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allan5oh · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: CAT pulls the plug!

http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=69901

Good riddance.

Rev.Vassago · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:05 pm Post subject:

It took them long enough to finally announce it. The rumors have been flying for months.

heavyhaulerss · Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 588 Location: north alabama

according to my ears over the last couple years, drivers of cat engines have not been bragging. a lot of drivers complain recently about having the truck in the shop more often than on the road. this refers to the 07'-08' models. & before that I heard very few & I mean very few brag about good fuel mileage. though I have heard about their power & in times past, about their reliability. though when needing repairs usually higher price & harder to work on.

tracer · Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 232 Location: Guelph, ON, Canada

Hm... I got a Cat and I was quite happy with it. But I guess it got to a point where if you don't make your own brand truck you cannot sell your engine to a truck-maker.

Rev.Vassago · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

tracer wrote: Hm... I got a Cat and I was quite happy with it. But I guess it got to a point where if you don't make your own brand truck you cannot sell your engine to a truck-maker.

Cummins.

Rawlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 1166 Location: Central Maine

I think Cat made a good move here. They are refusing to degrade the quality and performance of their engines for only the North American market that might give themselves a bad name worldwide. If the government does not allow you to make a quality product then let someone else take the fall.

Of course if you believe the rumors Cat actually owns Navistar and Cummins, so it is all a big mind game that they play with us. :wink:

Heavy Duty · Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Posts: 144

Quote: I think Cat made a good move here. They are refusing to degrade the quality and performance of their engines for only the North American market that might give themselves a bad name worldwide. If the government does not allow you to make a quality product then let someone else take the fall.

They did that when they quit making the engine that gave them their reputation. The 1693 was the best engine they made and they replaced it with the 3406, been going down hill since.

GMAN · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 9882 Location: Tennessee

I read an article somewhere that stated that CAT is coming out with their own brand of truck in conjunction with Navistar/International. Details were a bit sketchy.

duck · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

I'll say this. CAT leaving is not good for the market. Cummins already is poor on their service, the last thing they need to be is the only guy in town.

Example. Guy has head gasket go on his ISX 600k miles. Fire ring #4 gone so it's OH time. Call Cummins and ask as that really isn't a whole ton of miles - maybe some goodwill help. Cummins says nope - got your money's worth out of that engine.

Different guy, tosses a rod out the engine block - thru hood. 601k - same story from big red.

I know for a FACT that CAT would have helped in some way or shape were it their engines. (goodwill in the form of a % of parts or labor)

Paccar will come out with their engines about the same time CAT goes away and that will help the Pete and KW guys.

cowdoc · Joined: 17 Feb 2008 Posts: 33

Article in WSJ said that Cat and Navistar were gonna partner and produce a line of specialty trucks for construction apps etc. and market them under the Cat name. Also gonna be a Cat brand engine made by Navistar. I really don't understand that 1.

Rev.Vassago · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 5:47 pm Post subject:

cowdoc wrote: Article in WSJ said that Cat and Navistar were gonna partner and produce a line of specialty trucks for construction apps etc. and market them under the Cat name. Also gonna be a Cat brand engine made by Navistar. I really don't understand that 1.

Class 8 trucks were never a huge part of Cat's business. The money required to stay in the game surpassed the potential profit by doing so. It is a smart move on Cat's part.

eighteenspdjammer · Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 16

Rev.Vassago wrote: It is a smart move on Cat's part.

Only to stop the bleeding from all the goodwill for those acert engines.

The thing I mind is how caterpiller has trashed EGR engines the last six years and said how much better acert was then EGR. They had ISX and Series 60 on display that they took them apart for Mid-America show and they trashed them publicly and said oh, look at all this soot, and here it acert that can't get the job done and can't meet emissions, and EGR is doing the job AND meeting emissions.

GMAN · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 9882 Location: Tennessee

What a pity the government has killed the CAT engine for class 8 trucks. I will miss them. I have had excellent service out of my CAT engines.

solo379 · Joined: 14 Feb 2004 Posts: 3163

GMAN wrote: I will miss them.
I will not! I guess I'll keep this one i got, till i retire.... :D

Rev.Vassago · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

solo379 wrote: GMAN wrote: I will miss them.
I will not! I guess I'll keep this one i got, till i retire.... :D

I have a hunch that Cat parts are going to increase in cost after they leave the market.

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