2014 Volvo or 2014 freightliner Cascadia

Well I have been trying to figure this one out, I have been following a Thread over on the JCT Forum, I guess that is what one would call it, I am hearing good things about the Freightliner Evolution model, I am hearing really good MPG numbers, There are a lot to say about the Volvo, Where would your payments be? Which one will be better to you on the fuel? What about the insurance? Do you want a truck made in America or Mexico?Volvo and Freightshaker)There are several pros for both. I know my signature says I like Volvo's and I do don't get me wrong!, But what I am hearing about this Freightliner is amazing, So I think it is all a decision based on several factors!

 

I ve driven both and if I was to chose, I d go Cascadia over the Volvo. Eventhough the Volvo is a little more spacious than the Cascadia, you also have to take in consideration if something goes wrong with either truck. You have more Freightliner dealers with longer hours than Volvo. Most Volvo dealerships are only open something like 7am-5pm. Plus with the Volvos, most of the times the service department is so backed up it may be at least 3 to 5 days before they can even get to it.

 

I missed the part about driving teams in this truck, I would certainly go with the Volvo I didn't see this on my first read through but that convinces me to go with the Volvo. Good Luck!

 

I sold a 2011 Volvo with similar specs recently. I did not get good fuel mileage (6.3 average) and the truck spent 2 1/2 weeks in the shop in Jan/ Feb this year for 6 new injectors, emissions issue (turned out to be programming), 2nd new power steering pump, 2nd new AC condenser, etc. Volvo's dealer service is hit and miss. My local dealer is worthless. Parts seem to always be a problem. The other issue (may not be a factor for you) but the Volvo is HEAVY compared to the Cascadia. One positive, the I-shift is the bomb. I really liked it.

I would go with the Cascadia in a minute. I been sitting idle working a desk job for a few months but am looking at hitting the road again and I am shopping Cascadia. Freightliner/Detroit is just much easier to get warranty service on. More dealers with extended hours and TA truck stops can do warranty work also if you're in a pinch. It won't do you any good to have a warranty if your truck is in the shop for extended periods while you're waiting on parts.

 

I have a 2014 Volvo 780 with I-Shift and absolutely love it! I can't think of a better truck to drive, it is actually fun to drive and comfortable to live in. I pull a 48 foot flatbed and am on the road two to three weeks at a time. I enjoy having my table to work on and I sleep comfortably in the upper bunk on a six inch inner spring mattress.

The truck is averaging 7.5 mpg at 65 mph on most loads. It has the D13 455 hp engine. I haven't turned it up to 500 hp yet have plenty of power for the loads I pull. The Volvo comes with a two year warranty and the Volvo advanced diagnostics which will alert Volvo Roadside assistance if you have a problem, order the necessary part and direct you to the nearest dealer for repair. I haven't needed this and hope I don't in the near future.

Freightliner makes a good truck, but not as good or comfortable as Volvo.

 

I have a 2013 Volvo 780 with the XE package and the Ishift. I love this truck, I only have one complaint about it and that is the cab power option on it. but I go out east all the time running reefers from Wisconsin out to Virginia with an average load of 42000 and it doesn't even slow down. Now fuel mileage wise the run from Wisconsin to about Cleveland I will average about 8.4-9.0 mpg then in the mountains it does drop down to about 7.5 mpg.

 

The Freighliner has a steep advantage over the Volvo for multiple reasons. In fact, I believe the only advantage that the Volvo ever had over the Freightliner Cascadia was the I-Shift. Unfortunately, this advantage was blown away by the NEW DT12 (AMAZING). I have drivers getting over 8MPG's without a problem (70+ mph). In fact, one test that was run from SLC to Reno and back 2 times yielded a 9.1 MPG (Truck was #80,000 out to Reno and about #66,000 on the way home). Consider for a moment the down time. If you believe as I do that trucking comes down to one thing, TCO - Total Cost of Ownership, then the Freightliner is a clear choice. #1 - Fuel Economy - Freightliner leads the industry. #2 - Downtime - Freightliner's now have the least downtime of any truck on the road (Diagnostic link sends info to Detroit and notifies Driver/Fleet Manager of issues, repair shop locations, and parts availablilty. #3 - 24 Hour service locations and the largest Service Network in the industry. #4 - Resale - Volvo has had great resale numbers in the past, but the 13 Liter engines are starting to be left in the dust and Volvo resale figures are now dropping steadily when compared with the Freightliner. #5 - Cost of Repairs - Freighliners parts and repairs are less when compared to other OEM's. Call a few stores and price out the following - (Full Bumper replacement, New Radiator, DPF cleaning, etc.) #6 - Every single DD15 engine that leaves their Detroit Factory is placed on a DYNO and tested for inefficiencies and issues. The other OEM's test 1 in 25 or 1 in 100 engines. #7 - What are the big boys buying? I know this sounds lame, but are we naive enough to think that they are not doing their homework? Most large fleets are buying almost 70% Freightliner now. Why you ask? TCO - Less money out of your pocket equals more money in your pocket. Best of luck with your decision. I am sure they will both be great trucks for you. However, in my opinion, one is a clear winner. I like to eat steak. But hamburgers taste fine too.