Flattops pullin Reefers

You need to do the math and figure out the ROI. Increase the mpg .75 and your money ahead in about 4 years on your example. I used 120,000 miles a year and $3 diesel, btw, just to keep the math simple. Saving about $7,000 a year in fuel. Run that truck for 20 years and it's free truck.

 

Is running a truck 20 years really fiscally sensible? Don't expenses start to skyrocket after 10 or so years as major components fail and warehoused parts grow less easy to find?

EDIT: Yes, I know lots of people drive older trucks, and many trucks have been working for 20+ years, but does it make financial sense, or is it just 'comfort zone' business decisions?

 

Bit of both I guess. As long as the engine holds together, there should be no deal breaker of an expense laying in wait really. And, you know exactly what you're dealing with running the same truck for that long. Trade it in on a new one, you're dealing with the same risks, plus a new higher payment. Only way to make money on a vehicle is to run it into the ground, imho.

And if you didn't like that brand new truck enough to sit in it for twenty years, what did ya buy it for?

 

We aren't doing reefer at the moment just van, hopper, tank, and dump...

For me its a cool thing plus I really like the money..

No way I could drive an aero truck or hire with a mega fleet it just wouldn't work..

 

If I can't stand up straight and put my pants on, no thanks. "If looking cool on your stool" is that important, along with losing MPG, more power to you.

 

You must be pretty dang tall i ain’t got a true flat top just a w9 aero flat top and I got like 6in at least above my head standing straight up . Mpg is so speculative it people with aero truck that can hardly get 6mpg sonwhat the point get what you like and if you get a aero truck don’t be a retard and work for less if you had a hood work for same and pocket the extra money if your lucky and get better mpg with it

 

Its not a Peterbilt or Kenworth but here is my flat top. 95 FLD 120. Series 60 Detroit. 10 speed. It does alright on fuel. Low 6's.....

I'm flat top with a reefer because I had minimal choices starting out as an owner operator. Getting my own authority was taking too long. Bills were still coming. Needed to get some work. Leased on to a good guy. Out of Portland OR area. Been here for a couple months now....

 

That truck is a money maker. A friend of mine has one just like it pulling a reefer. His has a roof fairing and gets around 7 mpg. A 1999 with an N14 and a 10 speed. He got the truck for practically nothing via trading/wheeler dealering and got it roadworthy for about $10,000. It was clean inside for as old as it is. No holes in the dash no hacked up wires. Runs like a top and cheap, easy to fix.