APU on older trucks

Even Gods have a bad day.

 

I would think some of it will depend on how long you plan on keeping the trucks you have. In 5 years I have over 10,000 hours on my TriPac, which would have been much more engine hours, since when it is cold the bunk heater runs and the APU only runs to bring the engine up to temp or recharge the batteries. This is a big plus to me over the other brands.
The other number that I have noticed, is that on a truck with electronics that can show you the average mph per engine hour, it has jumped 10 mph over what I did with my previous tractor without an APU.

 

Depends on how long you plan to keep the older equipment. My truck is a 98 and I would love to have an APU, but it just doesn't make financial sense to me. Instead, I installed a small power inverter for creature comforts and a diesel fired bunk heater for heat. The cost of these two are miniscule in comparison to an APU, new or used. Granted, I have nothing on board for a block heater or to maintain the batteries, and nothing but a fan for A/C. I rarely idle the truck. If the outside temp is much below 20, unfortunately I idle to be safe. When its hot, I use a fan. When its beyond "fan hot" I get a cheap motel room. Last year I had to get a room less than a dozen times.......9 I think it was, at an average of $29 a night. The rooms were nothing fancy and not someplace I would want my wife, but they were air conditioned, had a TV and a shower.......no idling for the weekend, etc.

When I replace this truck in the next year or two, I will definately look at trucks WITHan APU in a higher light than those without, but itdoesnt seem to make any financial sense to me to purchase one on an older truck like mine.