Experiences with Schneider Finance

I'm looking to get some information from drivers who went through or are currently going through financing a truck with Schneider.

I told myself I'd stay away from this... but I'm curious and just want to know some more information about it - not much is available on their website.

I'll start off by saying I'm not trying to get myself into leasing a $70,000 truck. I'd be looking at one of the older, <$30,000 trucks they have available.

My ideal truck would be something with a N14 Celect+, 18spd, aero cab. But I know no company like Schneider is going to finance an older high mileage truck like that, at least not from what they offer on their website.

I'd be looking at something with a minimum of a 13spd, of the newer engines I'd prefer an ISX but from the selection I've seen most of the SFI trucks are running Cats or Detroits. I might be settling for a C15.

Anyway, on to some questions:

Can a newer driver with less than a years experience even be considered? Or do they only allow experienced drivers to finance trucks?
Do they allow you to test drive and/or take the truck to a shop to have it looked over/dynoed?
Can someone with no O/O experience finance a truck and go straight into the "choice" program where you choose your loads, or do they require a year of O/O experience (running their milage-based forced dispatch program) instead?
I've done a little reading and read that they offer some kind of a maintenance program? What is the deal with this? Worth it or is it a ripoff? (I can only imagine the Atlanta OC "mechanics" working on my truck... LOL)
And of course, the ever important question - those that have gone through this - how is it working out for you?

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I know I will catch some flak for being a new driver that wants to jump into being the captain of his own ship... but I think done right I could make it work.

I have no debt now, I don't own a house, my monthly expenses basically revolve around insurance for my pickup truck and services like my cell phone and mobile internet that I use while I'm on the road.

I'm not married, don't have any kids, and am happy to stay out on the road for a while.

I have experience working on these trucks - I'd much rather get my hands dirty and do whatever maintenance I can myself, time permitting of course. The types of maintenance that will nickel and dime you to death paying someone else to do it I am perfectly happy and capable of doing myself.

Let the flamewar begin...

 

Thanks for the reply - as you said I know I have a ton of homework to do... just trying to start somewhere.

I have nothing against Detroits but I did not see any SFI trucks with 13spds and Detroits that were in my price range. Most of my experience working on these engines (meaning doing more than just fluid/filter changes) has been with older Cummins like the N14 and the little M11, some with the ISX. That's what I'm most comfortable with and is why I'd like to find a truck with one, but I have never seen SFI list an older truck with one of those engines in it, so I'd probably be looking at one of the ones with a Cat C15.

Hopefully this thread won't turn into a Cummins vs Cat vs Detroit internet rage fest...

 

No, I don't think they will.