A basic question for all truckers; what is the best truck or truck brand?

As others have pointed out "best truck" is very situation dependent.

My perspective on the OTR truck manufacturers based on shopping for a brand new custom ordered truck for myself a couple years ago.

Daimler who owns Freighliner and Western Star, has methodically gone through and purchased most of their major component suppliers. One of those suppliers acquired was Detroit Diesel. Unfortunately Detroit will not sell product to other truck manufacturers. They have slowly raised the quality/reliability of the trucks over the past decade or so. I do not like the interior functionality or interior quality of materials of either brand

Volkswagen has/is acquiring Intentional/Navistar. Not sure where that will lead for future overall product quality and reliability. I personally have a bias against International because a couple of dealers I visited stated that they would prefer not to work on class 8 trucks, their bread and butter was the smaller flatbeds, box trucks, and school buses.

Volvo/Mack are basically good trucks, Mack is biased toward the vocational truck market. My main concern with them is the lack of repair/service locations. Stuff is going to break, and I would be looking at large tow bills to get the truck to a proper repair location. Lack of factory certified repair facilities is the reason I would not consider a Volvo or Mack.

Paccar: AKA Kenworth and Peterbilt. Historically, I like them both, Both can supply Cummins engines but not Detroits. I think they have most of the issues with their Paccar 13L smoothed over. Works fine on the flat lands. Just lacking on oomph compared to the others when heavy and mountains are involved. I still have not gotten past Petrbilt's "Class Sells" marketing deal, they just reinforced that they are looking for fashion over function. The Peterbilt dealers I visited were not really interested in ordering an OTR truck for me, they had enough local business with the local log truck drivers I guess. Kenworth Dealers have treated me well and were open to discussions on custom ordering a truck to my specs. Unfortunately they could not get me the engine I wanted, Nor could they supply the truck as a glider set up for a Detroit.

 

Since I’ve started driving I’ve driven a ‘14 international, ‘14 freightliner columbia, ‘22 international, and a ‘17 peterbilt and the peterbilt had been my favorite by far. I actually requested to move out of the 22 that I was in the get back in a 17 model. I am a big fan of kenworths just because that’s all my dad has owned but I’ve never driven one. Always known them to be really good trucks tho

 

After driving for 27 years plus and learning on a 1995 Mack CH600 with a Cummings N14. Later I drove many Fords, Sterlings and White trucks (No longer in production) whiles the majority had Eaton Fuller transmissions 13, 15 & 18 splits along with super 10's.. 1994 Western Star 4900 with a 3406B (that truck haul good). I bought a used 1996 Peterbilt 379 with a Cat 3406E in 2000 and honestly one pf the Best truck I drove without shakes and it sat on the road but because of my miss financial calculations and not enough capital starting off as a Owner op I had to sell the truck. Later that year got a job and drove a 1999 Freightliner Classic XL with the N14 which I drove for 3 years and not one problem.

I suggest a Peterbilt but Freightliners are close Imo. I drove some Kenworths here and there which lineup with Pete's but the Freightliners are close beside some shake to much ('Yes', the rumors hold some truth).

Internationals are here and there but I find a lot of issues with them. I drove a 2010 International Prostar with a Detroit which was one of the better Internationals. The 2013 Volvo D13 Ishift was a good truck for short haul and I drove them various ones for the last decade at my last job however Major issues with the DEF system regarding regens. For Automatic transmissions ishifts are problem the best for convenience.

However, Pete's are still the Best overall regarding Longevity imo.

 

I’ve put 300k on a 2018 International LT and I have no complaints. They pooped the bed over a decade ago with the MaxxForce engine debacle, and some folks just can’t get past that.

 

Imo there is no best make in terms of longevity and none are perfect .
I bought my 2013 cascadia out of a group of 10 identically speced trucks in the same fleet that sold them to the drivers and or traded them at 500k .
Out of that group that got sold to the drivers all but mine went to the junkyard due to abuse and neglect on the part of the owner driver before 900k and looked like crap long before that .
Conversely I have maintained the hell out of mine , don't beat it and proactively replace or rebuild components before they fail and many people think my truck is much newer than it is at 1.1 mil miles ....and it isn't a rattle trap , no matter how small or insignificant it is if it breaks it get fixed and if it gets dirty it gets washed .
It's all about maintenance and pretty much any truck will treat you as good as you treat it .

 

I will also say that having been at the 100 truck carrier im leased to long term I observe theyre buying habits and have a good relationship with the shop manager I see what goes on in the shop .
They only buy freightliners and kenworths and the shop manager says it's a toss up between the 2 on repair issues ...both bring about the same money at auction time or trade in .
They tried a pete and a small group of international pro stars but got rid of them pretty quik
Problem children don't stay in our fleet long and they don't buy more of them .

 

Freightliner.

350 Chevy / 38 Special of the trucking world.

 

I'am playing the BS card on that statement
Your still there

 

Comments from a guy that hauls utility cattle and drinks Pabst beer lmao ...would you care to roll in the gutter some more ? Lol

 

It's Hamms .BTW .. PBR is for the special occasions
The gutter is where I feel the most at home ..lol