In my mind all of the responces have some truth to them. I have 3 8600s and 3 8100s. I used to have a 8300 and have had a couple frieghtliners and a mack. I think when buying a truck one has to look at the uses and abilitys of the potential drivers. The best truck hands down for us has been the 8100s, the 8600s have to much eco technology in them for our uses. Frieghtliners are cheap to buy and built. My mack has been good but it has an auto shift and i would not buy another. Biggest differance i see is the accesability of the engine compartment on these trucks, the more compact they are the harder and more expencive they are to work on. The easier they are to work on the less driver friendly they are. Now, I quantify difficulty in driving from a novice drivers perspective, running a truck 300 hours a year in close quarters, at times having to back across beet pilers and such. I really like the more compact trucks for that reason, If i were only hauling corn a pete or kw would be my choise.