Hopper bottom

I've been thinking about getting my own rig. I just don't know how hard it is to make a good living with your own grain wagon. I can buy one of my bosses rigs for around $25,000. Its a 1989 Freightshaker cab over with 890,000 miles. I know what your thinking... but this truck is in great shape. The dot pulled out the creeper on her late last year and found nothing to cry about. The trailer is a 1999 tempte 42'er. Any way, what are some hidden things I might not be thinking about and how hard is it to get your own loads?

 

For the load part i know a website called hoploads.com not sure what the rates are but its a start, sorry i cant be more help

 

and there is nothing wrong with a cab over, were still running ours up and down the road

 

Oh I like the Cabbie. They look great. Thanks for the site info also.

 

I'm not trying to down driving a cabover. Nothing wrong with it. Not trying to down driving a truck with 890,000 on it. Mine has 1.6 million. But for 25,000 I think you could do better. At 890,000, you're not going to go very long before you need an overhaul. I've been very lucky. I'm ready to do it any day and have been for a very long time.

25 large will get you into a conventional thats less than ten years old with fewer miles. Unless this cabover is something really special, it sure sounds high to me. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

Does the 25,000 include the trailer? Maybe I misunderstood the post.

 

I've been hopper shopping for the farm and the 99 timpte (assuming air ride) is worth 20,000 at min, prolly more. I've been looking in the midwest and havn't found one in nice shape for less than 25,000. The condition of a hopper bottom matters much more to the price than year. They just don't depreciate much. Too many farmers like me looking for a deal. If the tractor and trailer are as nice as the OP made it sound, it is a bit of a bargain. I would second the post that stated the tractor is close to needing an overhaul. I would definatly keep that in mind when you lay out a budget for starting out.

 

For example, check out this 1996 Wilson for 24,500:

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2516700

 

Air on the tractor and spring on the trailer. They want $7,500 for the tractor.

 

An overhaul is a must, not that it needs one now but it will. I'm still keepin my eye on a 389.