longevity of class 6 or class 7 medium duty trucks
- Thread starter ayerst
- Start date
On average, the class 8 trucks will last longer and hold up better to otr applications, but the class 7 trucks are good for a lot more than 200,000 miles.
I would consider a class 7 truck to be a 600,000-700,000 mile truck and the class 8 trucks can do 1-1.2 million generally. There are trucks in both classes that have done better and some worse.
I personally believe the maintenance cost per mile is cheaper on a class8. You have to consider the initial investment and weigh that against the maintenance costs and longevity to make your own decision.
I have no proven numbers to back up the maintenance costs. Others here probably do. The search function might bring up some relative threads.
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
Oh no, my M2 is 350,000 miles past being worn out, what do I do???
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tenntrucker
Expert Expediter
Better stop at the next truck stop and get your gear out of it before it totally falls apart......
Sent from my DROID X2 using EO Forums
Im guessing that your's and Highway Star's M2s will be two that give the class 8 trucks a run for it.
bluejaybee
Veteran Expediter
I've always thought of life of engine in these trucks. Like, class 8 should be good for a million on average and class 7 I think most consider 700,000 miles to be about it. My class 7 has 600,000 and still going strong. But there is the rest of the truck to consider also. It is the engine that costs the most to replace and that is why we all worry about the life of it. I have seen several class 8's with over 2 mill on them and heard of some with 3 mill plus on them. No telling what else had been replaced in that length of time.
People love to post good truck news but tend to keep the bad news to themselves. We will hear about the driver who got 200,000 miles on a set of steers but if the same driver got 80,000 miles, he probably would not post. So too with truck engines and trucks themselves.
After manufacturer's defects and design flaws, the biggest variable is preventative maintenance. A well maintained Class 7 truck would likely outlast a poorly maintained Class 8 truck.
It would be very difficult to compare maintenance costs per mile between the two classes of trucks because driver variables are so great. One may hammer down at every green light while another has a light foot. One may idle the truck forever, taking pride in never turning it off. Another may not idle the engine at all, saving thousands of hours of wear and tear.
Even skills in dealing with service departments can make a difference. One driver may pay little attention to what is going on and end up returning to a bad dealer over and over again, shelling out money each time. Another may understand things mechanical better, communicate with mechanics better, and be a more demanding customer.
In Diane's and my case, we purchased a Class 8 truck new in 2006 and spec'ed it to last 10 years or more. Year seven begins this June. So far, so good.
While there are those who do, it is not common for an expediter to stay in the same truck for 10 years or more. Keep that in mind when you are thinking about the useful life of any truck you will purchase. The 10-year truck life is nice to think about but think about yourself too. Are you one to stay in the the same truck that long? If not, the truck longevity conversation is moot.
After manufacturer's defects and design flaws, the biggest variable is preventative maintenance. A well maintained Class 7 truck would likely outlast a poorly maintained Class 8 truck.
It would be very difficult to compare maintenance costs per mile between the two classes of trucks because driver variables are so great. One may hammer down at every green light while another has a light foot. One may idle the truck forever, taking pride in never turning it off. Another may not idle the engine at all, saving thousands of hours of wear and tear.
Even skills in dealing with service departments can make a difference. One driver may pay little attention to what is going on and end up returning to a bad dealer over and over again, shelling out money each time. Another may understand things mechanical better, communicate with mechanics better, and be a more demanding customer.
In Diane's and my case, we purchased a Class 8 truck new in 2006 and spec'ed it to last 10 years or more. Year seven begins this June. So far, so good.
While there are those who do, it is not common for an expediter to stay in the same truck for 10 years or more. Keep that in mind when you are thinking about the useful life of any truck you will purchase. The 10-year truck life is nice to think about but think about yourself too. Are you one to stay in the the same truck that long? If not, the truck longevity conversation is moot.
I owned both-class 8 and now a class 7. in my opinion-for what it's worth-not a heck of alot-but here goes anyways.. I wish I had my my million plus class 8 back., 60 series detroit, average milare 9 to 10.5. my m2 -average mph 8.6. as far as maintance-the m2 is a castrated puppy, the regen issue for now is straightened out-but future coast could run 4 to 5 thous.every truck has to be maintained- every truck has issues,some mechanical-some driver issues. if you are looking at a m2 ,may make sure the engine is a "wet sleeve""engine and not a dry sleeve. longevity I am told is not as great as a class 8-if I knew then-I would of kept my detroit, without all the new requirement add ons.
pearlpro
Expert Expediter
If youll look at Penske and Ryders Used Class 7 S/T truck sales sites, youll notice most of the trucks they sell have about 220K to 280K and there out of fleet use and up for sale, The have a term for it but its the HALF LIFE of the Engine, Drivetrain they feel before the truck starts needing repair and replacement of major items such as Turbos, EGR systems, Diesel Particulate Filters, etc...some trucks will run for many more miles before they need anything, some have far more need for parts, Ive read many Maintenance reports and the Mercedes 900 series seem to require the least parts, With the Cummins about the same, but the CAT falling far behind, most of the older CAT C7s need fuel injectiors, Pumps, and other parts replaced before the 200K mark....these trucks mostly all are fleet maintained, Have Coolant, Oil Samples done on each PM and fairly good records of Oil Changes etc....I think also it depends on how a trucks going to be used, will you drive from Texas to Michigan weekly, or from Detroit to Lexington and back....or even in the Northeast all thru the Stop and Go and SLOW of the cities. Proper Oils, Lubricants, Filters and Fuels have LOTS to do with the longevity of a diesel engine. Also Transmissions and Drivetrains, I do expediting and most of my Loads arent that heavy, I go from 8k to 1k loads and typically 4 K is the norm, so Im not overloading the vehicle or overworking the drivetrain if Im going up and down the Mountains and Poconos, etc. My fuel mileage stays pretty good and I keep my foot OFF the floor 90% of the time, using cruise where I can.
