Financing through Owner?

With him still owing on the truck, I don't know that it would be a good idea. If it was a paid off truck that he was just replacing in his fleet, and he has done this in the past, it could be worth doing.

 

Yes, and that particular one will rack up some very predictable repairs sooner than some others. That is, excepting extraordinary care and documentation of many of those things already being addressed from the owner. I'm not knocking it for what it is, just suggesting he consider it's cash value with that in mind.

 

And what make a century more suseptable over a 379 or 600?

Driveline isnt freightliner any more than it is on a kw or pete.

 

I got a year and around 85,000 miles out of my high mileage Detroit ... I got about 1,000 out of the tranny lol ... Just remember as soon as you start making payments and that engine, tranny, turbo, air compressor, radiator, starter, whatever goes out it is your respponsibility for the repairs...try to get as much info on previous repairs...GET A DYNO and dont take any chances...i suggest this with any used truck purchase not just this not so good idea

 

He can probably plan on a rebuild on the engine within the next 100k miles. The truck my hubby is in is a Shaker, and just had an inframe done late last year . . . she's at 800k + a bit now.

 

That's not what I said. Don't let your personal interest having you see something that's not there.

Just in case I was too ambiguous, I'll be specific to one equipped with a 2007 emission spec Detroit 14L S60 under the hood. I've had two, and still have the first one we bought, the '04. Both of them happen to have that engine, and suffered the same problems at around the 700k mile mark with the hot parts I mentioned. Maybe I had the misfortune of two in a row, but at least a half dozen Detroit techs I've spoken to or worked with in the past two years agree that is a common occurrence on that engine, with that number of miles. That doesn't make it a bad truck. It just means you can expect that roughly $5,000 subset of repairs not including downtime on that exact powertrain spec at around that mileage, provided they haven't already been done. That is, over and above the random breakdowns that all used trucks are prone to have.

If the one OP is looking at is a late production '07, it may have the added feature of a 2010 emission package with a first gen DPF system stuffed in there for added worry. But he's good to go in Cali for a little longer LOL.

In fact I didn't bother to mention all the other crap I've had to do with those trucks because those repairs are random across all trucks. Water pumps, alternators, radiators, injector harness, air conditioning, and so on. Even in-frame or overhaul. I did the inframe on my '04 since it was worth keeping. The '05 was a bad spec and not worth pouring more money into it for anything, much less major engine work. For those things I agree it doesn't matter what name is on the fender.

 

I am sorry if you felt I was singling you out. People seem to knock freightliner for it being a freightliner. Your last paragraph is exactly what he needs to be aware of. That is on ANY truck with over 550-600K miles. As you said, regardless of name on the fender.

I'd still stick with a Detroit over a cat for simple reduced cost to maintain. It's the chevy small block of the heavy truck world.

 

Yes, there are potential problems here but you can address them in advance. You shouldn't do this without a lawyer. Most people don't want to take this step but for around $500 you can address:

1) How to handle repairs, breakdowns during the term. He's probably selling the truck "as is" but when something unexpected comes up, finger point ensues. Did the seller know about it? Is it the buyers responsibility?
2) How to handle late payments. When can the seller take the truck back? (We have people call us for financing in these situations because the seller is threatening to take the truck)
3) When does title transfer take place (hint: use and escrow set up)
4) Insurance consideration. Is the seller going to be lost payee and additional insured (hint: yes).

There's more to it but an attorney can reduce all of this to paper and everyone's covered. For a few hundred bucks you won't leave things to chance. Good luck with it.