Joe,
Your right. there are about 100 things to look for. It's just like buying a house or car only
it's a different item.
You will be using this vehicle for many years.
Therefore, you want a reliable, dependable truck
that looks really good. One that you will be proud to drive and tow your travel trailer with.
After selecting the brand and type of truck you want, then it comes down to several basic items.
The most expensive components on the truck are very important. The engine, transmission and rear axle(s) are the most expensive items to repair/replace. I would not now buy a truck that was out of warranty for these major components.
How has the truck been used and maintained? Was it hauling steel at gross weight all the time?
If so, I don't want it. I want a truck that was fleet maintained. This assures that the truck was well cared for. Items that may fail are replaced in advance of failure. I have I have bought 4 Volvo VNL 610s that came off lease from Knight Transportation.
I thuroughly investigated Knight Transportation before I bought the first one. I spoke to
many drivers for Knight. I spoke to their Fleet Maintenance Dept Manager. Every time a Knight truck returns to the yard, it is serviced if
due for service.
It is always connected to the computer to see if it has been over heated or over reved or if any faults are present. The entire truck is checked over, if a shock is leaking, that pair is replaced, etc.
All these trucks are governored to not exceed 1,800 RPMs. (You can have this programming changed to 2,100 RPMs by Cummins for $70). The ECM records every nuance of engine operation. This can be printed out so you can see the entire history of engines operation since new.
Never buy a truck that has been wrecked and repaired. Have the truck thoroughly inspected by an independent truck mechanic. Have him check all systems on the truck. If any problem is
discovered, have an agreement from the seller that he will fix it.
How is the paint and finish on the truck? You would not believe how many times I have been approached getting out of any of the 610s I have owned and asked it my truck was brand new.
Inspect interior for wear and amenities. I love the Volvo Roadrelay computer that is installed in the dash of all the Knight Trucks. These trucks have premium radios with 4 speakers, pyrometer and boost guage, Jake brake, cruise, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, high back air ride premium drivers seat, power right hand window, separate air conditioning systems for the cab and sleeper. Plenty of interior lighting,
two complet sets of curtians and lot' of storage.
There are 4 cupholders within easy reach of the driver. There are two sunvisors for the driver
side window and front window, besides the exterior visor. There are two grab handles inside the door, front and rear to assist in getting in the truck.
They ride like a Caddy. These Volvos were completely redesigned in 1998. Volvo asked
hundreds of drivers what they wanted for amenities before they redesigned their trucks. The cab is actually much quieter than a diesel pickup. There is no wind noise. No rattles.
These trucks are designed to be driven every day 10 hours a day for solo drivers and 20 hours a day if team driven.
In short, they are built to last. The end result is that more than half of these trucks will run
at least 800,000 miles before requiring any major mechanical repair/replacement.
The Cummins engine has several built into the computer engine protect features. When starting the engine cold, it cannot be reved above idle speed to protect the engine. The engine will warn you if your are low on oil or coolant. if not corrected, the engine will derate the HP to
160 and will eventually shut off to prevent component damage.
There are other circumstances under which the engine will derate itself and eventually shut off. low oil pressure for exmple. These are built in electronic features to protect the engine from damage.
These trucks have been designed to haul 80,000
pounds day in and day out. When an Rver buys one of these trucks, the truck is basically retired just like the driver. Very few RVers will put more than 30,000 miles per year on these trucks.
I change the oil and filters every 6 to 8 thousand miles. I like to do this myself as it gives me a good opportunity to inspect the underside of the truck. I always fill the combination oil filter with oil before I install it. That way you get instant oil pressure on start up. There is not a two secnod delay while the oil pump fills the filter. I also lube the truck every 3 to 4 thousand and every time I change oil.
If you buy a good truck with say 400,000 miles on it, you can be comfortable that you can drive the truck for at least 13 years before any repairs would be necessary if you take care of it. Even then, that figure applies to a truck running at 70,000 to 80,000 pounds gross. Towing your trailer, you will always be 40,000 to 50,000 pounds under gross.
You won't even be able to cause the truck to work hard towing a travel trailer. How can you tell if the truck is working hard? Two simple ways:
1. What does the pyrometer read. Truckers drive by the pyrometer. It's simple, when the pyrometer reaches 1,200 degreess on an upgrade, they downshift one gear, which will drop the exhaust temp back to about 800 degrees. They repeat the process as necessary. Towing my Alfa in the mountains on the hottest day, I have never seen the pyro rise above 750 degrees, I have never had to downshift out of 10th gear on any grade, on any mountain unless I ran up on two trucks side by side causing me to have to slow down.
2. Engine fan comes on. These fans are designed to operate when the water temp rises above 210 degrees. The fan has never come on while driving in any of the Volvos I have owned. The water temp has never risen above 195 degrees, even on the longest upgrades.
These trucks just loaf along, all the power is there if you need to pass on a two lane highway, these trucks will pull more than 30 pounds of boost. Above 1,500 RPMs you get instant throttle response for passing with your trailer.
Its really unbelievabe how much truck you get for your money when you buy one of these compared to a pickup or class 6 truck. A good class 8 truck has to be the bargain of the century for full time RVers.
If you plan to keep a truck for several years, spend a few thousand more and get a real nice one. You'll be glad you did.
Larry
[This message was edited by onezman on September 03, 2002 at 12:43 PM.]
