GearheadGrrrl Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Well, our new Visions have arrived, and some of the old MRs have gone off to the auction... But I've seen only 2 of these hundreds of tractors offered for sale. Both are 1997 MR688STs with between 200,000-300,000 miles with automatics. One has been listed in Truck Paper for weeks, asking $15,000. The other just turned up on eBay, and with an hour left looks like it'll be lucky to draw a $5000 bid.This has me wondering- perhaps the MR tractors are so undersirable that no one has bid on them at the dealer only auctions they were sent too? Perhaps the dealers on this board can shed some light here- I'm in the market for one of these tractors, and if they're going for $5000 or less I may buy more than one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaddeusW Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Well, our new Visions have arrived, and some of the old MRs have gone off to the auction... But I've seen only 2 of these hundreds of tractors offered for sale. Both are 1997 MR688STs with between 200,000-300,000 miles with automatics. One has been listed in Truck Paper for weeks, asking $15,000. The other just turned up on eBay, and with an hour left looks like it'll be lucky to draw a $5000 bid.This has me wondering- perhaps the MR tractors are so undersirable that no one has bid on them at the dealer only auctions they were sent too? Perhaps the dealers on this board can shed some light here- I'm in the market for one of these tractors, and if they're going for $5000 or less I may buy more than one!Its a thing that cabovers are dead here in the US. There really isnt a need or desire for them as a tractor. Plus why limit yourself to a cramped MR when you can have a second-hand CH for cheap? Im not saying that MR's make bad tractors but most people wouldent find them comfortable. I have yet to see anyone else besides the postal service use MR's as tractors and exclusive use of air starters (I herd air starters devalue a truck but I love em ever since watching the Road Warrior ) . Quote -Thad What America needs is less bull and more Bulldog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick harper Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 they ride like a buckboard. i would not want one for a tractor application just that reason(ride). if you need it for close turning for back east that is one thing, but give me a conventional tractor out west. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 The MR tandem tractors ride is acceptable, but not as smooth as a CH or Vision. The single axle is another matter, and several Postal Service drivers have suffered neck and back injuries driving them. The tandem is a great truck for urban trucking though- the 135 inch wheelbase, low cab height, and automatic transmission almost make city driving enjoyable.I think part of the slow sales of these tractors is the Postal Service's decision to send them to a dealer only auction. Previously they would park them in front of the garage office with a sign stating there condition and price. Anyone and everyone could and did buy them, and if they didn't sell the price was dropped until they did. I suspect the dealers sales lots are already pretty full and their not about to bid on a cabover that might bring only $5000 gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 I shouldn't have spoken so quick- 3 single axle MRs just showed up on eBay. Some fool even put in an opening bid of $4500 on one! I even noted one I'd driven before, but it has 500,000 plus miles so i wouldn't give much for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 never driven one but my garbage man says besides the terrible ride the truck has been great. its just a local HD delevery truck in my opinion. Garbage, spotter intercity etc.. I would not want to drive one over the road for long trips. I dont wear my seat belt in a rig and I think I would have a broken neck from hitting the top of the cab in one of those LOL. they are fast and versitile but just not something I would want to own for a toy. I would however get one for company use for landscaping or a small busness thats where they would make money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 All our MRs rode OK with a load on- unfortunately the Postal Service does a lot of bobtailing and that's where they have the problem. These tractors have air ride but it seems like the air suspension just can't compensate for the light loading on a bobtail rig- the single axles weight only 4,000 pounds on that single rear axle and probably only half of that is sprung weight.I suspect one of these tractors converted to a straight truck would ride pretty well, especially since they only have 12,000 pound front ends. They might be tough to stretch though due to the MR deep belly frame. The frame looks to be standard height (10 inches) around the rear suspension though so tag axles would be possible, but a long stretch would be iffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 A friend of mine has a 92? MR Mack that is a converted tandem tractor. It has been stretched, and is used in the septic tank install business. The knuckleboom crane will swing 360 degrees and self load/unload/place a tank, and all the pipe on both the truck and trailer. He really likes it because of ease of entry/exit, and you are right on top of the windshield when driving. Plenty of power with a 300 Mack engine, and 9 speed transmission. I've driven it with a 1000 gallon concrete tank on back, with a 580K Case backhoe on the tag trailer and it had enough power for the job both on and off road.Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmartyn Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 Any of you guys ever drive a DM600 or DM800 tandem dump? Now I've never driven an MR and I'm sure that the ride is brutal but they gotta go some to be more punishing than the DM's that have catapulted my head into the roof more than once. Bob Quote Ain't a Mack? Take it back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadusercharges Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 If you excuse the ignorance, the latest photo i put on the gallery is an MC, is your MR similar or what? these use a 300hp 6cyl with the horrible camel back end, bit rough when empty, they only want 30k for that one, but the fruehauf deck is a bit worn.Nig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaddeusW Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 If you excuse the ignorance, the latest photo i put on the gallery is an MC, is your MR similar or what? these use a 300hp 6cyl with the horrible camel back end, bit rough when empty, they only want 30k for that one, but the fruehauf deck is a bit worn.Nig Yup same cab Quote -Thad What America needs is less bull and more Bulldog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 If you excuse the ignorance, the latest photo i put on the gallery is an MC, is your MR similar or what? these use a 300hp 6cyl with the horrible camel back end, bit rough when empty, they only want 30k for that one, but the fruehauf deck is a bit worn.Nig We used to have both MC and MR,with the MC being the lighter,city tractor/light straight truck model and the MR was heavy duty,mainly a garbage truck chassis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted April 26, 2006 Author Share Posted April 26, 2006 Well, I've now hunted down over a dozen of these trucks. A handful have appeared on eBay, the high bids ranging from $2500 to a bit over $5000. A dealer/junkyard in Winger, Minnesota scooped up 10 and is asking ridiculous prices, $5000 for '93 single axle models with over 700,000 miles to $12,000 for a '96 tandem. The 96 had evidence of oil blowing out the exhaust pipe and may be the tandem the Minneapolis garage had bad ordered- Minneapolis is hanging onto most of their tandems as they made the mistake of ordering only new single axles. Meanwhile, the Des Moines Postal Service garage has posted 2 trucks themselves on eBay- perhaps they've learned from the poor results they got taking previous trucks to dealer only auctions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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