$40,000

I bought my truck at Penske. They are maintenance FREAKS, and keep very good records. Was $54K. You can also purchase a 2 year / 200K mile bumper to bumper warranty for the most part for another $4K. I had no problems with it. The known issues had already been taken care of.

I'd avoid anything with a Cummins.

Our shop foreman says the most you will get out of a DD15, or at least the most we are getting, is 800K miles, then the DPF " One Box " must be replaced. $8K for the part. Most are going at 600K mile range.

You could do it with $40K. I put $6K down on my truck, didn't buy the warranty. If you go O/O with your own authority, no experience, your insurance for the first year is going to be better than $10K, with half down.

You will probably be out $5K or more in fuel before you collect any money.

So you have say $24K left.

I don't think anyone will lease you a trailer. You can rent one, but it's very expensive.

The trailer is what kept me from getting my own authority. I just leased onto a guy. It's better to be able to have everything.

I mean you could lose a rear end. $5K plus a tow. Turbo. Water pump. Injector goes south. Compressor.

I think there are lemon trucks, just bad trucks. And there are some that just run and run. Avoid one that's been sitting for any length of time. As long as everything is turning, things just seem to work. Once they stop turning for 6 months or more, they just don't work right once they start turning again.

You can't afford to be in the shop all the time, even for minor stuff. Your loads will be late, and no one cares why. This is a do or do not profession, there is no try.

I can drive a truck for a short time, and tell you quickly if it was driven by a gorilla, or a truck driver. You get the used gorilla truck, your gonna have problems.

Clutch is $3K. If you need a tranny that's gonna leave a mark. $8K or better. Lose the engine, you might eat $15K to $20K.

We have two Cummins in the yard with recent in frames that have connecting rods through the block.

DPF system is bad you could spend $12K, and lots of people do, especially with the Cummins.

You better do A LOT of research to see what your comfortable with. And spend some time learning to drive the truck on some big companies equipment, it will benefit you.

 

I see people play with old equipment, especially trailers, and to me it's just not worth it. You will also get hung out to dry by the DOT during inspections.
Good used equipment is where it's at. Or save the money for a new trailer. Dudes DUMP so much money in POS trailers, it just makes no sense to me. Bad trailer will eat tires, and it gets very expensive. Bearings, even axles, hubs. Blah.
Get a new one that you care for, or slightly used, that tracks true, that you don't thrash on, and it will save you tons of money, plus you won't get hassled by the DOT.

 

seems to have been in clean hands.

 

I'd keep as much cash as possible. Nobody will repo your cash, but the equipment yes. In my 3 years owning a truck the most I had to cough up was 7k. That was turbo and air charge cooler replacement.

 

Lamb to slaughter.

Need 90 days worth of food, fuel, toll, cell, internet, load board money. Need $3k for plates. Need a few thousand for securement. Need close to $20k for ins. And possibly $25k in repairs first year.

I wouldn't let it bother you tho. It's easy being a truck owner. Anyone can do it. No experience required.

 

The will want you to put down 15 k on this one if your Fico is 700 and up.