+2014 Volvo

[Otterinthewater]

Without getting into the +/- of other brands, what are your thoughts on the ISX powered Volvo’s 2014 or newer. I fell in love with the iShift, but I’m planning on buying a truck to run regionally here in California. I might be a bit ahead of myself since I’m only enrolled in CDL school. I like to plan things out in advance and I hadn’t even consider the Cummins. This site has opened my eyes. So ISX powered Volvo with a 13speed? Any additional issues? I’m mechanically competent with Diesel’s and electronics. I pretty much fix or build everything myself. I like it that way so I’m the only idiot I get to be mad at when it goes wrong!

[Rawze]

(06-14-2018 )Otterinthewater Wrote:  Without getting into the +/- of other brands, what are your thoughts on the ISX powered Volvo’s 2014 or newer. I fell in love with the iShift, but I’m planning on buying a truck to run regionally here in California. I might be a bit ahead of myself since I’m only enrolled in CDL school. I like to plan things out in advance and I hadn’t even consider the Cummins. This site has opened my eyes. So ISX powered Volvo with a 13speed? Any additional issues? I’m mechanically competent with Diesel’s and electronics. I pretty much fix or build everything myself. I like it that way so I’m the only idiot I get to be mad at when it goes wrong!

If your serious about learning stuff the right way then I would suggest you stop listening to all the bulls$it spewed out of the mouths of the masses of idiots out there, especially on public social media. If your goal is to eventually own your own equipment then I would suggest you stop looking at trucks you would buy and focus on the rung of the ladder you are currently at --- like getting through truck school and getting at least a year of experience driving someone else's equipment FIRST!.


OWNING TRUCKING EQUIPMENT FOR PROFIT IS OWNING A BUSINESS!! -- OWNING A BUSINESS entails among other things, identifying and minimizing losses so that you can maximizing profit margin.

Minimizing losses entails IDENTIFYING YOUR BIGGEST OPERATING COSTS AND MANAGING THEM WELL!.

Maximizing profits entails IDENTIFYING HOW MUCH RISK OF FAILURE BASED ON CURRENT EXPERIENCE YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE VS. PROFITABILITY.

Anything you do in between these 2 extremes YOU DO AT YOUR OWN PERIL AND LOSS! - i.e. buying equipment because you like it more-so than how profitable it actually is going to be for your application.

I.E.> You don't go out and buy an expensive pair of hand scissors if you intend on starting a grass cutting business. You buy a commercial riding lawn mower with a wide deck to improve production (cut more lawns a day = more money in your pocket). Next is WHAT kind of commercial mower?... The one that is harder to work on that you have to take to the dealer every time it breaks, or easy to work on so you can keep in going with less down time when there are troubles? The one that sucks more fuel or less?, The one that eats up expensive specialized blades or has blades that are cheap and easily replaceable?...

Come to think of it, trucking is a lot like a grass cutting business. There are so many competitors that it is impossible to make a decent profit because everyone else wants that same customer, equipment is designed any more to break more than make reliable production, everyone is out to stiff you because they can always find excuses not to pay, and the local home owners association in your area is trying to control every move you make and limit you unless you pay for special lawn cutting licenses, fees, special permits, taxes, etc.etc.

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Here are my own thoughts on Volvo, no one has to agree ...
http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...6#pid24156

and...
http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...88#pid2688

[Otterinthewater]

Thanks for the reply Rawze.

Without going into too much detail on my business model, my company is already paying to move freight along the I-5 corridor. What we build requires significant packing and is considered dimensional weight. Our build lead times are at around 6 months. This allows me to consolidate orders for our customers. I currently use an under 26,000 truck to do some deliveries. Normally with our stops and load sizes we at best can ship what actually weighs 300# for a about $6 a mile for a regular run of +/- 400mi. My competitors are in the same situation and we often deliver for them as well. My issue is dead head. My plan is to get my CDL, spend the prerequisite time Training with a company and then gain access to a load board and pick up freight for the return leg. The tractor fits our budget, and we need a newer 48 foot trailer with a lift gate.

My daily job doesn’t go away in the industry I’ve worked in for 35 years. I can do this run 2 to 3 times a month and often go as far as Vancouver island. This is in essence my retirement job that I plan on doing for the next 10 years. I of course want to maximize profits, comfort, and joy. We’ve already have a full business structure and knowing my business and it’s profitability this is a win-win. I’ll check the links you’ve supplied.

[Otterinthewater]

Thanks for the read Rawze.

So, back to my original question.

Is there any additional mechanical or electrical issues that would preclude me from wanting a Volvo with an ISX/13 speed? I know this site is in some ways a cult of personality around the Prostar as well. You guys have earned the great reputation that tractor has through smarts and hard work! I’m not eliminating a Prostar from possibility, just focusing on the Volvo till I have enough data. Thanks again.

[Chamberpains]

I don't think this site is overly Prostar. I think Rawze just attracts them because he owns 1 and can answer their questions in great detail. I for one wouldn't buy a Prostar or a Volvo. They aren't exactly easy to work on with the placement and tight conditions for accessing things.

Volvo's have always been the Cadillac of trucks. Built for driver comfort and mechanis misery. They have a tendency to over engineer simple things all in the name of comfort. Including very complicated electrical systems.

Im actually eye balling the KW t660 or t680. One look under that hood and everything seems to be out far enough to at least not have to be a contortionist full time to get at things.

A big part of driving and owning a truck is also wanting to do the job and wanting to work on things. Without that, then your just more likely to quit, cut corners or not do the job all together. I can tell you from experience that ease of access to things weighs heavily on a wrench's mindset when doing something. I can only speculate that it completely deters people that aren't mechanical savy from ever attempting to tear in to it.

[Otterinthewater]

(06-15-2018 )Chamberpains Wrote:  I don't think this site is overly Prostar. I think Rawze just attracts them because he owns 1 and can answer their questions in great detail. I for one wouldn't buy a Prostar or a Volvo. They aren't exactly easy to work on with the placement and tight conditions for accessing things.

Volvo's have always been the Cadillac of trucks. Built for driver comfort and mechanis misery. They have a tendency to over engineer simple things all in the name of comfort. Including very complicated electrical systems.

Im actually eye balling the KW t660 or t680. One look under that hood and everything seems to be out far enough to at least not have to be a contortionist full time to get at things.

A big part of driving and owning a truck is also wanting to do the job and wanting to work on things. Without that, then your just more likely to quit, cut corners or not do the job all together. I can tell you from experience that ease of access to things weighs heavily on a wrench's mindset when doing something. I can only speculate that it completely deters people that aren't mechanical savy from ever attempting to tear in to it.

Thanks.

Rawze definitely makes a great case (even though he might not be trying to) for the Cummins Prostars. This site and the detailed how to videos at times makes me almost feel as if that would be the way to go. I did just tell my wife that we are going to go look at one when I see one available close by. There's got to be some used ones down in Fontana or wherever.

Since my basic plan doesn't have me doing +100k miles per year year (I did 40k last year) I feel a little safer. Any vehicle can bite you in the ass, and in my experience very few warranties are worth the paper they are written on so I've always "learned" each vehicle and did it myself.

I do have this weird desire to get to Mr. Haggs shop (no real reason to go that way, I guess I could plan a delivery to Florida) and get whatever I truck I buy worked on, ad review for peace of mind.

The efficiency tuning that is being done on here is one of the biggest draws for me. I love an engine that purrs and runs right. Love it.