Used Freightliner Coronado 114 Review:
TRUCK REVIEWS
My post content
Used Freightliner Coronado 114 Review:
What to Inspect Before Financing
A used Freightliner Coronado 114 can look like a serious bargain until one neglected component turns that bargain into a monthly financial headache.
For a truck owner-driver, the purchase price is only part of the equation. You also need to consider engine condition, service history, tyres, drivetrain, suspension, cooling system and the amount of useful working life left in the truck.
The Coronado 114 was built around the Detroit Diesel DD15, with Australian models offered in several power ratings, including 475, 505, 500, 530 and 560 hp configurations. Depending on specification, the truck could also be equipped with manual or automated/manual transmissions and Freightliner AirLiner rear suspension.
That makes the Used Freightliner Coronado 114 Review: What to Inspect Before Financing especially important. You're not simply buying a truck. You're financing an income-producing asset.
Start With the Engine
If I were inspecting a used Coronado 114 before finance approval, the DD15 would be near the top of my list.
Don't be satisfied with a seller telling you, "It runs beautifully."
Start it cold.
That's important.
A warm engine can hide starting problems, excessive smoke and certain running issues. Ask the seller not to start the truck before you arrive if possible.
Listen carefully.
Some DD15 operating noises are normal, particularly when cold. Freightliner's own driver documentation notes that engine and intake sounds can change considerably as the engine warms and that the DD15 can operate at relatively low engine speeds under load.
What you want to identify are abnormal symptoms.
Look for:
Excessive blow-by
Oil leaks
Coolant leaks
Heavy smoke
Rough idle
Unusual knocking
Poor throttle response
Warning lights
Evidence of overheating
Low or unstable oil pressure
Don't just look at the engine itself. Look underneath it.
Freshly cleaned engine bays deserve questions. A seller may simply have cleaned years of accumulated grime, but excessive cleaning can also make it harder to identify fresh leaks.
Check the DD15 Service History
A high-kilometre truck isn't automatically a bad truck.
A well-maintained high-kilometre truck can make far more sense than a lower-kilometre truck with questionable maintenance.
Ask for service records.
You want to see evidence of regular oil changes, filters, cooling-system maintenance and repairs. Injector work, turbo-related repairs, cooling components and other major engine work should be documented where possible.
There are known areas of concern that deserve professional assessment on older DD15 engines, including injector problems and oil leaks around engine components.
Don't diagnose these issues yourself.
Have a qualified heavy-vehicle diesel mechanic inspect the engine before you sign the finance documents.
That inspection could save you thousands.
Inspect the Cooling System Carefully
This deserves special attention on an Australian Coronado.
The Australian Coronado was specifically engineered with a substantial cooling package because of the heat generated by the DD15 and the demanding conditions encountered in Australia. Freightliner increased radiator capacity and made other changes to improve cooling performance.
Look at the radiator and charge-air cooler.
Check for:
Bent fins
Blockages
Corrosion
Coolant staining
Damaged hoses
Oil contamination
Signs of previous repairs
Then ask an important question:
Has this truck ever had an overheating problem?
Don't accept a vague answer.
If the truck has spent years pulling heavy loads through regional or outback conditions, cooling-system condition becomes even more important.
Examine the Transmission
The Coronado 114 was available with different transmission configurations, including Eaton Fuller manual transmissions and automated options depending on specification.
If it's an 18-speed manual, drive it through the gears.
Look for grinding, difficult engagement, clutch problems or unusual noise.
If it's an automated transmission, pay particular attention to gear selection and shift quality.
A test drive should include:
Take-off from a stop
Low-speed manoeuvring
Upshifts
Downshifts
Reversing
Hill climbing if possible
Engine braking
Don't judge the gearbox while the truck is sitting in the yard.
A drivetrain problem often becomes obvious only when the truck is working.
Inspect the Differentials and Rear Axles
The rear axle assembly takes serious punishment when a truck spends its life hauling heavy loads.
Get underneath.
Look for oil leaks around differential housings, axle seals and hubs. Check for damaged components and signs that the truck has been operating with insufficient lubrication.
Ask whether the differential locks work.
A used Coronado may have spent its working life on highway freight, construction, tipper work or demanding regional applications. Those uses can produce very different wear patterns.
One Australian used Coronado example listed with an Eaton 18-speed manual also had differential locking, AirLiner suspension and heavy-duty Meritor rear axles.
The exact specification of your truck matters.
Don't Ignore the Suspension
Air suspension is wonderful when it's working properly.
It's expensive when it isn't.
Inspect the air bags, airlines, valves and mounting points. Look for cracking, rubbing, damaged hoses or evidence of air leakage.
Park the truck and allow it to sit.
