First year has been Hell!

I just work on my own stuff anymore, so don't use them all that much, but when you add it all up between air comps, presses, welders, all the various seal tools and specialty tools, jacks, tranny jacks, service truck, loaded with app it's own tools, comp and welder, yada, yada, I bet I have more invested in tools than most do in their truck. lol
Out of years trucking, I have done most of my own work, and can only count a handful of times I paid an outside shop, BUT most of the times I have paid an outside shop, I wound up doing it again myself anyway.

 

Maybe a little, but not a lot.

Much of it starts with buying the wrong truck in the first place. I have watched guys maintenance programs for years, 9 out of 10 times I can tell you which ones will last and which ones won't, and we are not talking about freight rates, tanking or anything like that.

 

If you add in shop equipment holy #### lol. I probably have a solid 250k, sounds absurd but you know how much it all costs lol.

 

What are you hauling? Are you running under your own authority? I’d be interested in hearing about your experiences over your first 10 mo. if you ever have the time. I’m planning on buying a truck next year and have been thinking about all the different decisions constantly. Shoot me a message or whatever if you have time, and congratulations on grinding through the first year man, you’re a savage.

 

Just a few thoughts ....

After sounding like a ****** parrot for years, my advice is ignored because of the laziness and cheapness of the potential owners buying a truck, do your due diligence.

But why when the truck comes with a warranty and has paper work?

Because it is a tool.

You want to lessen the risk of any breakdown in the future.

And those who want to wrench on the truck, really?

If you are a mechanic and make a living at it, great but if you think you can easily maintain your own truck, here is something for you to think about ... the biggest pos owner operator trucks I have seen are those which the owner worked on it and this is where they were trying to keep it running while operating under their operating costs.

Yes I am going to make this claim again ... 85% new owners fail within the first two years.

 

I have to call BS on this post, first who ever said they WANT to work on their truck? there is a huge difference in having the ability and energy to work on one and wanting too.
Second, the shoddiest work I see is always from certified shops, always no exceptions. Are their some shaky OO's trying to save a nickle, by watching u-tube to repair their truck, I am sure their is, but by far the best oo trucks are also at least part way maintained by them also, I would never truck my truck and life to some shop that is in a hurry trying to beat book rate working on my truck for all maintenance.