VOLVO

Magnum1, I think if you like the Volvo as a company driver then check them out for your own truck. Last year I sold my 03 379 Pete and bought an 07 VNL 780 Volvo with ISX Cummins engine and have been totally happy with it. Sitting in it at my little table waiting to unload in the morning as I type this. Sold my 379 because I also wanted more room in a truck and wanted better fuel milage and have been happy on both counts. As for working on it I have a great shop at home that does most of my work and they say that Volvo's are better to work on than Freightliners. I say go for what YOU want.

 

Volvo's are a nice riding truck but they are an electrical nightmare. I have never had as much room as a 780.

 

I have only had my Volvo since September of last year. It had 485000 on it then, and now has 527000 on it. I have only had minor issues with it, replaced both front axle air bags, had the overhead adjustment done a couple weeks after I bought it, replaced stock mufflers with some Donaldson full flow mufflers. Truck had new tires and brakes on it when i bought it. Other than those few things I have mentioned the rest has just been regular maint.

 

My situation is similar to larry2903's. I have had my 2007 Volvo 780 with a Volvo D12 engine for just three months. It has about 490,000 miles on it, 32,000 of which are mine. The local dealer found a cracked cross member exactly seven days after I bought the truck. No problem, 6 year/750,000 mile warranty on the frame(the dealer I bought the truck from didn't even give me a reply after I sent them pictures.)

Other than that, I have had two leaking wheel seals and a cold water leak.

There was a lot replaced on this truck before I bought it including two egr valves. Have had the oil changed twice now out on the road with no problem of having the proper filters.

Buy a truck you like and has been properly maintained and run with it. Unless you know everything that has ever been done maintenance wise it's all just a crap shoot regardless of the brand.

 

Magnum1, I got the same way when I bought my truck. I was looking at this Volvo and a t600 with a studio sleeper. I called the dealers so many times. I finally decided on this truck because it had what I wanted, Cummins, 13 spd, 3:58 rears, aerodynamic, roomy sleeper, nice looking and clean, and the price was right. I was not worried about the weight because I had talked with the company that I am leased to and they told me they had several o/o with same type of truck. Since I bought the truck I have not had any problems hauling my loads.Only been once or twice that I was close to being over, no problem cause time I got to the scales I had already burned off enough fuel to be legal. As for electrical problems, this is my third truck as an o/o, first two were Pete's, now Volvo. I have had electrical problems with the Pete's as well, not major but still, a short here, a short there. These things roll down the road, we load em heavy, they bounce down these rough roads, they are all gonna need work. I am not an eletrician, I hate short's, but I have a good shop at home with some top shelf mechanics, when I have a problem, if its not something I can do, I go to them. Moral of the story is: look the truck over, get the engine history from Cummins or which ever one you go with and buy the truck that you want. We spend a lot of time in these thing's and I am going to be comfortable, and don't really care about what some people think about my short hood.