Volvo Or International?

If you were buying one, which would you choose and why? I am specifically interested in wheel base and maneuverability. Mostly care about backing up.

If you were buying one, which would you choose and why? I am specifically interested in wheel base and maneuverability. Mostly care about backing up.

Why do you want to buy one? How much experience do you have on the road? I'll think of some more questions to ask in a bit.

Laura

Backing and maneuverability when searching potentials would be way down near the bottom of my list of 100 questions.

I found the differences in maneuverability negligible. The Volvo is more comfortable with a better interior design. Unfortunately, there are less than half as many Volvo dealers (334 vs. 720 for International). No matter how minor or inexpensive the part you need is the Volvo dealer NEVER has it in stock. I don't remember specific parts or wait times but it always seemed excessive. Never next day, it always took a week or more to get parts for some reason.

International controls are less intuitive and take more time to get comfortable with. You get the impression that the engineers who designed the thing never tested it on a truck driver before they put the truck in production. The International interior is more spartan. Once you got used to it the International it was a good truck.

I found the differences in maneuverability negligible. The Volvo is more comfortable with a better interior design. Unfortunately, there are less than half as many Volvo dealers (334 vs. 720 for International). No matter how minor or inexpensive the part you need is the Volvo dealer NEVER has it in stock. I don't remember specific parts or wait times but it always seemed excessive. Never next day, it always took a week or more to get parts for some reason.

International controls are less intuitive and take more time to get comfortable with. You get the impression that the engineers who designed the thing never tested it on a truck driver before they put the truck in production. The International interior is more spartan. Once you got used to it the International it was a good truck.

Interesting, I find it to be exactly the opposite. Not that I would purchase either one though. I'd buy a Kenworth.

Notwithstanding though. The eronomic design of the Volvo is beyond counter intuitive, it's so foreign to operate that is a rolling safety issue. The transmission controls on the dash, very far out of reach, limited head room, I hit my head on everything every day in it, the seats are like a church pew, weak and inconsistent Jake brake, horrible temperature sensor location, short bed, lack of shelves with lips to keep everything from falling out, the visors open backwards, audio controls intermingle with cruise control on the wheel.

On the bright side, has a great turning radius and puts power to the ground well, also very quiet.

The international is cheap, vague wallowing steering, not a bad interior layout. Horrible shift points, solid motor if it has the Cummins X15. Pretty much like a old worn out Chevy pickup.

I have a volvo 780 with the workstation. I love it because of the space inside. I have a portable air conditioner in the summer.

I've never had trouble with backing anywhere.

With the volvo, just know that repairs are hideously expensive, not a lot of places will work on them, and parts are constantly on back order.

Good question. My answer is neither one to buy.

As said volvo not a bad truck. Expensive to fix and parts are hard to get. I got talked into buying a 2016 vnl 730. I do tankers and the midroof works best for me. It had the volvo d13 motor and auto 12 speed trans. It drove good, had tons of room inside. Turned very good. I just sold it and even made a nice profit on it. Used trucks are crazy high priced right now.

If you buy a truck you need to know what your going to do with it before buying it and get one spec’d for your needs.

I also recommend getting a cummins motor because you have alot better options for repair when you need it and overall parts generally are easier to get.