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the MBE How many have had it and are they good? Mercedes benz

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by truckman29801, Jun 2, 2013.

  1. Jun 2, 2013 #1
    truckman29801

    truckman29801 Medium Load Member

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    Looking at buying another truck, its a 2007 Columbia Class Freightliner with a 10 speed Autoshift and a MBE, 400hp (not sure which one) 300k miles. Im just using it to haul 5 cars at a time and to tow school buses 1 at a time. My question is how good is the MBE (Mercedes Benz engine)? my father owned a diesel for 17 years and it ran like a champ no issues, but that was a car and it was 82' so it wasnt electronic crap. I hear from friends its an electronic nightmare, but friends are friends and they talk. So experienced truckers Give me all the info, the good if any and ALL the bad. Im not going to blow 15k for a Turd. All our other trucks are mechanical except one so i know the advantage of not relying on engine electronics.
     
    truckman29801, Jun 2, 2013
    truckman29801, Jun 2, 2013
    #1
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  3. Jun 2, 2013 #2
    freightlinerman

    freightlinerman Road Train Member

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    MBE's are not very powerful, they are not as loud as the Detroit. It's the luck of the draw, you may experience good fuel mileage, but for ease of maintenance buy one with a Detroit. The values are lower on the MBE's for a reason.
     
    freightlinerman, Jun 2, 2013
    freightlinerman, Jun 2, 2013
    #2
  4. Jun 2, 2013 #3
    ryan7892

    ryan7892 Light Load Member

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    Look at the price of a freightliner of the same year with a Detroit. You will notice a big difference in price and its not because they feel jolly about giving a good deal. I wouldn't buy one but if you aren't driving to many miles it might be ok. The last thing someone told me is they are ok but you wait forever on parts and they cost twice as much. I am thinking you have to inframe them much sooner than most others.
     
    ryan7892, Jun 2, 2013
    ryan7892, Jun 2, 2013
    #3
  5. Jun 2, 2013 #4
    FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

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    Back behind the Wheel and out of the OFFICE
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    Sad but the DD's and MBEs are made by the same company.
     
    FLATBED, Jun 2, 2013
    FLATBED, Jun 2, 2013
    #4
  7. Jun 3, 2013 #5
    rocknroll81

    rocknroll81 Road Train Member

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    The company that I worked for a couple years ago bought 7 '07 Columbia day cabs with the MBE motors, was doing local reefer, the mileage ranged from 370,000 to 250,000 on them, they got pretty good fuel mileage for the work we were doing mid 6's, but, they drank oil like crazy and they and leakage problems with oil. Now I hear that they cost more to work on then a cat motor, might want to check that out......
     
    rocknroll81, Jun 3, 2013
    rocknroll81, Jun 3, 2013
    #5
  8. Jun 3, 2013 #6
    striker

    striker Road Train Member

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    my company used to have three '04 Columbia's with MBE motors. They pulled hills great, engine brakes sucked, almost non-existent. Constant fuel leak problems, water pump issues, belt tensioner issues as well.
     
    striker, Jun 3, 2013
    striker, Jun 3, 2013
    #6
  9. Jun 5, 2013 #7
    truckman29801

    truckman29801 Medium Load Member

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    yeah still debating the truck. i have a month before the guy buys himself a newer truck and is ready to sell this one so ill keep taking peoples experiences.
     
    truckman29801, Jun 5, 2013
    truckman29801, Jun 5, 2013
    #7
  10. Jun 5, 2013 #8
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    the road less travelled
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    Friend of mine is in that company's last Mercedes, the other 2 went boom last week. That company is buying gliders with N-14s in them now.

    I talked to a guy I know, he was driving one with over 900k on it, it needed repairs a while back but still sounded good after having said repairs, most issues were fixed with recalls, but the engine had enough problems, it has a bad reputation. I have talked to several who like the motor, too, but they weren't company drivers.
     
    25(2)+2, Jun 5, 2013
    25(2)+2, Jun 5, 2013
    #8
  11. Jun 5, 2013 #9
    PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    El Chuco, Tejas
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    Mercedes is a lot like Volvo. The European engines are biased more towards fuel efficiency. As for the engine brake, ive heard the MB one might as well not be there but the Volvo one does its job, not nearly as powerful as the intebrake on the two Cummins ISX equipped trucks I have driven from our fleet, but it does a decent job with the mid range weight loads we typically haul. I really do like the Automatic feature of the Volvo unit.

    Is the MB as proprietary as Volvo. Most truckstop shops won't touch a Volvo engine but with most TA/Petro shops being co branded as Freightliner Service Points, does having a MB make it an issue they'd automatically send you to a dealer for?
     
    PackRatTDI, Jun 5, 2013
    PackRatTDI, Jun 5, 2013
    #9
  12. Jun 12, 2013 #10
    ReeferOhio

    ReeferOhio Medium Load Member

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    I know of a used Freightshaker with an MBE 450hp, Meritor transmission 10 spd, 650k in framed at 333k don't know why but it was done. Truck runs smooth and quite. 20k is asking, is that a really scary combo transmission and engine? Isn't the MBE a Detroit 12.7 block? I know nothing about a Meritor transmission any suggestions?:biggrin_2552:
     
    ReeferOhio, Jun 12, 2013
    ReeferOhio, Jun 12, 2013
    #10
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