I Have 65,000 for a otr Truck

its a freightliner.....its $4000 over your budget which also would leave you $0 for working capital, its got a POS Detroit. Also a 2012 with 300,000+ miles on it? and for wheelbase and sleeper its says "BIG" how much do these people know about this truck? and just to make it worse its...PURPLE!


on the other hand, it looks like its in good condition, low miles, brandnew(ish), not all that exspensive, decent spec's, pre-emission motor. Seems like you could do allot worse for that money.....



American Trucker

 

How many trucks have you owned??? Series 60 a POS? It is arguably the most dependable truck engine ever built. Not the most powerful, but that was never its intention. Oh yeah, it's red on my screen.

 

if you like gimping up even the slightest hill at a whoppin 15mph then enjoy. I on the other hand prefer a truck that can make it to the top of a hill at least close to the speed limit. And ya i see its red, i could sware it was more maroon the first time i looked at it lol




American Trucker

 

the fact that its a glider kit will hurt you on resale. you wont win any races with that 435 troit but its a fuel sipper. it can be turned up to 475 i think before needing a turbo. personally i would buy a glider new but not used unless they have every scrap of paper to prove whats under the hood. and its too expensive. you can buy it new from fitzgerald for 105k. the reason theyre selling it now is all the warranties on the reman motor just ran out. it appears to be one of those doug andros trucks. their yard is right across the street from Dads

 

AT, you have been on the road a year. And while I respect what you have done in that time, you are speaking from the perspective of pride and company driver and not a business person.


I have meet two types of truckers with shiny, big powered, expensive rigs.
The first is the guy that came out of the gate with the "I ain't going to drive some aero POS." They over spent on a work tool because of pride. They are having to run fool miles of 130K+ a year, factoring to pay for fuel, a breakdown away from selling the truck and grinding out a living at a company drivers wage of $40-50k a year. Ah freedom.

Or worse, they are leased to a carrier driving those crazy miles making $1.40/mile and making less than a company driver.


The other starts with a solid dependable tool that will make them the most money. Can have a life because they only need to drive 100k a year to make a $100k a year and then pay cash for that dream ride and not have to change lifestyle to ride in style.


Very few can come out of the gate with the dream ride, have the $25k need to float invoices and pay for fuel AND have the money in the bank to pay for repairs.


But to look down on a person because they have the intelligence to not over spend on a truck while they are looking to achieve a dream is a bit immature. And I am not sure why you would be looking down at them considering they are likely driving the same truck you are as a company driver but working third to half as hard as you and making twice as much as you. These are the people you should be looking up to.


And while I understand that this is a little harsh. I have said this to you before. I have all the respect in the world for you. I see very few young adults that have the work ethic, focus and determination that you have. You are an example of what our future should look like and our young people should look up to you.

 

The truck is already taking the hit on resale because it is a glider. Last I checked a new glider in these specs was around $110k. So an almost 50% value loss for this truck is not bad.

But those are heavy so you need to consider that. You don't want to be 1k under what you the average "max" load is for what you are pulling. Limits options. Plus a 435 with tall rubber. May find that you are lugging. Not sure if that will be ok with those rears. Some with better understanding can comment.

But looks nice. Would love a new glider.

 

I've found that the 60 series are pretty solid motors.

Our current trucks are both w900L with 435 CATS, 13spds.
Average is 5 mpg

If we could up that to 7mpg, we'd save more than $20,00 per year per truck on fuel. Yep- aero trucks are in the future for us....

As to the pulling power, I've been hauling oversize, overweight, in the snow, in the mountains, etc etc for years, all with a 435hp 3406e CAT. I'd say it's enough horsepower.

Before that, we used a 400 cummins, and a 350 cummins. Both got the job done.

Schneider runs around with 370hp detroits- and they do just fine. Regardles off what you think of the company, you have to admit that they move a lot of freight with those trucks.

Food for thought anyway.

 

I'm going to be respectful here, but your attitude is typical of a new company driver. My worn out 1.1 million 3.36 rear 12.7 Detroit doesn't gimp up any hill. I'll drive that sucker anywhere, and just got finished with a round out to Seattle and Portland and back. Even with a 9' tall manure spreader, I averaged 6.2 MPG on the way out, and am about 6.6 on the way back at 5 over the speed limit (I lost time waiting for Snowqualmie to open up). Oh yeah, I netted, after fuel and expenses, $13,000 in three weeks. Even my 11.1 DDECII w/ 3.70 rears did a decent job. Ever change a water pump on Detroit? Well, its a heck of a lot easier than a Cat or Cummins. All in all, stick with what you have experience in, not what you think you know, OK