Paying cash for an older semi tractor vs. financing a new one

If it was me i'd get a 12.7 detroit. I own a 14 liter EGR deleted. The fuel mileage is .5 MPG worse than a 12.7 and power isn't much different. I raced a 12.7 at a stop light and barely pulled ahead a little ways. Just get 02 or older and you know you're good. The N14 cummins is a super good motor too.

 

I hear you saying that you are bidding on trucks. Are you bidding on auction sites?

If that's the case, I would only bid on something if I thought it was a $20,000 truck I could get for maybe $5,000, because you're not looking at it you don't have a mechanic with you you don't have a dyno test oil samples or anything else.
If it is auction trucks that you're bidding on, you literally have to figure anything could be wrong with that truck at any cost involved you have to have the money for. I would only do that for trucks I'm parting out or something that I had an engine transmission and Rears for and a bunch of parts. Trucks like that can look beautiful but be a complete nightmare.

Between the 12.7 and the n14, they are both excellent engines and they were in so many trucks I don't think it's really a problem to find anyone to work on them. However I will caution you that if you buy a Detroit and you want it rebuilt take it to a Detroit shop. If you have a Cummins make sure you take it to a Cummins shop.

The 12.7 is a smaller engine, the n14 is a 14 L engine. But both are excellent engines and I couldn't tell you which is better on mileage, maybe I'd give the edge to the 12.7 since it's a smaller displacement. I can't comment on any engines newer than that because I really am a Dino Soar.

I'm not an expert on flatbed trailers at all, but some of what you're going to look at depends on what you're going to haul. The best bet is to go into the flatbed forum and ask them.

I'm all for older inexpensive equipment, but anymore I would lean toward a later model trailer. You really have to know what you're looking at or bring someone with you because the cross members could be broken the suspension could need work it just really all depends. You will have your hands full with whatever truck that you end up with. It's best to have a trailer you can just hook up to it and go and don't worry about it.

Myself I would probably be looking for a trailer that is part Steel part aluminum or all aluminum with a spread axle, I don't know if you'll find that for ten to fourteen thousand. Aything that is aluminum will be more costly to have repaired. The spread axle with a lift is the best setup and it's easiest to make your axle weights that way.

But with flatbed even if you spent 10 to 14,000 you still need chains and tarps and binders and straps and you should have boxes or a headache rack and it can add up.

 

Well just bear in mind that a truck that you've looked over in person and you feel that you bought something good and you brought a mechanic with you, it's easy to put 10,000 + in a truck like that. Easily.

An auction truck it may sound crazy but that number could be 20 or 30. Or more.

I'm not trying to discourage you at all. But I have bought trucks at auctions and I know guys that have bought trucks at auctions and it's a much larger Gamble than buying one from a private party.

There are a lot of people who get rid of their junk through auctions and a lot of problem trucks, like that nobody can fix etcetera Etc. That's not all auctions and all trucks, but it certainly is a Gamble.

A friend of a friend bought a really clean truck at an auction. He put a tag on it he pulled out of the lot went up the hill and right there the engine blew up. Most likely they knew it had engine problems and they doctored it up.

I myself would never go to an auction to buy a truck that I was going to run every single solitary day and depend on to make a living.

In my youth, I probably would have done that. As a mature person, no way.

Not only does that repair cost money, but the time that the truck is down with all of the expense in this business is like a negative multiple. It can be like a woman that cleans out your bank account and before you can even tell her you're upset about it she kicks you in the nuts, then tells you she banged your best freind.

Again, I'm not trying to dissuade you. but even if you have a truck that breaks down a lot, like it works for a week and it's down for two then it works for two and it's down for one week again or works for 3 weeks then it's down for another week.... that's when people go broke. It isn't always that the truck stops running. There are a lot of repairs that can put the truck down over and over again but the truck keeps running.

Some guys buy a $10,000 truck and they run it for a few years and buy something else. Some guys buy a $10,000 truck and in three months they have so much debt they just can't continue and now they have a big hole to dig out of.

Think carefully.

 

My last 12.7 1998 blew a head gasket at 540 k, Also dropped a liner at 825 k. Blowing gasket again, locking it up. Same with my current 99 12.7, was leaking down side of block, infrared at 825 k.Theyre great engines, but not without problems

 

I wouldn’t trust just any guy. You get what You pay for.

 

Correct. Detroit only now available in freightshaker, western star, ( thats freightshaker's sister with makeup and a wig) and used to be sterling but sterling is no more.