First Truck

I recommend something with a Detroit, because shops and parts are easy to find. Right now I'm starting to look around for the most recent glider I can find, but only as a stepping stone while they continue to work the bugs out of the emissions systems. My current is a 2013 emissions and I've spent a lot on emissions, much of which could likely have been delayed if I'd bought an APU sooner, but I've also saved a lot on fuel.

When I bought mine in 2017 it was a four year old truck for $66,000 with 380k miles but it had been rolled over and fixed up, whereas most of what they were selling was like 450k miles unrolled for the same price. I'm about to hit 700k miles, and yes I would buy another, knowing what I know now, especially being more knowledgeable at spotting and avoiding ones that have been rolled.

 

I think most people on here are just trying to let people know the problems that can occur with emission trucks. At 500k depending on the motor you are soon going to have allot of emissions issues and they can get very expensive and also allot of downtime.

There is always the possibility that you will have some time before the issues rear their ugly head but it’s inevitable. If you know these motors and have the time and money than yes it could be a good way to go. If you don’t know emissions and cannot afford the costs and downtime then these trucks will finish you.
It’s really up to you.

 

There is no way of knowing what the costs would be on any given truck. Emissions on a truck vary greatly but you can expect at least 10k to 25k depending on the severity and how many times in goes in and out of the shop to figure out the problem.

All or most of the emissions system will have to be replaced and most likely you will need to do an inframe in the next 250k and that will run you around 30k.

To sum it up if you have allot of patience to work through all these issues and a good shop who knows what they are doing then plan on spending about 50k in the near future. If that is ok with you than I say go for it. It’s like going to the casino, roll the dice hoping you hit the jackpot or go home with broke.

 

You can get a 90s W9 with a Cat in need of an overhaul for 30k, throw 30k in for your overhaul and a few other small odds an ends repairs and you're 5 years ahead of the emmissions nightmare you just bought for the same money. I'm not padding #### there I've done it.
An emmissions truck with that sort of miles is a hell of a gamble. You're better off borrowing double the money and getting something nearly new at that point. What was the maintenance schedule like on it? 40k mile oil changes? Actual age has little to do with the value of a truck, simply because somebody didn't put 120k miles a year on it doesn't necessarily mean it idled a lot.

 

Dont, just dont. I tried something simular and trust me when i say ITS NOT WORTH IT. You would have better luck pulling an 80 era pete out of a junkyard and cobbleing it together with junk parts.....i mean that LITERALLY i got a used emissions rig in feburary and its cost well over 55k so far just because i had to LITERALLY replace nearly the entire emissions system and it "had" far fewer miles listed on it.

 

It’s full of them because that’s when the new truck buyers off load them. The reason they are off loaded is because that’s when it becomes cost prohibitive to own. Buy new if you can.