Scania, Volvo, Mercedes vs American trucks. How can you stand them?

What Merc? Actros? Axor? ore prev. generation SK series, conventional ore COE? they are very different

 

You got to give credit where it's due. If I'm spending a week in a truck, I wouldn't want to be crammed in any European. Living quarters in American trucks are what you need for the long haul.
Maybe European trucks are more advanced, but
a) they are much more complicated than american trucks, so god forbid something went wrong there would not be anyone to fix it somewhere in the middle of nowhere here. They don't have mechanics with advanced degrees in engineering working at your nearest TA or Petro
and
b) they are not available here, so what's the point ??

 

a) We operate these trucks (American and European) in Africa.You do have a point.We have just recovered a truck by lowboy trailer (500miles) because no one could determine the fault.Got the top guy in the country out and in 10 min plugged in with his 15k computer he told our mechanic where to strip a panel of the dash.He said you will find a silver little box.There is a problem on pin 5. He was 100% correct.Every one els was looking around the transmission as this is what was faulty.There is only one guy we know of with the knowledge in the 12 countries we operate in. There are others with the equipment and some knowledge but they often battle.

b)The point is to make all private repair facilities redundant.To encourage you to lease trucks from the manufactures with service contracts.This way they get to recycle the trucks every 4 years or so when the lease is up.

 

I see more and more European things in US trucks. AD-blue (blue tech, according EPA2010 regulations) is very sencetive system, that is not all, CRD on DD15, ECAS, EBS and many other things...

Old Eropean trucks were simple too....

 

I thank you for defending scania's confortable cab.
People think that space is everythig, but tell you,only obese people are concerned with this.When I was in Eu I have droved Scanias many time
and never had problem with space.They are nice trucks I miss them alot.I am not trying to be rode to other who supportt American trucks,but I know well on what just saw.I have visited truck dealers in the U.S and
could not believe on my disapointments with American trucks.They have the space/a nose that saves lives(trucker only)-(car driver forget it because America truck are heavy)they drink more fuel and I tell you the diesel prices here are going up/they polude more of course more fuel theres burned more carbon are released into the air/weak braeks/weak fith weels/too noisy/not good for turning curves/they are hard to fix because they don't have a compurer to pin point were the falty is and much more....

 

Nicka! US sleepers are bigger, average EU cabine is wider - 2.5m, US cabines are narrower sleepers. So for driver EU trucks is better, but when you need to sleep inside US truck is better!

About car safety. Comparing car and truck weight for car it is no difference what truck tp hit. Truck needs low and tought enought bumper. That is all. That's why off road trucks are very dangerouse on highways.


US trucks are safer in front collisions, EU trucks - in Jack-Knife and roll over accidents.
But some companies build US trucks with EU cabines, like Volvo use steel FM/FH cabine, they just add nose and sleeper, Freightliner use Actros/Axor cabines on some models and that's why newer US trucks easily pass Sweedesh roll over crash test.

In the USA they use advanced EU technologies in newer truks, so seems to me they will make new standards for EU and USA later to offer global products.

About Emission standard! Euro-V and EPA 2010 have minor difference (as I remeber speed governor and power derate)! So what'll be next?

 

The point is an American truck will always be American truck it does't matter on what they have under the hood or cab pieces attached on it watever they got.To me still American look (big with tandem weels)
European camponents will make no differnce in those trucks.Like the old saying as the wolf dressed into the sheep skin.I am not against American
trucks but I am very bitter about the system down to U.S.Have you come to U.S?You are very lucky,looks like your country carry the two types of trucks(American & EU) and for me,bad luck U.S carry only one system American truck period.People like me might not get a second chance in life.The reason that I registeerd to this forum was to find info on how to meet an Eu truck in the U.S. because in may 10,I have spotted a Scania 580 R V8 in I4(highway name) going to Miami.And that Scania, I know maybe will get another couple of painfull years to see it again.Don't tell
to came back to Eu because is complicaded now,I lost connection with the of my family and start life from the zero is a no no with this bad economy.Down to U.S. thing s is looking pretty bad and Eu I don't know it has been couple years that I don't go to Eu.

 

Look! Nicka!
Mexican truckers operate Scania, MAN, Mercedes, Iveco and they use to haul something to the USA, they have 24-12V converters to tow US trailers.



Emission standards in Latin America is like EU standards and you may easily do some cross from EU to EPA. Euro-II- before EPA2005 trucks, Euro-III with EGR - EPA2005, Euro-IV - EPA2007, Euro-V- EPA 2010. The only difference - in Mexico they use ECE headlamp pattern, in the USA - DOT. So they may use EU trucks for international transportation.

The only problem of EU trucks in the USA that drivers will prefere conventional trucks and that's why EU companies that work on US market in cooperation with US companies do not offer COE trucks in the USA.

On our market we can operate COE and conventional trucks. They have some advantages and some weak points. And as I can see both types of trucks we need.

Okay! lets ask drivers what kind of truck they will prefere to drive - Conventional ore COE? One more poll?

 

scania mexico did not offer engines stronger than 480
hp.....I do not know now since the end of 2007 ( than r series are introduced).....

Brazil have recently offered 580.....( i think last year)

It is possible that some enthusiasts used only for personal use( for that boat)