Best Starter Truck

You can't get one answer to this.

But my vote is a budget aero truck from this century until rates get better and we see what is going to happen to fuel prices.

 

A good money maker is the FL/Columbia with Detroit power.
We have 6) with straight 10spd that average 6.6-6.8mpg(585Hp tuned)

We believe in making money,not spending it.
There are no chrome do-dads like nut covers and hub caps,we roll to make money not spend it.

 

X3 on the money maker. be smart, you need every advantage you can get when getting started. when your successful you can buy what you want.

 

Were 14 years "Established" and still running the money makers.

 

I am an International tech, but I have worked on them all. No truck is perfect, but to be honest Internationals are a great starter truck. For the most part they are easy to work on, and easier to diagnose electrical problems than other makes. International has the biggest dealer network. Detroits haven't been available in Int'l for a while now, but ISX engines are fairly popular and reliable. I would stay away from Volvo, harder to work on, they have the smallest dealer/parts network, and just seem goofy to begin with. With a starter truck, I would guess it will be on the older side, which will mean more repairs. It is advisable to buy the same type of truck that is best supported in your area, or along your route. For example, if you are surrounded by Freightliner dealers you should buy a Freightliner. The worst thing you can do is buy a Volvo and then take it to a Peterbilt dealer!

 

26 yrs here, bought my first aero truck in 1993 ( FLD 120 ) had money makers ever since. I really like the W9s but i like my checkbook more.

Have driven almost everything but always owned Freightliners and they have been great. not the best looking on the road but low cost ,functional and reliable. I ve made alot of money with them.

 

Wow I have never seen multiple compliments on F/liners. I am shopping for a truck of some sort too & hope this thread continues for quite a little bit.

I noticed you were from Chicago so it may not apply as easily being such a large area. But there are a couple dealers in my locale that were family run & the first generation was phenominal with service & had a strong following, however the generation that followed were not as easy to work with & it shows. Couldn't hurt to walk through & try to establish a relationship here or there with the prevelant dealer(s) in your home area to try and gauge them a bit.

 

The best starter truck is the one you can afford. I would keep payments under $1000 a month max. We all want a Pete or KW, but this business is all about moving stuff as cheap and reliably as possible. I would look at the Freightliners and Internationals 1st. I have been trying to find a good T-800 KW with pre emission motor, but they hold their resale too well. Has a lot of the good things that FL;s do like great turn ratio and less of the bad like plastic parts falling off all over the cab and water leaking in. One good thing about FL is they have dealers all over. Broke a tie rod in ND a couple of weeks ago. Got a ride to Minot. Had called them at 4 pm. Ordered part and they left it under dumpster. Went to Wally World and bought 15 ton hydraulic jack for $30 instead of $95 at local truck stop. Changed it and made delivery in AM. Every dollar counts so anything you can do your self is more in your pocket. Chrome makes you 0 dollars. Engine improvements can. Their are some really sharp guys on this site that can help you get more mpg and power at the same time. Those are great investments. Best of luck to you driver.

 

I really like the Internationals over the Freightliners. I'm speaking as a driver, not a mechanic. The cab area is very driver friendly with the jumpseat close at hand and a nice flat area with cup and change holders easy to reach. I'm 5'4" with a 32" reach so the closer cab area is nice. I had a 72" sleeper and I really like the shelves and roomy sleeper. I also liked the well lit interior, especially the flouresent(sp) lights. The mattress was a nice innerspring mattress instead of foam. It had a Cummins engine that I regularly got over 7mpg even with idling almost nightly. It was a 9400i and I really miss that truck.

I realize the person owning the truck wants to do everything to save money, but as a driver that truck is my home more than my own home. When I shut down at night there are some things I need in order to feel human. One thing I find important is that I want a sleeper large enough that I don't have to get out of the truck to change my mind. My eyes aren't what they used to be, so lots of light to do paperwork, read maps and do my logs is very important. The ride seemed rougher in the International than the shakers, but overall I still like the Internationals better.