What's A Cheap Reliable Truck?

I can't say the caterpillar engines are bad, but it's outrageous what it cost to rebuild them and parts are outrageous.

I myself would never own one because you can buy an in-frame kit for a big cam for about $1,000. There's a place in North Carolina you can buy a whole complete remanufactured big cam engine for $11,000.

$11,000 is only a down payment for anything you would buy for caterpillar. Why pay so much more for an engine or parts? That's ridiculous and unnecessary.

Honestly the only way I would have one as if somebody actually gave me a truck or paid me to take it if it had a caterpillar in it.

And even at that if the truck was worth running I would probably pull that caterpillar out and sell it to whoever wants it and put a nice big cam in it and go down the road economically and reliably.

I am thoroughly against anything that you have to pay outrageous amounts of money to buy or repair, like Peterbilt or Caterpillar, just so that you can say you have that name on your truck or in your truck.

Although many people do it, to me that's just like lighting money on fire for exactly no reason whatsoever.

I know a guy that had to have the big Pete with the big cat, but this guy has a lot of money. After he got some time on it he was literally almost in tears telling me he's thinking he's approaching a rebuild and he was just beside himself how much it's going to cost. And that is a guy that has no problem affording it.

I would rather put money in my pocket than pay for stupidity, honestly.

 

I don't want to totally bum you out, the will to succeed is your best ally. We will always need truck drivers, and many will say, it's not as glum as I make it out to be. Compared to when I trucked, yes, it's a different ball game, but it's still trucking, and I couldn't do anything else that I would like( maybe the classic car driver at a B-J auction) Today, it takes extra, EXTRA care, these lawyers can make a strong case and you could end up MILLIONS in debt, which is why, it's more imperative than ever, to have a dash cam. It's your only hope in that situation, and I wouldn't drive a truck today without one. Just don't use it to film your own stupidity, like running into stopped traffic. Company truck eliminates all that craziness. Your choice. Best of luck.

 

Just a question? I did not read any of the replies. Does "cheap" belong in the same sentence with reliable and truck? "cheap" almost 100% of the time will become way more expensive than doing it the right way to start with!

I'm being cynical, I freely admit it. I just think if you can't afford to do this right you are better off not doing it at all. Remember "cheap" means exactly that!

 

Mid 90 s Fld 120 was a good reliable truck, it seems that that era was good for most brands. Stay away from egr and def, even as a driver, you only get paid when you are under a load, nothing while in the shop.Does not cost anything to ask question

 

Definitely.

 

Older trucks are ok to an extent but nowadays no one wants to lease them on.I ran an old 430 Detroit with a 13 speed for over 2 million miles.Made lots of money but it dollar and domed me to death.Had great success with an old c 15 cat.Days gone forever.Before this def b.s..

 

Find you a FLD120 with 12.7 Detroit. I have 2 and both have served me very well.