These numbers matter more here. The Cummins/Allison engine/drive-train in these vehicles are otherwise good for 1 million miles before rebuild on average until they are used as delivery trucks. The constant stopping and starting used as delivery trucks cuts that number down to around 480k miles. So they are selling vehicles that will require engine and transmission rebuilds in less than 80k miles. That's very shady. The engine rebuilds are usually around $10k same as a refurbished engine and the transmission rebuild is around $3k. That does not count the cost to install them.
* Shocks and struts wear out
* Catalytic converters are a semi-wear item
* In winter states that use salt, rust absolutely destroys things. I've had the exhaust system rust through on all of my vehicles (simply happens with age).
* Seat cushions, steering wheel, and other high touch surfaces wear. Likely not an issue _now_, but means a few years down the road, these things will be broken.
* Engine accessories - belts, starters, alternators, pumps, etc. Everything is just a bit closer to it's failure point.
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Most of these issues aren't particularly expensive on their own, but they add up. Further, your expected maintenance is wildly different.
What's the difference between a rebuilt engine and a refurbished engine?
[Edit] Adding jaclaz's very good point that one might be able to save money rebuilding their own if it requires less parts.
Although that's probably a mad theory, if there is hijinks it probably is the good old fashioned kind, probably from this 3rd party middleman rather than FedEx themselves though.
Liquid magnesium chloride is the goto in most states now, and you’ll be happy to know it’s even worse!
A refurbished engine is another engine (identical to yours) where all needed to be replaced parts were (still hopefully) replaced.
The difference is that (it really depends on a case by case basis) your engine might need less parts replaced and the replacement is done by your local mechanic (all in all it can cost less in some cases).
With refurbished engines all parts in a given list are replaced, no matter their current condition, and the replacement is done by workers that usually do everyday exactly that.
The cost of a refurbished engine (you give them back yours that they will refurbish for next customer) can be a little less (including transport costs) because the refurbisher has spare parts cheaper due to quantity and personnel is faster (because they do this specific work everyday and have all the proper tooling) but often it is very similar.
Your advantages with a refurbished engine are that it is generally faster than a local rebuild, and usually you are offered some kind of warranty (which may not be the case for a local rebuild).
For a company, it is a way to minimize the stop of the vehicle and to place some responsibilities to the external supplier.
The only difference between that salt and table salt is that there is additional processing to the salt done when destined for table salt to ensure purity and shape. So, yes, they don't literally use table salt, but it is the same raw ingredient.
Diesels need 3 things: fuel, oil, and coolant. Do not ever skimp on those 3.
Liquid sodium chloride is also used in some places.
Neither of those are magnesium chloride and the distinction is important imo.
Sodium chloride attacks exposed metal pretty badly.
Magnesium chloride seems to attack powdercoat, e-coat (electro dipped, all cars parts), and nickle coatings, as well as clear coat wet paint seemingly worse. Which then leaves spots exposed to rust. It seems to hang on to the vehicle and attack the entire winter. I’ve found that areas that switch to mag chloride have worse looking vehicles, so, imo, worse.
It’s also pretty awful for the environment.
For a practical experiment… add salt to water. You’ve made a brine. That is all.
The magnesium chloride ice melt (which contains other compounds too) has lower toxicity than sodium chloride. That is particularly important for plants and pets.
Rust inhibitors were things in road salt spreads in the past, but it is found that they can be very harmful to aquatic life ( https://onepetro.org/NACECORR/proceedings-abstract/CORR96/Al... ) so now they're generally not used ( https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0001.htm )
> This winter, a Wisconsin county is fighting icy roads with a homegrown product: liquid cheese brine. Tens of thousands of gallons of the stuff are used each year along with road salt, according to officials in Polk County.
Turning to beet juice and beer to address road salt danger - https://apnews.com/article/science-bb34e41bb95a4dfa85301621e...
> CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Looking to strike a balance between ice-free roads and clean waterways, public works departments around the country are working to cut their salt use in winter by slathering the roadways with beet juice, molasses, and even beer waste to make them safer.
The consensus seems to be that after 500,000 miles the Cummins engine will either be dead or need to be rebuilt. 400,000 miles is considered high mileage that few achieve.
So on the surface it seems like you might be right that LinuxBender was wrong. But he did sound quite knowledgeable, didn't he? So I still can't tell one way or another. Ah the beauty of the Internet :).
Even the specific van/truck model Freightliner MT45 seemingly can mount different models of Cummins engines.
Unless you find data for the specific model of engine and truck it is difficult to get valid numbers.
Generally speaking, for heavy trucks and large engines, the 600,000 km (or 400,000 miles) is the mileage where an overhaul (not a whole rebuild) is needed.
In a professional use, unless it is used in shifts, a truck will probably make 40,000 miles per year, so it should happen around 10 years age.
The most common engine on the Freightliner MT45 seems to be the Cummins 6.7, which should be a little more resistant than the older 5.9, both can do 500,000 miles and more, in the "right hands" and with "proper maintenance".
I doubt that used in a fleet (possibly "proper maintenance", but likely a lot of "wrong hands") it can reach 400,000 miles or more, and it makes sense for a fleet manager to sell at an auction the vehicles that are expected to need a large overhaul or a rebuild soon, in the article they talk about the fleet renovation happening around 350,000 miles.
Interesting that the top comment on this thread now is cautioning skepticism on the claims.
Same salt, different VAT rate depending on use.
But ive had numerous 90s+ low trim consumer vehicles breaking 300k miles easily and I know some semi-trucks do have 1 million+ miles on the original motor because of such features. And so while I don't have much experience with commercial delivery vehicles, I don't see any big problems with saying they could go a million miles themselves, although due to the nature of delivery driving and driver turnover I would also expect 400-500K miles to be when a rebuilt should be considered unless it was all done by one driver who doesn't drive like mad and they had skilled mechanics maintaining them. And if they didn't care about ruining the engine at some point I would expect 6-700K atleast if it was a well built commercial engine with commercial features.
NaCl is falling out of favor though. I didn’t say it was never used.