2013 Columbia spec'ing

Yep, still with FCC. Over 4 years now. My, how time flies when you are having fun.

 

Buying factory rebuilt Series 60, factory rebuilt Eaton 18 spd, and the rears are brand new Meritor 14x. Freightliner is installing rears at assembly. Your dealer is right. You have to come in at less than 75% the cost of a COMPARABLE spec'd new truck. And, two of the three major drive train components must be previously used. The rebuilt engine and rebuilt tranny meet that requirement. When you consider the cost of a brand new engine, brand new tranny, and all the emissions stuff on a new truck, it is pretty easy to come in under the 75% threshold. Mine complete came in at $110,000. I priced both Cascadia and Prostar with similar specs as mine and couldn't get below $150,000. Piece of cake to meet the threshold.

 

Ya know, off the top of my head, I can't recall the exact weight of the tractor alone. I do know, that combined with a 53' Stoughton box plate trailer, I can still be legal putting 48K in the box with full fuel tanks. I sometimes get a call, asking to cover something that one of my carrier's company trucks can't scale. Ah, it is fun to be needed, and have leverage to negotiate a little!