, tell Us how you really feel !! Lol

 

I wasn’t sure if all 132s were considered XLs as my 99 didn’t have the XL badging. Instead it had the oval Freightliner emblem below the door.

 

I like the Classics, obviously. Easy to work on, parts accessiblity. On my normal 1100 run, there’s 13 Dealers along the way. Usually open till midnight, up until 2000, many were 24 hrs. Price wise I’ve always compared 4 yr old Used Trucks, Pete’s and Kw about 50 % more expensive, Maybe $40k vs. 60k. After 4 yrs @ 8 yrs old. Classics worth 20 k, others 30 k. Net loss 10 k on the others. Of course there’s a lot of exceptions and market fluctuations. But Generally speaking for comparison purposes. I’ll keep my Plasticliner. Besides all the new Pete’s are all plastic dashes also. But I’ll admit, I’d love to have a needle nose. And a corvette dash. That’s just too cool.

 

Those fld trucks were so good, freightshaker quit making them. Know a driver that opened his hood on a crapcadia and it broke. Piece of it fell. They have panels that are glued together..wow talk about cheap?! You need to face the fact that freightliners are put together cheap, and made with cheaper plastic. My son had an old fld, and that dash rattled like quintuplets all playing with their rattle toys in their playpen at once. He got so irritated he sprayed penetrating oil behind the dash, to calm the squeaking, and rattling gremlins. Freightliners are just cheaper, and less quality. When they get old, time for the scrap yard. Even thinner aluminum in the battery box construction. You didn't know that?! Check it out. Steps to get in truck are of a lighter quality. Even in the 80s the step to climb in their cabover would bend under your body weight, my IH cabover did not. You had to know that? Like a bird, cheap, cheap. If you like cheap , you have the correct brand. My friends "classic" has more shakes and rattles then it should, and oh, he is always fussing with the cab lights on the roof. Guess the wiring harness is made cheaply also. Lol.

 

I don't like the way the fenders look on the set forward axle, just goofy imo.

I'm confused with your comment about the hoods being a great idea. Even more so when you compare the classic to the 379. The classic xl is the heaviest hood ever made with thick fenders poured with the hood (which is why most older classics have sagging fenders). A 379 hood is very light made of aluminum and the fenders bolt on.

 

Another post, then i will give it a rest. I, personally have noticed how all , or pieces of freightshaker grills fall apart, and disintegrate. You like that? I cant comprehend why folks like trucks that fall apart sooner. Do i think pete, or pacar products are perfect, or IH, vovlo certainly not. But anyone with eyes and experience can be sure about one thing..freightliners are a cheap trk. All the plastic chrome peels off them also lol.

 

You are comparing Columbias and caacadias to 379s. Not fair at all. A better comparison is an xl to a 379 exceeded hood.

I've owned both, a 1995 379 and this 2001 xl.
My experience having owned, operated, and wrenched on both:

Build quality: pete has a slight edge here.

Ride: freightliner is a little better, but its real close.

Parts are priced about the same. No real difference.

The dash. Pete wins hands down. I dont see what's so great about the freightliner wrap around dash. I never had a problem reaching the toggles on my pete. plus on the freightliner most of them are in front of the seat so im reaching around the steering wheel and johnson bar to get to them.

Comfort on the rode. Pete wins in the driving compartment with more leg room and better location of pedals (i hate drop down pedals). Freightliner wins in the sleeper, and its not even close however that's comparing an 84 inch condo to a 63 inch midroof. Not exactly a fair comparison.

The classic is also 2k lbs heavier.

The pete had a MUCH better turning radius.

In summary both are very nice trucks but neither is perfect. My idea of perfect would be the pete with my classics sleeper. Since that isn't possible im looking for an old 379 extended hood to stretch the frame and add a 110 inch ict.

 

what valve is this @Rubber duck kw