Paying cash for an older semi tractor vs. financing a new one

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I just don't see what looks good about those trucks. I don't see the benefit in having one, I don't see the value in it or the comfort.

They have that wacky clutch pedal that never feels right. Every time you pull the air brakes you have to lean over, it hurts your back. With the set forward front axle you can't back into anywhere without taking up multiple football fields. That big giant flat Dash puts nothing where you need it so you'll always be leaning over. No convenience whatsoever, but I guess you're cool if you have one. The cabs always seemed kind of small. They have those goofy sleepers that are like a day cab with a hole cut in the back of the cab so your seat hits the back of the truck rather than a nice integral sleeper where you have a lot of room behind the seat. Honestly I just see a giant piece of crap with a dollar sign and a lot of zeros after it.

I would never compare that to something like the classic Mustang. The classic Mustang was an inexpensive car that captured the attention of the Youth of America when it came out. The big Pete is just an overpriced uncomfortable truck, that you're just simply paying for a name. But you got to give it to the guys at Peterbilt for doing their marketing and really convincing people that if you don't mind spending an outrageous amount of money for a name you've got something special. And what is so special? The name. That really is some spectacular marketing.

Maybe it's the same as the Harley thing. I got a Harley I got a Harley look at me I got a Harley. Look I got a Harley shirt I got a Harley hat. Ain't I cool?

If anybody wants to be really cool if you got to have the big Pete you might as well get the big cat. Don't go halfway. Don't get the mini Harley get the Colossal one. Then you can sit in truck stops and say hey I got the big Pete with the big cat I got the big Pete with the big cat look at me.

It all cracks me up. Like I knew this guy with the big Pete and the big cat. He got to have his big Pete with the big cat he's cool he loves it he can't get enough of it.

Then one day he's telling me he thinks he's getting close to rebuilding his engine and the guy almost started to cry like a baby. He literally just about had tears coming down his cheeks telling me how expensive it was going to be.

If you're going to have the Big Pete and you're going to have the big cat and you're going to be the cool guy at the lunch counter, then you got to dig in your pocket and do what you got to do. That makes no sense to me either. Now you paid a colossal overpriced amount of money for a name, with an engine that's going to cost you a colossal overpriced amount of money to rebuild. I guess some people just love blowing money.

I guess that's just part of the Big Pete mentality.

Don't take what I'm saying personally. A lot of people like those trucks. I'm just not one of them.

The people that buy those trucks remind me of people who buy million-dollar homes because they were built by a certain Builder. They like to say I live in a so-and-so home. My home was built by so so and I spent $1,000,000 on it.

So you say wow that must be an incredible home let me come see it. And then when you go see it you realize that it's a million-dollar home with .1 acre of ground. The houses are so close to one another you could spit and hit the next door neighbors house. Don't have a fight with your wife because the house is so close the neighbors will certainly hear everything. But you've got a million-dollar house built by so and so. So they would prefer to spend $1,000,000 and live an inch away from their neighbors just simply so that they can say they live in a such-and-such builder home. That, is complete and total stupidity. But they stick their chest out and feel great because they live in a home built by so-and-so.

It all just cracks me up.

I knew a guy that loved Ford. He had Ford cars he had Ford trucks he had Ford construction equipment and Ford lawn mowers, in his garage he had Ford stools and Ford clocks and he even had a Ford torpedo heater. If I would have taken a crap and wrote Ford on it he would have paid me anything for it.

Sometimes people are really funny and make absolutely no sense. Never underestimate the power of marketing. If you can convince someone that a name carries a certain value, people will buy it Hook Line & Sinker and will pay outrageous stupid amounts of money for it. No thank you, that's not for me.

Enjoy your truck, whatever brand it is. Be safe.

 

Nothing on a pete cost substantially more than the same part on a different make of truck.
As for the ride, i strongly disagree. A pete low leaf rides just as good as any other truck from the same era. Does a 95 379 on low leaf air ride as good as a new volvo? Probably not but its not a fair comparison either. Its 30 years older. Compare it to other trucks built in 95.

 

How many 1986 Volvos or cascadias or Any plastic truck are making money after 33 yrs of service? That cracks me up

 

I drive a 13 year old KW. it's not making any money.

Cracks me up.

 

Yeaa..... except 1 other truck...

As for the OP, best truck really depends on your taste and your budget. Do you have the ability to do a major 10-20k repair in 2 months if something happens?
I put 15k down on mine. Payments are high and tough at times. But I have no added repairs other than PMs and eating a day or two when a warranty item needs to be addressed.
There really is no 1 size fits all in this industry. If you have 30-40k then I would say roll the dice with a used truck, half on the truck, half in reserve(just in case). I'm definitely looking forward to paying this thing off.

 

I like the Clutch linkage on Pete’s much better than rickety Freightliner set up. Good solid feel.

 

Not quite 86 but I do some work on a bunch of early 90's Volvo daycabs for a guy that are still making him money. They run down here in the winter then up north in the summer. Ugly as sin but actually pretty decent running trucks.

 

Lol , They’re not that bad!!! I always joke with a friend of mine. Always a Pete. I think his wife left because he probably slept out in the Driveway while at home. Lol. He bought a Classic after I did, along with another Driver We knew, all from same dealer. He liked the ride better, He hated the Truck, no matter what. Finally sold it after 2 yrs. added 20 k for a Pete same year 2000. Someone got a great deal on that Freightliner.$36000. And he’s meticulous with his Trucks. I tried to sell mine, to buy his. Afterwards the Pete gave him so much trouble, It was a beautiful Truck. 84 chicken lights Very powerful .550 18 spd. 355, all of which went bad soon after he bought it. 2 expensive reman trans. . Cracked axle housing, frame rusted out and cracked. Sleeper side panel rotted out,All said and done, he’d been better off keeping the Classic. But he didn’t like it. He was used to Pete’s.

 

Boy you ain't kidding... aside from the first 10min after a truck wash(before its covered in bugs again) when the w9 is looking good. I really miss the comfort of my old Volvo.
Everyone keeps telling me to do chrome this and chrome that, and I'm like ummmm no. I like my money to go towards the business. I didnt get in this to drive forever. I did it so one day I could stay home and manage the business.

 

I’ve only Driven 1 once for a road test. 85 or 86, Short WB,It was 6-7 yrs old had 700+ k. I was impressed with the ride. Eastern Express out of Ga. They had about 100 White Volvo’s. My Dad ran a dedicated for them almost a year. They had Little Cummins, 315? maybe. He paid a Guy in Springfield Ohio $100 to turn the pump up.The Guy did a lot of freighthaulers Company Trucks. He would replace the anti tamper seal they had on them to keep Drivers from doing it themselves, and paint it to match. He called Me up and told Me what he did. Figured He could do more rounds that way. Since the pay wasn’t the greatest. Said he never seen a Truck pull so good. Said he was blowing everybody’s doors off, pouring black smoke. Passing all the Peterbilt’s. He got 3 tickets in no time. 2 for 15+. Had to get TVC to fight for his license. The Old Man was a trip sometimes. He was 52 yrs old at the time. The old Cummins had 750 k. It didn’t last long, a few months, it blew up,. Lol. He regained his sanity after that. Somewhat.