Isuzu Eco Max

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
They have one body that's very cool looking and the Reach is sort of interesting too. I'm not sure about the cabover for driving comfort though.
 

Camper

Not a Member
For local runs/around town driving, These NPR cabovers are perfect. They have a small turning radius and they can sure take a beating. Unfortunately, the low gearing isn't really conducive to OTR runs. These are really city trucks.
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
For local runs/around town driving, These NPR cabovers are perfect. They have a small turning radius and they can sure take a beating. Unfortunately, the low gearing isn't really conducive to OTR runs. These are really city trucks.

Even with the 6 sp auto trans? It seems that the aero body is for hwy mpg. Curious the rpm at 60 mph
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I'd wonder about the gearing too but figured that could be changed if required.
 

westmicher

Veteran Expediter
We just took a long look at one at our local dealership. Here's what we think;
1. The inside length of the box is a STUPID 15' 10". What idiot decided to miss 16" inside legth by 2 INCHES!?!?
2. We were told the Isuzu got "20 MPG in a real world test". We must have looked like we were easily misled. With similar horsepower and torque to a 3500 Sprinter, but a MUCH larger presentation to the wind, and much heavier, and much more blunt, how on earth would this Isuzu get better fuel economy??? A new 3500 Sprinter MIGHT get 18-19 MPG. There real world must not be our world!
3. With a tilt cab, a passage to the box would be very difficult, and with the outside skirting, a side door would seem to be problematic.
4. Although the GVW is 12,000 lbs, the box (and truck) is very heavy construction, the dealer estimated the empty weight to be close to 7,500 lbs. Add your gear and there's probably less than 4,000 of payload available.
If we were going to log, we'd rather chose a Sprinter cab/chassis, or a Ford E450 cutaway with a lightweight aluminum box. The Sprinter probably could carry close to 5,000 lbs. while the 14,500 GVW Ford could probably carry 7,500 lbs.
Other than that, the Isuzu was a nice truck. :D
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Thanks for that. I'm waiting to hear back on the empty weight. As far as mpg claims, we'll have to wait and see, although that aero body and double overdrive trans are what they claim to be the difference maker.
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Reading the specs it shows the payload capacity at 6315-6453 lbs so that composite body must not be heavy.
 

Deville

Not a Member
150hp is less than the previous generations HP. 310,000 is right on the money for the expected life of these engines. I've had 3 UDS with 4 & 6cyl motors & they have all made 300k with horrendous abuse before 1 of them blew up & the other one became lame.
 

Camper

Not a Member
Even with the 6 sp auto trans? It seems that the aero body is for hwy mpg. Curious the rpm at 60 mph


A six speed auto trans is definitely a plus but not all six speeds are created alike. Other factors like gear ratio also have to be taken into account in terms of surmising whether it's an OTR caliber vehicle.

As for the aero body, well even if you're doing local/regional runs, say from Cleveland to Cincinnati, aerodynamics are every bit as important as it would be for OTR runs.

Personally, I swear by both the Isuzu NPR and the Mitsubishi Fuso lines. They're great trucks and are the straight truck equivalent of the Energizer Bunny. They'll take whatever you throw at them and easily net you 500k miles before any notable repairs come into play. They're just not designed for OTR runs, IMHO. Also, the cab over design really doesn’t provide the level of comfort needed by most for continuous long-haul runs.
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I get what you're saying but my runs tend to be in the 250 mile range so the living in the truck just isn't a big part of the equation for me. Good to hear they are reliable, the great warranty is also a plus. Now we just need to wait a few months to see some real world mpg numbers.
 

Camper

Not a Member
I get what you're saying but my runs tend to be in the 250 mile range so the living in the truck just isn't a big part of the equation for me. Good to hear they are reliable, the great warranty is also a plus. Now we just need to wait a few months to see some real world mpg numbers.

Well, then this might be a perfect fit for you, depending on the type of freight you run. You might also want to consider buying a used NPR. There's a lot of them out there. You can probably pick one in decent shape up for under $10k.
 

westmicher

Veteran Expediter
I read the specs too. It actually says, "Body/Payload Allowance - 6,315 to 6,453" My dealer says that is the total allowed for the body and payload together. Knowing that fiberglas body has to weigh close to 2,000 lbs., I stand by what the dealer told us while we were standing there looking right at it. However, somebody could weigh one and we'd know for sure. :eek:
 

guido4475

Not a Member
Thanks for that. I'm waiting to hear back on the empty weight. As far as mpg claims, we'll have to wait and see, although that aero body and double overdrive trans are what they claim to be the difference maker.

Mike Bass Ford on 90 in Avon, Ohio, by the Pilot, has a bunch of those, so a cat scale ticket could be done during a test drive.A top-notch dealer, bought quite a few NQR's from them when I owned my potato chip distributorship.Got tired of having my route salesman complaining their about hitting their heads on the ceiling when hitting dips in the road.Excellent trucks otherwise, but really not meant for the highway consistently.
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Mike Bass Ford on 90 in Avon, Ohio, by the Pilot, has a bunch of those, so a cat scale ticket could be done during a test drive.A top-notch dealer, bought quite a few NQR's from them when I owned my potato chip distributorship.Got tired of having my route salesman complaining their about hitting their heads on the ceiling when hitting dips in the road.Excellent trucks otherwise, but really not meant for the highway consistently.

A salesperson from there emailed me claiming the empty weight with the 16' composite box is around 5800#. Sounds like a scale ticket is needed to be sure.
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
SCALE it!! I sold trucks for too many yrs and yeap, we always told the customer "around", "About"..."close to"...none of that works when yo get right down to it....and remember, we add a bunch of weight before we even add the weight of the freight....I know you Scott probably won't add as much becuase of how you run, but you still need an accurate Scale ticket...
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
SCALE it!! I sold trucks for too many yrs and yeap, we always told the customer "around", "About"..."close to"...none of that works when yo get right down to it....and remember, we add a bunch of weight before we even add the weight of the freight....I know you Scott probably won't add as much becuase of how you run, but you still need an accurate Scale ticket...

Lol I was in sales too. My definition of "about" frequently differed from the customers :p
 
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