People responsible for maintaining medium-duty trucks are most satisfied with their diesel engine's quality and reliability, according to the J D Power and Associates' 2002 Medium-Duty Truck Engine Study.
The study, based on responses from 2,253 primary maintainers of two-year-old medium-duty trucks (Classes 5, 6, and 7), examines customer satisfaction among four important engine factors: engine quality and warranty, engine performance and controls, engine noise and vibration, and fuel economy.
Maintainers of conventional diesel and cab-over diesel trucks express the most satisfaction with their engine's quality and reliability, and are least satisfied with the fuel economy. Owners of conventional gas or alternative-fueled trucks are most satisfied with their engine's lack of noise and vibration, but also indicate the lowest satisfaction with fuel economy.
Among engines in the conventional diesel segment, the Caterpillar 3126 — the only engine included in the study to score above industry average for overall engine satisfaction — performs better than the industry average in each of the four factors of overall satisfaction. Scores were particularly strong in engine quality and reliability, engine performance and controls, and engine noise and vibration, according to J D Power.
