What (2005 or later) tractor has the lowest cost to operate?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Lurchgs, Jan 5, 2011.

  1. Lurchgs

    Lurchgs Road Train Member

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    Feb 13, 2008
    Denver, CO
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    Title says it all, people. My tiny little brain is interested in buying a rig, but all I've driven is Pete and International.. and the Internationals were.... not in great shape.

    I don't care about name. I don't have a preference for a given engine. I'll even put up with (slightly) lower mpg if the rest of the cost of ownership is good enough.

    I've tried talking to drivers when I stop for the night, but the results are.. um.. less than consistent.

    I can't even find a report on the internet! WTH? Surely, SOMEBODY has some form of record/report/whatever!

    For my purposes, I'm looking for COO both with and without purchase price. New or used.

    Thanks, fans!
     
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  3. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

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    Aug 8, 2009
    Meadville, PA
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    The lowest cost to operate? The one you just leased/fleeced from C.R. England, CRST, and other similar outfits...Doesn't cost the company a cent to operate!:biggrin_2559::biggrin_25523:
     
  4. Lurchgs

    Lurchgs Road Train Member

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    Feb 13, 2008
    Denver, CO
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    ouch, good point
     
  5. Bent Wrench

    Bent Wrench Medium Load Member

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    Aug 11, 2009
    Cornholio, OR
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    There is no one ideal rig, there are too many variables.

    Then you throw in driver preference and the picture gets really tilted.

    I think that if there was a perfect truck everyone would know about it and it would soon be priced out of the ball park.
     
  6. chalupa

    chalupa Road Train Member

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    Jul 22, 2010
    Houston,Texas
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    There are some generally accepted gimmies with tractors and their costs........ Costs more to work on a Cat vs. Detroit, Mercedes vs. a Cummins, An automatic vs. a stick. 24.5's vs 22.5's and disc brakes more than drums.

    If I were a buyer then I would look at what the majors buy....say like Ryder, Columbia, Detroit, straight 10 and 3.73's and drums. Other majors I see buy Intl. / Detroit / 10 / 3.70's and Walmart buys Binder/ Cummins / 10 od / 2.70's.

    JMO
     
  7. Bent Wrench

    Bent Wrench Medium Load Member

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    Aug 11, 2009
    Cornholio, OR
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    Here is some towing data.
    48 tows from my invoice book
    Freightliner - 17
    International - 14
    Volvo - 8
    Peterbilt - 3
    Ford - 3
    mack - 2
    Kenworth - 2

    This data needs to have the percentage of each make on the road to begin to mean anything. I'm guessing that these numbers fairly represent the number of each make on the road. Which would make them about equal. I weeded out most crashes and all glider tows.

    I will say that the majority of these tows were for auto-shutdowns not mechanicals. And most of the mechanicals were accompanied by a driver statement that they "had been writing this junk up for a week"

    This would indicate to me that attention to maintenance is a key factor in staying off the tow truck.

    Without any shop data on the auto-shutdowns I would guess that most are sensor failures.

    Staying off the tow truck is not an accurate guage, as fuel mileage is the biggest expense. Right above chrome....
     
    Strider, rocknroll nik and none Thank this.
  8. MedicineMan

    MedicineMan Road Train Member

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    Jan 13, 2007
    Woodville, TX
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    freightliner hands down. There is a reason they are 90% of the trucks on the road. Get a decent owner opertor spec and take care of it before it breaks regaurdless of what you get.

    I have to take exception to bent wrenches numbers since it doesn't take into acount that there is probably 1000 shakers on the road for every KW (don't complain about my numbers, they are just and example) plus most the big fleets maintain there trucks like crap
     
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