I had the benefit of taking diesel engines classes when I was younger and Ive always been into the mechanicals and maintenance end. One of the things I picked up on at the recent Expediters Expo was the mention of buying a grease gun and learning to Lube the truck, how to check all the fluids, knowing when fluids are worn out and need to be replaced, and to research the difference between Oils, Fluids Synthetic and Non, and coolants etc. I dont fall into the traps of some device with a turbonator that swills gas and gives 30% better fuel mileage....Clean air filters and Fuel filters do that well enough, Clean oil of the right viscosity, Lubes of the right viscosity, and even Wheel bearing Torque etc....its the little things that can give you LOTS more mileage.
I had the benefit of taking diesel engines classes when I was younger and Ive always been into the mechanicals and maintenance end. One of the things I picked up on at the recent Expediters Expo was the mention of buying a grease gun and learning to Lube the truck, how to check all the fluids, knowing when fluids are worn out and need to be replaced, and to research the difference between Oils, Fluids Synthetic and Non, and coolants etc. I dont fall into the traps of some device with a turbonator that swills gas and gives 30% better fuel mileage....Clean air filters and Fuel filters do that well enough, Clean oil of the right viscosity, Lubes of the right viscosity, and even Wheel bearing Torque etc....its the little things that can give you LOTS more mileage.
My M2 has an engine similar in size, or bigger, than many Class 8 trucks. Same with the tranny. I am more concerned with the LITTLE stuff going.
It has a MBE 4000, 450HP with an EatonFuller 10sp autoshift.
It has almost 650,000 on it. So far, at least, the ONLY repair to the drive chain has been the clutch. Also an "XY Shifter" that was still under warranty. It was likely a wiring problem.
I average between 10-10.5MPG. It is things like AMU's and poor workmanship that has cause most of my problems.
It has a MBE 4000, 450HP with an EatonFuller 10sp autoshift.
It has almost 650,000 on it. So far, at least, the ONLY repair to the drive chain has been the clutch. Also an "XY Shifter" that was still under warranty. It was likely a wiring problem.
I average between 10-10.5MPG. It is things like AMU's and poor workmanship that has cause most of my problems.
We just sold two of our FL 80 Freigtliner's a few months back. They both had 3126 Cat motors that had over a million miles each. One had 1.2 million miles and ran like a top. It's all about doing PM work on your truck. I swear by Lucas oil and use it in all of our trucks. You just can't go wrong with Lucas Oil. As most expediters know that getting a million plus miles out of a 3126 Cat is really not that common.
8ballexpress
Active Expediter
Think about how most class 6 and 7 trucks are used. Delivering furniture or lumber by a $8/hr idiot who doesn't give a flip about the equipment. Daily abuse like that will shorten the life of any motor vehicle.
All the other posts are dead on about maintainence. That's what adds life to a truck.
All the other posts are dead on about maintainence. That's what adds life to a truck.
I know of class 6 & 7 trucks that have well over 1 million miles and class 8 units that are garbage at 500,000 miles its all abbout maintenance and drivers.
Always look at the maintainence records for the unit your planing to buy maintenance will make the difference of how long it will last. Off lease units are a good option as theyre maintained, abuse dammage and repairs have to be paid by the company who uses the truck and its not cheap, Also, evedence of abuse and neglect usualy results in the leasing company reposessing the truck and service records are easy to obtain. A dealer will often tell you they dont have them, they cant get them, its an auction vehicle, etc. Dont fall for it, they can be had if you press the issue. F.M.C.S.A. regs require owners to maintain service records and keep them for two years after disposing of the vehicle. The dealer can find the former owner and in most cases former owners will send them out.
Before buying my truck I told the sales guy if he did not get the docs to discount the truck ten grand or Ill take my business elseware. He had them the next day.
Now that you have the docs in your hands make sure they wernt just thrown together just to shut you up look at the docs for repeated repairs, especialy items that should have lasted, as well as the PM work and look over the truck. Look for minor accidents and major wrecks, If the docs match what you see on the service records use your judgement. It dosent hurt if possiable to look into the former owner/opperator to get a bead on thier opperation and how they treated the truck.
A little leg work goes a long way.
Good Luck
Bob Wolf
Wolf Trucking.
Always look at the maintainence records for the unit your planing to buy maintenance will make the difference of how long it will last. Off lease units are a good option as theyre maintained, abuse dammage and repairs have to be paid by the company who uses the truck and its not cheap, Also, evedence of abuse and neglect usualy results in the leasing company reposessing the truck and service records are easy to obtain. A dealer will often tell you they dont have them, they cant get them, its an auction vehicle, etc. Dont fall for it, they can be had if you press the issue. F.M.C.S.A. regs require owners to maintain service records and keep them for two years after disposing of the vehicle. The dealer can find the former owner and in most cases former owners will send them out.
Before buying my truck I told the sales guy if he did not get the docs to discount the truck ten grand or Ill take my business elseware. He had them the next day.
Now that you have the docs in your hands make sure they wernt just thrown together just to shut you up look at the docs for repeated repairs, especialy items that should have lasted, as well as the PM work and look over the truck. Look for minor accidents and major wrecks, If the docs match what you see on the service records use your judgement. It dosent hurt if possiable to look into the former owner/opperator to get a bead on thier opperation and how they treated the truck.
A little leg work goes a long way.
Good Luck
Bob Wolf
Wolf Trucking.