Sports chassis and similar units becoming obsolete?

It's also illegal in most states to tow anything over 4500 lb with out brakes. So the tow truck pulling that 17k trailer in reality was illegal.

With that said, it is true most true full size mdt's will outlast a pickup by 2-3x as many miles etc. You can set them up nicely. BUT as noted, with current power specs of the 35dw pickups, getting an MDT with at one time power specs double to triple pickups, no need to step up to an mdt in the rv world.
To say they will be obsolete! ROTFLMAO ?? a 35 series rig does not have the power and payload to do as I do, look up a 12-15 k trailer, and haul 3-6 tons of my case topsoil, bark, plants or some combo legally, safely etc. Or 6-8 tons of cargo only!
Commercially speaking, the MDT is a better unit in most cases from experience than a 35DW rig.
Current 35's, as are any pickup in ANY class 1-3 realm, better than the last 70s when I first started driving pickups.

Marty

Spoon, I'll agree with most of what you said except the part about not even needing brakes. We lost the brakes on our 17K unit and had it towed to the shop by a 10 Wheel semi-heavy tow rig and we followed in our TV. The driver blew through a few Red lights because as heavy as his Rig was he couldn't stop our trailer without lots of space to slow down.
So I wouldn't want to be pulling a heavy unit without brakes very far.

Couple differences that I see...

That Freightliner will still have a substantial value in 10-15 years, the pickup won't.

That Freightliner has great comfort features like air-ride seats, can't get that in a pickup yet.

That Freightliner likely doesn't even "need" trailer brakes, the pickup truck will need some sort of help slowing down at higher weights.

But, for people that like bling, a new pickup truck offers lots of gadgets and gizmos and will haul decent weights with respectable power.

“I know they'll last longer but...”

Based on who’s data?