What is the attraction with peterbilts

Why so much hate? Why does there seem to be a "Team Aero" and a "Team Hood"? Why does one side think the people on the other side are not as smart as you just because of the truck you drive? I spec'd a cascadia evolution, tag axle, auto tranny, super singles, etc and I also spec'd a 389 that is the furthest thing away from aerodynamic as you can get. I chose the 389 because it makes me happy to run it down the road. I didn't buy it to fit in, I bought it because it's fun to drive. When I sell this truck off in a few years I'll step into a fuel efficient cascadia with all the bells and whistles and look back on owning a stretched pete and be happy that I got to own one before they stopped making them ( it's coming eventually I think). I like seeing a truck running down the road that's spec'd differently than most other. I like trucks, not just one type but all of them. Especially trailers, that's what really gets me going.

 

I like driving Ptb's for me not for anyone else. I have worked pretty hard over the years and always figured it was worth it to me to have what I wanted. I believe in the quality of construction, comfort and the ease of working on the truck itself. And yes i'm crazy, I like working on certain trucks. The Ftlr. I currently own made a 5 mile trip from the yard to the glass shop and back. Garage door went up truck went in, interior came out of front of the Classic. I could not believe the former owner drove this rattleing, squeaking thing on a daily basis. He did later admit it was pretty bad. 1 million mile truck driven by O/O, year 2000. Flashback 1995! I bought a 1986 359 glider with 1 million miles on the cab. It had had a few drivers in it. I was the third owner. Drove it home from Philly, Pa. None of the side affects the Ftlr. suffered from. Got out of the business a few years ago. Went to work for a 100 truck construction co. Started in an old Mack, then was assigned a 2000 T800 KW. KW probably had 100 drivers in and out of it. On road, off road you name it. Spent 8 hrs cleaning the interior. Once again no rattles, squeaks, ect. The doors on the 359 and T800 needed some TLC, but nothing compared to what I have had to do to the Classic. I'm not talking aero- non aero, i'm talking cab construction. As far as insulation, the salesman that speced out this Classic could of done me and my friend a giant favor by ordering the artic pkg. Getting back to the construction co. They had some 2004 Ftlr's not sure what cab, then put a couple on the tunnel job with us. Probably a 3 mile rough haul road 7-12 times a day. The dashes were falling right out, literally after about a couple of weeks.

 

While true, a man should be able to drive what suits him best, in your zest to justify why you like a Pete you decided it was best to say all FL are junk when you were referencing in your mind that one squeaky, rattletrap you are talking about. Like I stated, it is all in how a truck is spec'd tp begin with.

Because of how I did my Columbia, though it is not like riding around in a Lincoln Town Car, I can still, while running down the road on a hard pull, enjoy the nuances to the instrumentation of a smooth jazz number on the surround sound stereo without cranking it up to overcome a lot of road and engine noise. I can hear the rub of a finger across a guitar string in a song. Or the mood of a great saxophone part of something like Loggins and Messina's "Angry Eyes" number. I really don't care if the dash is metal or plastic. It is plastic on my pickup so I see no difference and really don't sit around worrying that it is in my semi.

You see, if one has to run something else down to justify why one has something they do, then they have insecurity issues about their choices and that is something that calls for some therapy. It is one thing to state the reasons one made the choice they did. It is quite another to run something else down to justify those choices. Someone likes a Pete. Someone else likes a KW. Someone else likes their FL. In the end, folks have what gets the job done and they are comfortable with it or they buy something else. I am a practical kind of person and don't go in for all the fluff and show of a truck. Some get satisfaction from more traditional trucks and such. Some go to things like the Walcott Jamboree or MATTs while others feel that they would need to seek counseling for doing that, because after spending most of their year in a truck, and then on their free time, going to a truck show, there must be something mentally wrong with themselves. I just want the best value in the tool I use to ply my trade. Just because a keyboard says Yamaha on it and not Steinway, does not mean it will not provide the quality the user in wanting, and do it a more reasonable price.

 

My opinion is as the former owner of 2 new Ftlr's (1989) that had dash problems from day one I can state how I feel about the product. I have owned numerous used and new Ptb's and had no problems concerning the dash. The Ftlr's I bought new were specd out with the artic pkg. which as I recall included extra rivets in the cab. The salesman knew what he was doing. You work on Paccar and work on Ftlr. you will see the difference. In a way I should be grateful there are people like you are out here, because if everyone liked Paccar like I do they would be $200,000.00 each and you would have to wait 3 years to get one. And just so you know I am one of those wackos that loves going to Louisville and spending a day of my time. As far as the therapy the Cleveland Clinic says there is nothing that can be done for the mental disability I have.

 

Wow, some people are a little to sensitive. It's trucking and the internet, take a chill pill.

 

Petes and Kenworths are the same thing....Paccars. I think the interiors are organized well. The fancy International I drove was the strangest arrangement I'd ever seen....like the guy who designed it had never driven. I'm not sure about reliability any more.....I think they all have their good and bad models, but overall I think Paccars with Cummins engines are the best. The first Paccar engines were a disaster.....I'm guessing the new ones just coming out will be very similar to the current Cummins engines that have the bugs worked out, but don't hold me to it.

 

Its just a name…just like a Mercedes. Its just another piece of plastic with a shiny badge on it. That's all you're paying for; a name.

Tiger

 

i'm going to beat this dead horse here just to prove a point, and keep in mind who's saying this

I may have told my company "put me in a pete and i'm walking out that door" but I will NEVER insult Peterbilt, I don't know why the OP is. if anything I take offence to the fact he hates petes

but that's just my view.

 

The only plastic on them is the fiberglass hood on a W900, the rest of the cab is aluminum, and a 379 Pete is all aluminum.

 

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