Flatbedding with VN780

Great truck rides nice good mpg if you drive it right make sure to get a cummins in it better than the volvo engine, get a 13 or 18 speed. There is lots of space in the truck, with alot of cabinet by the driver and passenger side. I'll put it like this I am 6'6 275 pounds and can stretch out with out touching the roof. Before you buy buy make sure things have picked up and you have a plan put together because things are really slow. Good luck

 

I agree but we have the VD12 465hp engine and have had no problems with it, mine is a 2007 w/ Eaton-Fuller 10 speed auto ...I gotta say I just love the auto....I am 6'1"+ and I am extremely comfortable in the Volvo....I love mine and my partner and I are already planning to get a brand new on late in 2011 or 2012. We might go with the Cummings engine but honestly I know people hate on the Volvo engine but we have had no issues with it in 500K miles so far (shrug).

 

Like Big Country said stay away from the Volvo engine nothing but trouble and I have repair bill to prove it. Volvo is the only ones qualified to work on them and their labor rates run from $97 to as much as $125 an hour they go by a book for hours and they are extremely high (ie one job the charged me 10 hr but it only took about 5) some of the parts are extremely higher that cummins parts. There are no dealers that I know of open 24/7 most close around 7pm some open til midnight 5 days a week a few open on weekends. And the worst part there is only a 50% chance that they will repair it right the first time. I have an ongoing air leak been in shop 6 times 3 different dealers, Coolant leak 5 times 2 different dealers 2 water pumps, egr coller gaskets been replaced twice and a plastic tube. And even though it dont have nothing to do with the engine it shows their ability to repair things but to fix the air leak it easer to tell what they haven't replaced on the complete air system, rear air bags 3 rear brake chambers and the air compressor everything else have been replaces except the air lines and 2 of those have. and I am only getting between 5.1-5.5 mpg another ongoing battle with volvo been to shop 3 times for went down after they replace the first of 2 injectors a rocker arm and all new springs and of course there have been other work on this #### thing and I haven had it a year yet only 9 months on the road Total repairs a little over $12K not including warranty work

 

I like the times better when you could get a Volvo with a cat,cummins or detroit in it.

 

You can still get them with a cummins which I was going to get a 565 cummins but someone beat me to it. The O/O spec cummins are hard to come by they dont sit on the lots as long as the ones with Volvo engines

 

I agree with Mr. Plumb Crazy as for Volvo engines. Volvo dealership is the only shops that work on them.Cummins can be worked on by many shops. Why I went with the Cummins. I do have a friend that has the d16 and he loves the motor, but he runs regional and I run otr and I wanted a better choice of repair shops if I need one. As for the truck goes I have been very happy with it.

 

My feeling on the repair shop hours, who will work on it and parts has changed a bit. Before I bought mine I talked to a lot of shops and looked at rates and hours. The Volvo shops in the areas I run for the most part are 24/7 with the exception of Sunday afternoon till Monday morning. Most of the TA's and Petro's work on them and only issue was distance to Volvo dealer for parts. But that was same issue with my Frieghtliner. Yeah more dealers but if the part is 150 miles away...then doesn't matter.

Rates, no difference when talking dealers. My local guy charges $65/hr actual time. My local Volvo dealer is $85 and also actual. And for me I ended up with D12 because of price and many of issues I have heard about seem to be from the past.

Now, I have heard the same stories from drivers of all types of tractors and engines as Mr Plums. This is an expensive sport we are playing.

 

I have yet to find one open 24/7 or close to it and the cheapest Volvo labor rates I have found was $92 I think that was North of Birmingham and you're right some of the T/A and Petros will do some work on them but they are not authorized so if you have warranty kiss it good by and the Petro in Jackson told me they couldn't mess with it because of the warranty so I had to wait til that screwed up Old River opened. Not to include T/A and Petro mark the parts up and charge you for parts run. I wouldn't say I wouldn't say I wouldn"t buy another Volvo but I can say for shure I would not buy anything with a Volvo engine again. Volvo designed and set these engines up so they can make money not the Petro or T/A Go in the T/A or Petro with a code and see how long it take them to tell you they cant do nothing for you and charge you $52 to tell you that

 

CIT in IL, MO and maybe IN are 24/7 with rates in the $80's. Couple in IN opened 24/5 and short hours on weekends. Manufactures warranty not an issue for me. I have extended that I have not used (knock on wood). Issue with the warranty is I hear they make shops back-up the work and some smaller ones won't touch it.

Crazy, what year is yours?