Purchasing a brand new truck. Please advice if you've done it.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by gely, Dec 21, 2014.

  1. gely

    gely Bobtail Member

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    Thinking of buying 2015 KW T680, or FL Cascadia. Went to local KW dealer the other day, and seems like their prices were fixed. A few questions. I plan to visit FL dealer next week. Prices were in the $140k-$150k range.

    -I've never purchased new before, and wondering if the fixed price is the norm?

    -They also told me 2016 is coming in a few months, and prices won't change much, so wondering if I should wait for 2016?
    -Extended warranty. Should I get it from dealer or after market, no not at all?
    -Don't mind flying to another state for the purchase if the savings are big enough.
    -Any particular preference to engine or transmission? I'll probably buy whatever they have in the lot and not wait 2~3 months for a custom build.
    -APU must have or not?

    -Anything else I need to know?
    -Credit score is excellent.
     
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  3. dog-c

    dog-c Road Train Member

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    Skip the APU - instead buy a generator - you'll save 5k there. APUs are notoriously overpriced.
    Do a 20 state comparison of the kw model you want. Call around, you could save 10-15k there.
    Find out where the Kw680 is produced. Picking it up at the plant can save you the relocation cost. 1k there

    Transmission? aim for a 13 speed.
    Engine? im not qualified to answer that, some of the senior members can chime in...

    If you can wait and have time to research, wait for leftover 14 models, some dealers will sell at cost to get rid of them
     
  4. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

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    Get extended warrantee from oem/dealer.... Including emissions system . I'd take them for as long of a time period as they'll write them for.....

    But I keep my trucks forever....
     
  5. 315wheelbase

    315wheelbase Heavy Load Member

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    no brainer,,KW is 10 times more truck than a freightliner,, and in the end a much higher resale,


    Get the cummins,, 18 or 13 spd,,avoid the auto shift,,auto shift , if you drive it right you can get the same milage,,if you order get disc brakes,,what ever do not get the paccar engine,, look at peterbilts too,,
     
  6. Rontonio

    Rontonio Road Train Member

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    Having ordered a new truck last year, you can not normally pick the truck up at the factory. The dealer you buy from will have to do their pre-delivery routnine before putting the truck in service and "delivering" it to you. I know as I tried everything to get mine delivered asap including offering to fly out to Portland pick it up. I know on the Freightliner/Western Star exteneded warranties you have until the 1 year mark to pay the money to extend the warranty. (truxt me I just wrote the $8800 check in Nov).

    I would spend time figurng out what you are going to use the truck for and talking to people doing the same thing about their experience.
    figure out what is most important to from the truck is fuel mileage or comfort or road speed. make a list in order of importance to you.

    On my list fuel economy was about 5th but I run RGN and felt that the overall strength, power and reliability were more important than fuel economy.

    Only you can make the list, with a new truck you are going to be in it for a long time and want to be happy. For this reason i would order a truck rather than buy one off a lot - it will be spec'd generically at best or spec'd for someone else's job at worst.

    Through the dealer you can usually talk to the engineering folks about specs be it engine or transmission. I went through at least 6 revisions to my Heavy Haul spec truck before I ordered it and spoke at length with both the detroit engineers and the engineers at Western Star.

    Lastly, be prepared to fight through some issues when you first get the truck - just about everybody does. I have grown to mostly love my truck in the year I have had it and don't regret the purchase at all.


    Good luck
     
  7. TexasPhoenix

    TexasPhoenix Medium Load Member

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    Just priced out a new 2016 Volvo 780 and with the APU it was going to be $165K. Needless to say that is not going to happening.
     
  8. freightwipper

    freightwipper Road Train Member

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    what wrong with the Paccar engine?
     
  9. scottied67

    scottied67 Road Train Member

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    Join OOIDA $45 bucks saves $1000 on purchase of new KW
     
    dog-c Thanks this.
  10. Army91W

    Army91W Heavy Load Member

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    Shop around. If you're at a dealer with one, two, or three new units on the ground they really do not sell a lot of trucks. As opposed to a place with 20 plus new trucks on the ground they sell a lot and will be more willing to deal.

    I have driven 10 and 13 speeds. I actually drive a 13 now, I really do not see the love affair everyone seems to have with them. Good luck.
     
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