Contemplating a 2014 Cascadia with a DD15

Discussion in 'Freightliner Forum' started by izifaddag, Aug 17, 2018.

  1. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Here is a long shot but may be worth at least checking into.

    If you have a good relationship with the person you're talking to on this truck, see if by chance they can do some checking around & find out who that truck was assigned to & if they can put you two in contact. Its possible that he can find out the name & contact info with a few key strokes on his computer. That person can give you a LOT of inside info on the truck. This may not be possible but, you never know. It will be more than valuable info.
     
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  3. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Thanks Grumppy but that really is a long shot.
    I feel that I have got a decent chance here. Several things that have been said on this thread are going to help. I will try what you say but I don't know this guy in MO from Adam, or the company it was bought from let alone the actual driver or drivers.
    I am going to grab coffee now and start rolling towards Missouri. Hotel tonight I guess. At least I get about 10 showers. :D
     
  4. uncleal13

    uncleal13 Road Train Member

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    Actually the last truck I traded in the salesman called me and asked if it was okay for an interested buyer to call me. To which I agreed. The fellow did call and I answered the questions he had.
    So yes it can be done.
     
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  5. Jazz1

    Jazz1 Road Train Member

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    I've had a 2013 and 2015 DD15, both spend a week a month in the shop. Got towed 3 weeks ago, company does not bat a eye when I call in "dead on the side of the road"
    Maybe 2014 was a better vintage..
    Not near as bad as the 2012 Prostar. Worst POS, salesman must have had a warm mouth and soft chin to get those off the lot
     
  6. pavrom

    pavrom Road Train Member

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    i had 2005 century with 12.7 detroit and 10 speed same as you have tranny from meritor ....i changed the tranny to 10 speed eaton , had engine rebuild , blocked the egr and upgraded turbo to preegr detroit type , with the tune from Rebel this truck was running extremely well (don't want to compare to my cat) , but all i can say - it was perfect truck , running on the 10th gear all pa either 80 or 76 fully loaded gave me 7mpg all day long . before i built my truck and installed cat i talked to rebel and he said 05-06-07 detroits are the best ...beter even that pre egr
     
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  7. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Well that is kind of scary but too late now.
     
  8. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Again interesting but too late now.
     
  9. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Ok an update:-
    The salesman went on vacation for a week. So I was supposed to put my life on hold too.
    Nope.
    I did some checking around. I found that the specific truck he was offering me for $63,000 was listed on the Summit Group website for $55,000.
    I double checked with Summit Joplin and sure enough $8,000 cheaper.
    Anybody want to make a wild guess as to how much this salesman offered me for my truck part exchange???
    Yes, you got it - $8,000.
    So I drove to Joplin and made sure I found a salesman that I hadn't had any contact with - a fresh fish.
    It was smooth as silk.
    We drove to Springfield and looked at the truck. It looked fine and drove well enough. So I closed.
    On the way back I explained to the young man what I had done and why. Specifically why I had kept my mouth shut until that point.
    Looks like there could be a wave but I could not care less.
    This way I have both trucks. I can swap over my stuff at my leisure and figure out a way to sell the old one. Darned if I will be cheated out of my old truck. Even if I get only $1 for it that is MY $1.
    Next whammy.
    Said sales man tells me it will cost $4,000 to swap my APU over. Does it all the time he says that is why he knows how much it will cost.
    So on the way back I dropped into Memphis ThermoKing (there is only one in Memphis). $1500 and they need both trucks in their workshop they don't make house calls for dealers in Tupelo.
    Anybody starting to think this so called salesman is a liar???
    I esitimate that I have saved $10,000 by ignoring this schmuck.
     
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  10. izifaddag

    izifaddag Medium Load Member

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    Now some info on the truck.
    I took the advice offered here and checked the idle hours. It said 153 hours. That can't be right because the truck is listed officially as 2014 but that means it is a 2013. So 5 years and only 153 hours idle time? That is a bit difficult to swallow.
    However it turns out that it has a battery powered APU !! And is ex Schneider. The large companies are ruthless about not idling and also oil changes so I am hopeful.
    This truck had been cleaned inside and out. And I mean everywhere. The engine was spotless and of course new oil. So even a quickie oil analysis at Speedco would have been pointless. No leaks, tight belts and steering column (see I do watch Rawze videos lol).
    No obviously bent chassis parts or broken panels. Only an air tab and you figure that with a fleet truck.
    Very clean.
    Drove nicely but the yellow check engine light was on permanently. Also a loose panel and it is fitted with the dreaded onguard. The gears floated nicely although it didn't like looping too much. Probably me.
    So I left having given a deposit of a grand on my credit card.
    I am not taking the truck unless the onguard is removed, preferably, or completely disabled. The light and panel needs to be fixed too.
    This thread has one guy saying FLs are all junk, several saying that the 2014 with a DD15 is pretty good and a guy saying it breaks down all the time.
    Like I said Russian roulette.
    As per my previous post I still have my Century with the DD60. Duff transmission but nevertheless I got it.
    Last night, with only high range, I moved my truck from this International dealers yard to my place 15 miles away. It is locked up.
    The new truck purchase is not dependent on exchanging my Century so I will have both trucks.
    The Cascadia is being worked on and the financing sorted out.
    Don't quite know what will happen now. Just waiting.
    I'll continue with updates.
     
    25(2)+2 Thanks this.
  11. Opus

    Opus Road Train Member

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    Schneider changes their oil at 60k.
    Jus sayin
     
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