Commercial trucks
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 255
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From: Peoria, IL
As much as I hate to say it, GM 4500 and 5500 blow their blue oval counterparts out of the water...
The Ford is just a beefed up F-350 while the GM's have nothing in common with the 3500 besides the engine/trans and maybe some small items.
The Ford is just a beefed up F-350 while the GM's have nothing in common with the 3500 besides the engine/trans and maybe some small items.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,513
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My reasons for picking the Chevy over the Ford in this instance is because the Chevys have much more options than the Fords (tandem axles, gas engines, ect.), and BECAUSE the Ford is now just an International with a Ford cab on it. The Ford 650 and 750 are made in Mexico out of parts International throws out!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
The Ford 650 and 750 are made in Mexico out of parts International throws out
not really that plant has been awarded top honors for build quality and craftsmanship. if you want tandem axles then you need to look at the sterling trucks.
not really that plant has been awarded top honors for build quality and craftsmanship. if you want tandem axles then you need to look at the sterling trucks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,728
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From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
Is Freightliner a choice here? The biggest problem is that you need a medium-duty franchise to sell anything over a F450/Kodiak 4500, and there's one (count 'em, one) Ford dealer in the Portland metro area that holds it, along with one Chevy dealer (not us) and one GMC dealer. Six Freightliner dealers in the same market area.
That being said- the Kodiak's finding a lot of new friends in the commmercial arena.
That being said- the Kodiak's finding a lot of new friends in the commmercial arena.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2004
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From: Melbourne, Aus
I was about to mention that. I have only driven one F-650 and it was very brief.
However I have driven a lot of European and Japanese cab-overs. For comfort, refinement, manouverability, fuel economy - heck pretty much anything - the Europeans and the Japanese have the US makers beat.
The likes of a Volvo FL would be my personal choice. (when Ford bought Volvo cars - why they didn't buy Volvo's brilliant commercial division is just beyond me).
However I have driven a lot of European and Japanese cab-overs. For comfort, refinement, manouverability, fuel economy - heck pretty much anything - the Europeans and the Japanese have the US makers beat.
The likes of a Volvo FL would be my personal choice. (when Ford bought Volvo cars - why they didn't buy Volvo's brilliant commercial division is just beyond me).
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
The likes of a Volvo FL would be my personal choice. (when Ford bought Volvo cars - why they didn't buy Volvo's brilliant commercial division is just beyond me).
Because those dumb Scandinavians
- Volvo and Saab both- sold their passenger cars businesses and then merged their truck companies into one unit to compete with Mercedes. Ford and GM got put together like a cheap watch, IMO.
Because those dumb Scandinavians
- Volvo and Saab both- sold their passenger cars businesses and then merged their truck companies into one unit to compete with Mercedes. Ford and GM got put together like a cheap watch, IMO.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2005
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The fords are built side by side with the international 4300 and 4400. Same exact chassis, radiator, chargea ir cooler assembly etc. There isn't a large market in the US for the import cab over truck. Hino for example, the largest truck manufacture in the world has given up on trying to sell cab over chassis in the US and has swithed to a conventional cab. The cab overs are benificial in the cities were parking and loading docks are tight. The imports sell there trucks here very cheap but the parts will cost you an arm a leg for a brake job, and your first born for a motor job.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
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Those new Hino conventionals are built in Long Beach, CA.. The only Japanese imported parts in them are the cabs and engines, the rest is domestic. So, while it's still true that overhauling a Hino J series diesel is expensive, getting the brakes done should cost you no more than a domestic truck. Hino is part of Toyota.