Then watch what happens.
If one side gradually drops, investigate.
Also inspect suspension bushes, shocks, hangers and other mounting components. Excessive movement or uneven tyre wear can point towards suspension or alignment problems.
Tyres Can Change the Deal
This is one of the easiest areas to overlook.
It shouldn't be.
A truck can look mechanically excellent while carrying a set of tyres that are approaching replacement.
Check every tyre.
Look for:
Uneven wear
Shoulder wear
Cupping
Cracking
Low tread depth
Mismatched tyres
Damaged sidewalls
Don't forget the spare if one is fitted.
Then calculate the replacement cost.
Four or six tyres may be manageable. Replacing a complete set of steer and drive tyres shortly after purchasing the truck can put a noticeable dent in your cash flow.
Inspect the Chassis
Get underneath the Coronado.
You're looking for cracks, repairs, corrosion, damaged cross-members and signs of previous accident damage.
Pay particular attention around suspension mounting points and areas that may have been subjected to heavy loads.
Fresh paint can hide things.
So can underbody coatings.
If something looks suspicious, scrape away the assumptions and have it professionally inspected.
A chassis problem isn't something you want to discover after settlement.
Check the Steering
The Australian Coronado incorporated a twin steering-box arrangement as part of its design for Australian operating conditions.
During the test drive, pay attention to steering feel.
Does it wander?
Does the steering wheel sit off-centre?
Is there excessive free play?
Does the truck pull to one side?
These symptoms can come from several sources, including alignment, tyres, steering components or suspension.
Get a specialist opinion rather than guessing.
Look Closely at the Cab
The cab tells a story.
Open the doors.
Check the hinges, seals and locks.
Inspect the floor, sleeper area, seats and dashboard.
Then start switching things on.
Check:
Air conditioning
Heater
Lights
Wipers
Gauges
Windows
Mirrors
Radio
Sleeper equipment
Warning system
A truck that has been cared for mechanically but abused internally may have had a very different working life from the seller's description.
Check the Odometer Against the Evidence
Don't look at kilometres in isolation.
Compare the odometer reading with:
Service records
Engine hours
Tyre condition
Seat wear
Pedal wear
Steering wheel condition
Maintenance invoices
Registration history
One Australian 2017 Coronado 114 example, for instance, was listed with more than 662,000 km and over 14,000 engine hours. Another 2013 example had exceeded 1.2 million kilometres.
The point isn't that high kilometres make a Coronado unsuitable.
It's that kilometres need context.
Get a Professional Pre-Purchase Inspection
This is the step I wouldn't skip.
Take the truck to an experienced heavy-vehicle mechanic who is independent of the seller.
Ask for a written report.
Ideally, the inspection should cover the engine, transmission, differentials, cooling system, steering, brakes, suspension, chassis, electrical system and general condition.
A mechanic can also identify problems that aren't obvious during a ten-minute walk-around.
That's money well spent.
Think About the Finance, Not Just the Truck
Here's where many owner-drivers get caught.
They negotiate a great purchase price.
Then the first major repair arrives.
The finance payment doesn't stop.
The registration doesn't stop.
Insurance doesn't stop.
Neither do household expenses.
Your truck needs to earn its way out of the yard.
Before financing a used Coronado 114, work out the likely monthly operating costs and leave room for repairs. Don't structure the deal so tightly that one unexpected mechanical bill puts you under pressure.
The cheapest truck isn't necessarily the best purchase.
The truck that gives you reliable earning capacity is the better purchase.
Final Used Freightliner Coronado 114 Buying Checklist
Before signing the paperwork, make sure you've checked:
DD15 engine condition
Cold-start performance
Oil and coolant leaks
Cooling system
Turbo and intake system
Transmission
Clutch or automated transmission operation
Differentials
Rear axles
Air suspension
Steering
Brakes
Chassis
Tyres
Electrical systems
Cab and sleeper
Service history
Accident or repair history
Odometer and engine hours
Registration and identification details
Professional mechanical inspection
The Freightliner Coronado 114 has earned a following among operators because it combines a conventional bonneted design with a powerful Detroit engine and a specification developed with Australian operating conditions in mind.
But buying used changes the equation.
You're buying someone else's history.
Read that history carefully.
If the mechanical condition checks out, the service records make sense, the specification suits your work and the numbers work comfortably within your business, a used Coronado 114 can be a very different proposition from simply buying the cheapest truck advertised.
And before you finance it, remember one simple rule:
Inspect the truck as though you were paying cash for it.
Because once the finance is settled, every repair bill still comes out of your pocket.
Contact Wayne Taylor on 0418 266 994 today for an obligation-free discussion and discover how the right finance solution could help move your business forward.