Schneider Lease-Purchase..

72. So far, it has been great. Been a long time since I have been in a narrow cab truck, and it seems even narrower with the giant National seat I had installed in it, LOL.

Been running it at all sorts of speeds, just getting used to it. My goal is to "try" and push it towards 9mpg once it starts to get broke in.

 

Love to hear more about your experience with the Fitzgerald glider in the future.

 

I much prefer the narrow cab. The other ones feel like a cab-over to me (or a bus LOL). Plenty of room and I am on the tall side.
9mpg? Wow! Hope you get there. I won't, I know that but I like my truck a lot and it is worth it to me.

 

You can make money on the west coast, the biggest issue over there is a number of company drivers compared to ic's. What I ran into, was a lot of bad trailers that other drivers would indicate where in perfect condition. You would spend a lot of time getting trailers repaired just to be dot legal. Otherwise there is really good Freight between Southern California and the Phoenix area.

 

Is this a new Glider? Did SFI finance it for you? I also would like to know how it does etc... Thanks


Be Safe Out There


Captain Dave

 

It's new. I financed it on my own.

Right now, it is still at the brand new stage, less than 30k on the engine. Runs great. Fuel economy, from day one has maintained a 7+ average. My current 30 day average is up over 7.3. This is running it all over he speed spectrum anywhere from 55 to 75+. I am about to enter a couple more fuel receipts into fuelgauges, and that 7.3 number will be higher. Once I am doing playing around, I plan on locking the truck down into the 55-62 mph range and see where I can push the fuel numbers to. My goal is 9, but that will be a tough number to hit living in northwest Arkansas.

Pulls hills great, like a truck is supposed to pull.

 

Was it hard to get a bank to finance a truck with a older motor? Did you get to spec the truck or was it off there lot? Thanks for the info....


Be Safe Out There

Captain Dave

 

I didn't get mine from Fitzgerald's, but when I spoke to them they said you can order a truck for additional down money. It takes a bit longer to get it as it has to be ordered instead of one they have on the lot. You can get the engine you want in one of the trucks on their lot as well as transmission. Other engines will cost a bit more. The financing on a glider is pretty easy, no more difficult than new. The builders have financing people that are familiar with gliders, and it goes pretty smooth.
If you do it, be prepared to say good-by to check engine lights.

 

Financing was easier, because they told me gliders were less risk than financing a new emissions truck.

Freightliner and kw both required a significant down payment, and my credit is excellent. The same people financed the glider with zero down, and never blinked an eye.

I got my truck the way it came from the Fitzgerald lot. It is discounted about 3k from what you get from the factory yourself for the same setup. I almost custom ordered, mainly to get different gears, but couldn't justify the cost. Happy with the 3.42 gears they ship with.

From there, I upgraded with a tripac, bunk heater, inverter, crankshaft damper and balancer, ops Ecopure, 13 speed, air tabs, high flow exhaust, balance masters all the way around, and I upgraded the driver's seat to a leather National with the back cycler. After riding in that seat, I hope to never ride in a cheap seat again.

Also opted for their in house built engine, rather than the factory reman.

I need to get the truck to Pittsburgh Power for ECM programming, and plan on carpeting the cab. Other than that, the truck is exactly what I want.

 

Pics....