Kenworth W900
The most recognisable truck on the road and, after six decades, out of production. Long hood, set-forward axle, and an aerodynamic penalty that costs one to two miles per gallon against a T680 on the same lane.
Fuel economy
5.2-6.5 mpg
loaded, at highway speed
Fuel per mile
$0.692
at $4.049 a gallon
Tractor weight
18,500-21,000
pounds, day cab to large sleeper
Used asking
$35k-$180k
condition moves this more than the model
What the fuel gap costs
Against the most efficient tractor in this reference, over 120,000 miles at this week’s diesel price.
$24,517 a year
Known issues
Nothing model-specific beyond age on the older ones. The issue with a W900 is arithmetic, not reliability.
Verdict
At $4.05 diesel, a mile and a half per gallon against a modern aero tractor is roughly fifteen thousand dollars a year at 120,000 miles. People buy them anyway, and now that production has ended the good ones will hold value better than anything else here.
Others in classic and long-nose