Jon,
I guess I'm at around the same stage as you in my search. We started about 9 months ago looking to convert to a MDT but since my wife was in the trucking business (in safety and loss prevention) we finally ended up thinking about the class 8's. There is nothing superior about the MDT's in comparison. Not a single selling point that I can come to except I could afford a new one (and not a new class 8). I have looked at the T2000's and have been able to find lots of them with autoshifts. We think that we will go with the autoshift if we can find a reasonable truck with it. Many fleet managers we have talked to think it is a better way to go. But all the old-time truck drivers will tell you to only go with a straight trans.
We also like the Volvo 610. My biggest problem is that I just don't know alot about the big trucks and being a fulltime RVer I really have no place to work on the truck (long-term work....can't play with it and get it the way I want it while living the rest of my life). The truck has to come to me "ready to go". I also have the problem of dumping my F550, but that I can probably deal with, since I don't need the money from that to immediately buy the class 8.
Good luck in your search.
Jack Mayer
F550 Centurion Conversion
36' Newmar Kountry Star
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