I miss the old International P-10 Diesels with the manual transmissions. 1st gear barely got the thing moving from a stop and might have only been there in the event the driver was pulling a trailer, but those things had a distinct enough rumbling sound that even the 90 year old customers hard of hearing knew it was one of us coming from 2 blocks away.We no longer have any manuals in our building. Which is nice. But the downside right now is we could really use those turbo diesel manual ten cubes they either decommissioned or moved to "lesser" centers lol. I'd much rather shift gears in a 10 then going out in a bricked out 5 cube with 380+ pieces. Sometimes I'm just baffled by the decision making process of this company.
If the frame rusts out, it likely won't matter how much life the engine and the drivetrain have left. One other issue is that replacement parts can become a problem to locate and purchase if a particular model vehicle has long been out of production. I had a good Freightliner 10 get the axe despite having the engine, trans, springs and kingpins all replaced just two years prior due to a failed brake modulator. They couldn't find a replacement and nobody would warranty a rebuilt unit. That was a sad day because that thing took off from a stop like a raped ape.
The newer stuff does have some improved interior and cargo lighting, but some of them have such loud alarms if parked at a stop after dark with the lights and/or hazards on.