Ann: Market Update - New Products, page-8

$45,000 cab chassis in aussie . Bare mine spec truck with some heavy duty parts from the factory and don't laugh they put on canvas seat covers . The benefit with the cruisers was the fact they had so much metal in them so corrosion etc was slow to do structural damage as it is bloody hard to stop in corrosive environments . Bottom line was mines decided they wanted 5 star ANCAP rating on site and in field as mining is changing and many more trucks go home with owners or are being driven at near highway speeds on better but still dirt roads. It hurts in a old cruiser at speed in a ditch and that is why you didn't run em fast ( mine site speed limits) and seats were crap etc but it was a utility vehicle and I will be surprised if the mines wear the long term cost of repeat purchase with the way modern trucks are made or maybe fuel usage and comfort will make it up. . Perhaps they are doing extra paint on Chassis or something but panels are paper thin. Ratios are the same for mine spec I believe and problem of going into 4wd and 4wd low with so many is the auto hubs and lsd diffs on tar reversing the caravan for example. .. Ahh the simplicity of mechanical free wheeling hubs but all these new trucks have fancy ABS wheel sensors , air or electric operated hubs yadda yadda yadda all out and exposed with standard road going wire all straight out of the standard loom. The mine spec doesn't even come with extended range diesel tanks that save so much time in regards to fueling.

Nothing is maintenance free no matter how much companies try and tell you it is all free and easy when there is steam, and minerals moving at speed. I love the hot rock and heat exchanger theory but still gotta clean pipes and heat exchangers while having hot enough rocks. Very interesting work and expansion over in the USA was going so well in some states . Watching GDY and other in OZ was not pretty but predictable.