Announced publicly on MSN this morning Daimler is setting these two free to their own determinations by years end.
I heard that last week from a sales person. Odd with Freightliner holding 33% of the market.
Daimler AG's truck division says it plans to shift most of its vehicle development resources to zero-emission vehicles by 2025 and predicts that battery and hydrogen-powered trucks could be competitive with diesels on cost later this decade.
The Germans tire of their mistresses easily, they used Chrysler until she got ugly, thanks to their influence, and since then she's been passed around to other European countries that still hold a grudge against the US. Pretty sad shape these days. The truck lines will probably get the same treatment.
The financial article I read had some good sounding reasons, but I wonder if it has anything to do with the idea that nobody knows how to build a truck or engine that will stay together any more.
Yep, I wonder how any truck line or even dealer can stay in business anymore, we reached a peak where million mile engines were a thing, and a good driver and some maintenance would make the rest of the tractor last as well, to this crap shoot where emissions issues and sensor issues and software issues and parts production issues have trucks constantly out of service and some of the newest rigs with undiagnosable issues that leave the truck at the dealer's shop for days, weeks, months? Meanwhile constant changes in part design to "improve" them or produce them for a nickel less drives failure, and while the life of the rig may have been getting longer, the obsolescence cycle is getting shorter and the designs and materials make it too costly for the aftermarket to produce and impossible for the shops and mechanics to find or make a substitute. Progress. For who?
Trucks are like cars throw away. You can't stay in business as a trucking company without buying a warranty that has a range of 500 to 750,000 miles. It has to used as a safety net. But with that said any of our trucks with 475,000 plus will bring 75 to 90,000 without a problem because it has warranty left on it. The real problem is the constant thought by manufactures to redesign every three years. In the end it costs them as well because of all the replacement parts to inventory at the DC's. I can buy a new mirror for a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia for 300 from a salvage that handles 90% of Freightliner surplus and there is bin after bin of parts like that. If I were to buy it from a Freightliner dealer 550. Only because it has a small scratch on it. The Problems start at the top-the CEO.
I said it at the time. In the late 1990s - early 2000s we knew we were living in the "good old days" of trucks. Electronics had helped engines out but had not completely made a spaghetti mess out of everything yet. Then the 2002 EGR "October surprise" came out. It has been downhill from there.
And I've said it many times-manufactures knew it was coming and chose to kick the can down the road.
The old head on the C15 was a carbon mess in the intake. Charge air pressure sensor angle fitting was almost carboned shut and charge air temp sensor was a solid ball of carbon as pulled it from its resting place where shaved the carbon off removing from head thru pipe thread hole. All due to IVA system operation for some form of EGR control. I had done nothing per say on newer engines as this until drove the grain hauls, much of these systems seemed less than 'State of the Art' and more slide by misconceived iterations. The second truck at the grain hauler was a 2007 ISX Cummins and was horribly problematic.
Look at the parts and service money they're making, and they can blame it all on the gubmint. Even though we know they could have built them better.
Of coarse the parts and of coarse billed time for three or four diagnosis try's. Automotive is the same way. No body wants to hear it because they are investors also, Manufactures are more worried about their stock prices and keeping investors happy. It's a vicious game. Lets say you have a trailer in Utility for some refrigeration work, on the bill for any other items lets say on the suspension, they look around to find extras they can bill that are not expensive but adds to labor. Like a ride height linkage-cost 10.89 labor 110.00. It will be listed as a complaint in the express care diagnosis column of invoice. Even though you never complained. Very common with all dealers, the problem is most never completely fix the problem it was brought in for. Detroit DD-15 & 16-A very common problem-the intake valves end up with no valve lash because the valves and seats are sinking. Sometimes it will take a third of a turn on the adjuster screw before just zero lash is obtained. But you must diagnose this at the dealer with a cylinder cut out test, compression test and sphincter exam.-------------I had a corporate from Portland in the shop and a service manager at the same time when one of our rigs just rolled in off the highway. Cracked the hood while they were standing right there, {I asked both-{Can YOU Hear that?}. Hear what they asked. {The slight miss and a slight thumping noise in the air cleaner housing}! No. { This engine has tight intake valves you can hear the air pulsing back through the intake valves} You don't need a compression test or any other test to figure this out plus you don't need to bill us for wasted time.
They do not want mechanics that understand engines or transmissions, they want Tech Gurus that follow their protocols for making money. Cannot see they kill their own industry.
YEARS Ago, had a service call on a Drott Track Loader, stopped moving. Got to the site, started machine, disengaged brake locked down and used it for fifteen minutes with NO howls growls or any form of indicated illness. Checked fluids levels and conditions and then the 'operator' walked up from break. He asked what I did to fix it, explained 'Nothing' so he got on machine and let me work it some more. First thing once running unlatched parking brake, he looked at me and asked 'Whazat?' Went back to shop satisfied would be fine, boss threw a hissy fit and sent second man out to change ALL trans fluids and filters. Kid got back we ALL looked at the absolutely CLEAN and bright Red trans oil with NO Burnt odor and perfectly fine NEW filters that company evidently had just changed. I stated another well done management decision, and went back to my other project. Boss never apologized nor took it any further as to berating me on what I knew and chose to accept as Good, never second guessed me again either.
That's true-and I like making them look like an *** in front of each other. You should have heard the questions fly when the corporate asked about my mack setting in the shop.
Can Imagine!!
Would of like to have been the fly on the wall for that one!
Simple answer. Only truck in the whole fleet that will run faithfully, any time.
Actually It's this one-it collects the dead ones-will go anywhere anytime night or day and always completes the job no mater the conditions.