Buying my 1st truck, looking for opinions!

Looking for opinions on this. I'm looking to buy my own truck and have lots of diffrent thoughts on what I should look at.

For the record, I've only driven Freightliner Cascadias. Had a 2017 lightweight, had a 2018 new cascadia with auto and now driving a 2016 Cascadia with a 10 speed.. I think I'm tired of Cascadias, but overall the DD15 motor seems solid and I must admit the 12 speed auto was pretty #### good.

Now as far as buying a truck, Im thinking I want to go pre-emissions. I dont really want to risk buying a used truck that might have DEF issues or just lots of problems because Id be buying one of the eariler models when they 1st started putting emissions and the DEF on them.

With that in mind Im likely looking at Trucks in the 2000 to 2009 range (If I'm not mistaken wasnt 2010 first year they required emissions?)

Now if looking at Trucks in those target years I feel its probably a bad idea to buy one of the aero plastic trucks because they will be high miles and at the end of their shelf life. (By aero/ plastic I mean trucks like Cascadias, Volvo, T680s, the fiberglass Pete's ect)

This leads me to looking at heavier duty trucks most specifically W900's and 379's. Im thinking trucks in the $30-50k range is my target and I tend to see a lot of these trucks in that price range.

Now Im curious on the c-15 or the isx which is what I tend to see in these trucks as I've only had experance with the DD's is there any specfic advantage over one or the other or are the both pretty solid?

Next is the trans.. I've only used a 10 speed and the dd12 auto. My 10 speed fuel mileage is much worse than the 12 speed auto I had. If I'm looking to try to max out the mpg is there a benifit between the 18 speed vs the 13 speed? Seems more would be better but no experience with either so I'm curious what others say..

Last am I being crazy looking to buy a $30 to $50k truck for my 1st as a O.O? Should I just go buy one of the $15k Columbia's with cash and the D60/13 speed that I see all over craigslist?

Should I say screw it all that and just go buy a new white Volvo and wear flip flops? (Ie buy new to get a warrenty or a later model that still has warranty ) I do have good credit and money in the bank, my biggest issue on getting finacing as Im under 2 years as a driver.

 

Well I'd be new to big trucks, but I'm pretty handy as far as fixing stuff. I've done a few engine/trans swaps, cut the roof off my VW van welded a pop top roof on it (middle of converting it to 4wd) have done lots of these kinda things, just never on big trucks.

For the record my dad, grandfather and uncle all ran land clearing companies so I grew up around dump trucks, loaders and so forth.. however by time I was old enough they were no longer in those businesses, so I came into trucking later in life after doing other stuff..

With that in mind, I dont mind doing routine things, but I'm not looking to do a in frame or major fixes.