mackinac359 Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Completely different truck. The Australian trucks you posted are not the same platform as the T680 or 579 which debuted 2 weeks ago. The Aussie's in your pics are on the traditional cab platform. Completely different animals from the new trucks and their north American cousins with the traditional cab. Only the sleeper is shared on the T680 with the Aussie model you posted. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTrucker Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 From a drivers standpoint,I appreciate the fact that they have done to the T680 what they should have done to the T660.I have driven a 660 and can tell you my biggest complaint is the the fact you cannot stand straight up out the drivers seat.Instead you have to hunch over until you get into the sleeper.I never really liked my 660,except for the fact that it was a KW.Once I moved to a Prostar,having that extra stand up room was a welcome feature and it wasn't long before I no longer missed the KW.I,for one,cannot wait to get a chance to drive one for a living.I have had the chance to drive a T700 and really liked it.Sorry to have hijacked a post about Pete's with all my jabbering about KW's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBad Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 From a drivers standpoint,I appreciate the fact that they have done to the T680 what they should have done to the T660.I have driven a 660 and can tell you my biggest complaint is the the fact you cannot stand straight up out the drivers seat.Instead you have to hunch over until you get into the sleeper.I never really liked my 660,except for the fact that it was a KW.Once I moved to a Prostar,having that extra stand up room was a welcome feature and it wasn't long before I no longer missed the KW.I,for one,cannot wait to get a chance to drive one for a living.I have had the chance to drive a T700 and really liked it.Sorry to have hijacked a post about Pete's with all my jabbering about KW's. I like that point of view from a driver Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jekylljr Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 As a driver and possibly an owner(possibly buying the truck i drive pete 379 but with todays fuel prices dont know if i will buy )i appreciate areo trucks more n more great for a fleet of course,...i do like the kw t680 and t660 and of course the truck that changed it all the t 600 do i wish i was truckin in in the 70's n 80s very much so ...a truck was a truck back then.now it seems like truck manufactures are designing trucks like cars the new cAt ct660 designers wanted a more car like feel inside..... maybe ill just stick with the pete 379 ............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinac359 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Yup. Tremendous brand loyalty in many truckers. Unfortunately, the market isn't favorable for the one or two truck operator these days and brand loyalty may become a thing of the past as the large carriers make purchasing decisions based on fuel efficiency and the purchase price. Tim Even though they're designed and built by the same people, and have been for quite some time...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Yup. Tremendous brand loyalty in many truckers. Unfortunately, the market isn't favorable for the one or two truck operator these days and brand loyalty may become a thing of the past as the large carriers make purchasing decisions based on fuel efficiency and the purchase price. Tim Guess I hadn't taken that consideration into account, even though I've seen it first hand. And it doesn't just apply to owner/operators, fleet drivers aren't immune to those kinds of feelings! I remember when Ford sold off its heavy truck line to Sterling. The Gratiot County road commission was using mostly Ford trucks in its fleet, and quite a few of the drivers were NOT thrilled when the Sterlings started being phased in... even though the Sterlings were the exact same trucks they'd been operating as Fords. And of course, now Sterling is history, and Gratiot is switching over to Freightliners now. I'm a little 'out of the loop' with the road commission nowadays, since I no longer know anyone who works there, but I'm pretty sure there are a few drivers who aren't happy about that switchover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinac359 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Road Commissions are very brand loyal.. ours was IH for years until the lead mechanic retired, then they went with Peterbilt - but slipped and bought 5 Navistars 4 years ago (and hated them, nothing but problems), and just ordered 6 more Peterbilts (which should be in soon). Pete's are pretty common in the UP for Road Commissions. Western Star has been making inroads (pun intended) in northern lower). Tim Guess I hadn't taken that consideration into account, even though I've seen it first hand. And it doesn't just apply to owner/operators, fleet drivers aren't immune to those kinds of feelings! I remember when Ford sold off its heavy truck line to Sterling. The Gratiot County road commission was using mostly Ford trucks in its fleet, and quite a few of the drivers were NOT thrilled when the Sterlings started being phased in... even though the Sterlings were the exact same trucks they'd been operating as Fords. And of course, now Sterling is history, and Gratiot is switching over to Freightliners now. I'm a little 'out of the loop' with the road commission nowadays, since I no longer know anyone who works there, but I'm pretty sure there are a few drivers who aren't happy about that switchover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 The norther lower? Is that a Yooper thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 The norther lower? Is that a Yooper thing? There's the beauty of living in a state made up of not one, but two, penninsulas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck parts Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I think the newer looking trucks look great.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinac359 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 "Northern Lower" refers to the top of the lower peninsula, not to be confused with the upper peninsula. People in the U.P. aren't from northern Michigan and people from northern Michigan aren't from the U.P. - Even though the Traverse City TV stations insist on calling the U.P. "northern Michigan." (uh-oh, I'm in rant mode..) Tim There's the beauty of living in a state made up of not one, but two, penninsulas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 "Northern Michigan" is basically anything north of Harrison, until you hit the bridge... then you are in the UP. Which is the UP, not 'northern Michigan', as Tim pointed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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