why we no like jap!

Hey crib, has the Dodge done 980000?

chrysler rightly got rid of the dodges and replaced them with mitsubishis .. then again some people reken their little petrol powered trucks are more economical .. lol makes ya wonder where their left hand is when they are typing

It's not just about fuel economy Kenny, there's nothing like driving something that stops and you can steer without the concentration of a chess champion.

i agree its not just about the fuel economy ..some have mentioned something about 980000 kms ..

I had a great run out of two small Mitsubishi trucks. Not big on comfort but mechanically good.

i like jap?

From someone who is over 50, likes/drives american iron, does eat unleaded food or drink, and well on the way to being a grumpy old man :
- Jap trucks ooze funny looking smoke, not because they work hard, but because the rings have been revved out of them.
- Jap trucks just don't sound like real trucks
- Sure, they make OK horsepower, but when was the last time you saw one in front of a road train?
- Some Jap trucks advertise "Not so squeezy" - hmmm, I'm 6'5" in old money and believe me - SQUEEZY!
- Chassis cracks, of course not - how can rubber crack!
- The term cab-over takes on new meaning in a Jappo truck: the term for a Jappo should be cab way out front somewhere in another postcode!

Cheap, nasty, just not nice. But I spose that they must have a place somewhere, just not in my shed thanks..
Bretto

G'Day All

Only new on the forum, but I must defend the Rice Burner's. If one steers into Central and North West Queensland they do indeed pull more than one trailer. I remember hearing years ago of a single drive Bedford Isuzu pulling a couple of single deck stock crates. Of late UD's 445 has been making an impression, Richmond Shire Council, not the Sydney suburbs for all of you City Slickers, but the small country town and great big shire has about 4 UD's, a couple of rigid's pulling dogs or floats with a dolly, and a couple of prime movers for towing tipper doubles ( not B doubles ) or floats. I also passed a private two trailer double deck cattle roadtrain the other day between Hughenden and Charters Towers on the Burra Range and the truck towing was a UD 445. While the big UD has not sold in great number, "off the shelf" with about 70t rating has made it a an affordable A or B double truck. Tropic Fuel also has a UD pulling a B double tanker distributing around North Queensland. While the UD's wont be around like the KW's and Macks that dominate the roadtrain game, they still make an honest living for those that buy them. Isuzu also sent a B double semi to Japan to test their new Giga's for Australia ( and those 2 islands off Sydney ). It does show their commitment to the market. UD did also make big bogie trucks with a bonnet that were sold in the PNG for logging, and that is not the best environment for trucks. I have a few pics on my Flickr site of UD's deep in KW & Mack territory doing some work. Not many Euro's or Road Boss's out west though

www.flickr.com/photos/35548263@N03/3298502787/
www.flickr.com/photos/35548263@N03/3298501143/
www.flickr.com/photos/35548263@N03/3299332340/
www.flickr.com/photos/35548263@N03/3299333798/

Welcome KW, nothing like a couple of NQ pics. There still quite a few Road Boss's working around Mackay. FNQ used to be UD territory, there was a lot CW40/41's and CWA 45's running around up there. Sigi Graf used to be the dealer in Cairns wasn't it?

how would the price of a new isuzu or UD semi compare to a kenny or big mack ?

I'm not sure how far north Sigi went. I think Westco are the UD dealers now, and seem to have a cattle truck single drive UD package. I think it started with the last truck show, but there are a few around, as well as tandem body trucks as well. Mitsubishi has been doing well out of their 8 wheelers. They are the only Japs offering 8 wheels at the moment, so they are selling a few. Price wise Jap trucks are cheaper than most and way ahead of KW's. The other advantage is availability, I recall before the GFC, it was a 6 month wait on a new KW. Customers don't want to wait 6 months for you to move their freight, the Japs can ship them in a lot quicker, even Western Star could do better getting them from the US. Still, KW quality is worth waiting for.