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I stopped at the Mack dealer today and had a nice chat with the salesman about a new CXU. Always more questions from the answers I get. This truck will be for dry van but a reefer could happen with all the milk plants popping up around us. Truck will be based out of Michigan. Midwest runs but 48 states is not unusual for this driver.  

Questions I have are based on total cost of ownership during the 5 year extended warranty not just resale or feel good big hp numbers.

MP7 at 425hp and 1650lbft  saves 391lbs but does anyone know what real world fuel economy gains?

Is the M-drive just so star spangled awesome that a good Eaton 13 speed wouldn't be adequate?

What rears and suspension is best? 

 

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The biggest factor in this whole equation is the driver. Is he gonna over rev with a 13 speed?  Will he run it in the sweet spot? How heavy is his foot? If he can follow the rules on how to drive that specific setup, I'd go 13 speed for sure. I wouldn't be afraid of the mp7 unless he is one of those guys that has to be first to the top of the hill. 1650 is plenty of torque. A mp8 will have better resale though. 

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Where/ how would you start estimating  a projected total cost of ownership from one truck to the next?  What suspension/rear set up is best?  Talk to 10 people, you will get 10 different answers.   I have the Mack rears and am happy with them.  The M Drive IS the latest and greatest offering. It is standard on all new Mack trucks.   I have a 13 sp Eaton in mine but I had to order it from factory that way.   Me personally, I think I'd opt for the mp8 with the econodyne software set up @ 445 for a truck being driven by someone else.     

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Total cost of ownership estimates need things like; fuel, oil changes, tires, brakes, seats, fifth wheels, shocks, and a clutch. Planning on a 5 year turn on the truck. The extended warranty will run out the fifth year from mileage before the payments do. After its paid off we will roll it into a new truck.

Fuel and maintenance are things you can and should use as a projection for total cost of ownership. 

A new 389 Pete will be 40k more to start with and get .5-1.5mpg less. Easy enough for me to figure out which truck is cheaper to own.

I understand that I will get plenty of opinions with the questions I ask but I also have received actual experience based answers also. This isn't 1999 anymore so I can't say the 3406 Cat with an Eaton 13spd and Eaton rears. That combination worked from the 70's to the mid 2000's.

Now I have to beat the bushes and find answers. I am going to MATS in a week to gain more insight to this purchase. 

Salesmen sell what they have. I was sent a line sheet from a 2016 stock truck. it was not even close to what we sat down and discussed the day before. When he builds the three trucks we discussed then I can do even more research. I hope he gets this completed before I go to the truck show. I look forward to getting smoke blown up my giggy by the engineers.

Screw the salescritters, spec what works for you and order it. I'd be tempted to go for a CX with the small sleeper, MP7 with the 6 speed Maxitorque if you can still get it, built as a 4 by 2 then add an aftermarket air lift pusher.

If I were your sales guy I would recommend the MP8-445 SE super econondyne package, premium shifter option with hill assist, 2.64 rears and as much aerodynamics as you are comfortable with - probably recommend a CXU613 vs a CHU. MP8 has better resale - plenty of HP/Torque to do what you need to do and being under 460HP your cost of extended warranty should you choose to purchase it will be significantly less vs the 505. I have sold over 150 Mack CXU613 70" sleepers with this exact setup - Customer pull 48k plus loads of glass over 48 states and Canada and the trucks are doing a great job. The M-Drive transmission WORKS and is covered by a 60 month / 750,000 mile warranty. 

Jim Toussaint

Division Operations Manager - Worldwide Equipment Inc

Knoxville / Middlesboro / Crossville / Morristown / Asheville Highway

 

 

Heres something to think about when choosing your rear gear ratio.  This is then sweet spot  RPM's for the 2017 common rail engines.  And yes , skip the the MP-7, resale sucks. Get  the MP-8 with the 445 HP. As  Jim said above, the extended warranty is cheaper below 460 HP.   If your going with Eaton trans, get the higher torque model because if later you decide to bump it to 505, Mack wont turn on the download if you have the smaller Eaton trans. We are selling lots the the disc brakes but you cant get the Mack axles with them. The Meritors are lighter any way and unless its a logging truck (CXU/CHU)  we rarely put Mack rears on CXU's or CHU's. 

2017 common rail sweet spot RPM.pdf

I went to the Mack booth at MATS for more information. I totally get why Mack is where it is at. I asked plenty of questions to be answered with "I don't knows". 

For seats Sears is the way to go. I sat in them and just about melted in.

The difference in weight between Mack rears and Meritor remains a mystery.

What to spec to get a CXU down to 2000 full of fuel got the best answer. Wait until September when the new truck comes out.

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I'm amazed that no manufacturer doesn't put their whole data book online for customers to browse through. Instead we get this vague "trust us" kind of BS... The more a manufacturer hides about their product, the less I trust them!

 

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2 hours ago, james j neiweem said:

What new truck? Is it going to be a warmed over current model?

What i've heard is a new highway truck with raised roof cab that opens up to the sleeper so you can stand up right out of the driver seat new hood design but cab looks to be a mack cab not a volvo cab . 

WE specify Mack axles only on vocational trucks anymore - if I am specifying a day cab or sleeper tractor (Volvo as well) I specify Meritor axles, Meritor brakes, Meritor slack adjusters etc. WE have a very good relationship with Meritor and they do a good job on the product support side for us. If you go with the Eaton 13 speed make sure it will handle the 505 - Mack will not let you upgrade if the transmission is no capable. WE are seeing more disc brakes being specified with our larger fleet customers.

 

Jim Toussaint

Division Operations Manager - Worldwide Equipment Inc

Knoxville / Middlesboro / Crossville / Morristown / Asheville Highway

 

 

Logtrucker-I remember the green and yellow prototype. Not bad looking. Closer to a warm over than a new model though. You tube has a video of a pinnacle evaluation that complained about the doghouse/dash encroachment on the right leg. maybe the warm over should address this also.

I personally like the cab and interior in my truck but it could be improved but it doesn't matter someone's always gonna bitch about something . The Dash in these new ones were designed for the M drive you can tell that so with a manual it is kind of cramped in certain spots like there isn't much room between the seats for storage . My brother complains about his cab not having enough room to store things.his old CL had a console to store things between the seats he misses that .

1 hour ago, logtruckman said:

I personally like the cab and interior in my truck but it could be improved but it doesn't matter someone's always gonna bitch about something . The Dash in these new ones were designed for the M drive you can tell that so with a manual it is kind of cramped in certain spots like there isn't much room between the seats for storage . My brother complains about his cab not having enough room to store things.his old CL had a console to store things between the seats he misses that .

This is where salesmen screw up things. I ordered a center console in my Titan. It's lighted on the inside and has a 12v power outlet inside of it. The front has elastic netting to hold things and it's not quite as bulky as the console in the CL's. 

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I don't know about that . I've heard that the old cabs are going away but for now you can get them. I honestly don't know much about paccar but we are gonna go look at a new W900 log chassis soon. I'm a die hard mack guy but you can get alot more truck for the same price as Mack is selling granites . 

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