One year as a O/O with one truck. Is buying a second as backup wise?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by greatvines, Mar 8, 2015.

  1. Lucar

    Lucar Road Train Member

    1,396
    889
    Aug 22, 2012
    Texas
    0
    2 things, imho from the guys I've talked to that haul crude..
    crude operations are regional/local and 30-40% off road.
     
    greatvines Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. windsmith

    windsmith Road Train Member

    7,296
    6,028
    Sep 2, 2011
    NEPA
    0
    As of now it is, but the fact that he was hauling crude oil would make one think otherwise regarding its past history.
     
    greatvines Thanks this.
  4. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

    20,662
    100,399
    Dec 18, 2011
    Michigan
    0
    This is why you need an accountant. They can look at the costs of the first truck and tell you to get rid of it, scrap it or buy a back up.

    When I was doing the otr thing, I would calculate my running costs and repair projections against the value of the truck, there is a point that on paper it makes better sense to ditch the truck and I stopped doing the otr thing just as that point was reached, the truck sits collecting dust right now.
     
    greatvines Thanks this.
  5. 201

    201 Road Train Member

    11,170
    22,654
    Apr 16, 2014
    high plains colorado
    0
    Having a 2nd truck just sitting is usually the kiss of death for a truck. Oil seals, tires, air system. I only had 1 truck, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't mind when the truck was down, it was a well deserved vacation, although, when it went down, I usually ended up working on it myself, so it wasn't really a vacation. You don't have a lot into the truck you have now, and sounds like you've done a lot of work on it already, so I doubt you'll have that much more going wrong for a while, and you probably don't have any payments, so another truck is just going to be another headache. Welcome to the wonderful world of being an oper-ownerator.
     
    Grijon, Ducks and greatvines Thank this.
  6. Ducks

    Ducks "Token Four-Wheeler"

    3,415
    3,581
    Jan 1, 2007
    Southeastern Pennsylvania
    0
    [QUOTE="semi" retired;4495226]Having a 2nd truck just sitting is usually the kiss of death for a truck. Oil seals, tires, air system. I only had 1 truck, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't mind when the truck was down, it was a well deserved vacation, although, when it went down, I usually ended up working on it myself, so it wasn't really a vacation. You don't have a lot into the truck you have now, and sounds like you've done a lot of work on it already, so I doubt you'll have that much more going wrong for a while, and you probably don't have any payments, so another truck is just going to be another headache. Welcome to the wonderful world of being an oper-ownerator.[/QUOTE]

    Thanks, "Semi"! I was wondering and about to ask about this. I'm just the token four-wheeler here, but I know this is true of autos and assumed it was true for any engine.
     
    "semi" retired, greatvines and Grijon Thank this.
  7. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    Having a 2nd truck just sitting is usually the kiss of death for a truck. Oil seals, tires, air system No worse than a new / used truck sitting on a dealers lot for months on end and someone buying it and hitting the road , you just need to move it around and not just let it sit in 1 spot.
     
    greatvines Thanks this.
  8. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

    3,723
    2,038
    Dec 23, 2009
    AL/TN BORDER
    0
    ditto.. whats wrong with alternating use of both trucks?
     
  9. Ducks

    Ducks "Token Four-Wheeler"

    3,415
    3,581
    Jan 1, 2007
    Southeastern Pennsylvania
    0
    Hence the expression, "caveat emptor"... or "buyer beware"... when making your purchase.
     
    greatvines and FLATBED Thank this.
  10. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    Only wheel seal I ever lost while on the road was on a brand new KW W900 with 5,000 miles on it and yet when I first started out got headed to the west coast with a newly assigned old COE with mega miles on it with no problems.
     
    greatvines Thanks this.
  11. Clasix1055

    Clasix1055 Even when I'm wrong I'm right

    998
    707
    Jan 26, 2012
    Toledo, Ohio
    0
    My question is how do you put 50k worth of repairs in a truck and its only worth 20k? It seems to me at 50k you should have had an engine and transmission AND rear ends, along with air compressor, radiator, 10 new virgin tires etc.... I would assume that after spending 50k in a year the only thing you need to worry about now is services, so no I wouldn't think that purchasing another truck at 50k is a good idea unless you plan to plate it and run a two truck operation
     
    RERM and greatvines Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.