Buying A Truck....

I would go for the 379 because of what you said, resale value and you said its apparent that whoever had it took good care of it. There are literally 1000's of those ex-company freightliners sitting around that probably have had a new driver every few months, Yuck. Also I would rather have a Cat w/13 sp over a Detroit w/10 sp.
As long as you have a job lined up for the truck I say go for it. I have been working for one company about 90% of the time for the last 10 years. We get a little slow from the end of Nov until about now and I am out hauling a lot of broker freight. I am glad my regular place is picking up again. Anyone who is depending only on brokers will have a very hard time making it right now. Things are tight these days but if you have a place to work that can keep you busy you will be OK. The only thing I can caution you about is you have to stay away from the dealer shop. If you can't do it yourself, ask around and find a independent guy who knows what he is doing and get a relationship going with him. My experience is that most of the big dealerships have a lot of parts changers working in them and you can eat up a lot of $$$ real quick there and still not get the problem solved.

I have a friend who is a resturant manager. He has been working in these places since we got out of high school. He is smart about the business and has been pretty successful. I know if he went out on a limb and opened his own he would do well. I know of two places he managed that were failing and he turned them into successful businesses. He worked at a Pizza Hut 20+ years ago and made manager. He took it from the worst store in the district to the best one in less than 2 years. He was making more with his salary and bonuses than the district manager was when he was 24 years old. He is afraid he would not make it so he has spent the last 20+ years wondering "what if?" We live about 1000 miles apart now. Every time I stop in to see him I feel 10 feet tall when I leave, he wants so badly to go out on his own but won't take the step. His wife has a good enough job that she could support the family for awhile if she had to but he just won't do it. I haven't had a real job since I left Kenworth in 1983 and could never go back to one. It sounds like you have thought it out and have been thinging about it for awhile now. Yes, things can get pretty rough sometimes but when things are right, there is no better feeling. Post up another picture later with your name on the side of that Peterbilt and good luck.

 

I am warning you ......Good luck making all payments,taxes,fuel and blah,blah,blah.....

Do not be surprised when you have no money for you at the end of the week or month....Just a WARNING...

The rates are not there....

 

ahhh ok... you are getting your own authority and #'s blah blah blah....and your own wagon correct?am i reading this right....?

if the answer is yes you just DOUBLE SCREWED YOURSELF....WHY?

BECAUSE BROKERS AND COMPANIES ARE CUTTING EACH OTHERS THROATS.....

THEY ARE BIDDING ON FREIGHT FOR 1.00......

I hope and prey you have 1.80 a mile freight and no deadhead miles to make all your payments and 400 bucks for you after its all said and done...

it will take all of the 1.80 to run that show down the road...if you don't believe me ask other o/o's who have done this for 30 years

 

B&T Rogers: I like the pete very much. I also started out buying a cheap million mile pete 379 with a cat motor last year. Run it for a year, overhaul it and then your good to go. That way YOU know who did the work instead of assuming.

I ran construction (short dumpwagon) all spring, summer and fall then word was out about my work ethic and now I have all kinds of dump work this winter; could not be happier.

Good luck with your business, it sounds like you could be an adaptable business man and therefore be a successful business man. This may not be the answer people want to hear but there is success to be had out there.

On a side note: I've only ran dump wagons all my life and I always wondered how the "michigan trains" work. Is it determined by axle #'s or length of each wagon or? What can your total gross be? Looks like your in michigan and you wrote that you've worked with them and i figured you'd know.

 

Mr. Rogers, Take the pete, dont think just do.
that machine looks to be in fine shape.
A pete will always have better resale value over a shaker. And you can work on it yerself very owner op freindly
CONGRATS YOU DUN MESSED UP AND FELL IN WITH REST OF US NO GOOD TRUCKIN TYPES

 

I am seriously looking into being an IC in about 1.5yrs and this thread has been very helpful in all ways,,,,

Thanks to all of you...