Are you thinking of being a owner operator (Consider This First)

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Trenton325, Nov 30, 2024.

  1. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Fair and makes sense the cheap models would be well cheap i suppose. So far ive been overall impressed with the lonestar. Quality is better then a lot of long nose petes ive used. Still has some things i like better off the pete but they are few and far between. Back on topic though, yea i feel bad for OP. Nowadays most of these modern trucks are garbage and it seems like you either get an O/O who can spin a wrench to some extent or a bankrupt O/O
     
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  3. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    I misread your first post. I thought you did all this from 460k to 800k. The stuff I was scratching my head at was a couple things you explained but also two full sets of air bags and some other stuff. But seeing the total miles now it isn’t as bad.
     
  4. REO6205

    REO6205 Road Train Member

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    The OP might make it. Every dollar he doesn't spend in some shop or with some shade-tree mechanic stays in his pocket. The truck keeps moving and earning. Smart.
     
  5. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Only issue that Prostar I have the NFnG in is every time you turn right blinker on, all lights come on as if you turned headlights on, but it does blink, I told him drive with headlights on.. :rolleyes::p
     
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  6. Diesel Dave

    Diesel Dave Last Few of the OUTLAWS

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    What engine is this referred too ?
     
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  7. Sons Hero

    Sons Hero Road Train Member

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    Ok, yup, I misread it too…..
     
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  8. INRUT

    INRUT Medium Load Member

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    5 year’s million miles, sure hope you’ve got 1/2 million in bank. You running team or family?
     
  9. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

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    There's a reason the companies sell them off around the 400-500k mark. After that they become too much of a shop queen and the downtime will eat you alive unless you have a full service shop at your beck and call and can do most of your own work, or have a buddy down the road who's got your back. Otherwise you'd be toast trying to make a living with one of these modern trucks. It would be one $1000 tow bill after another and riding down the road on pins and needles waiting for the next one. Ask yourself a hard question here.
     
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  10. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    Its less that their unreliable and more that they never get the correct maintaince unless something breaks and it gets fixed under warranty. Then when they get sold off most guys try to do like old iron and press them right into service. There is a reason you see owner op or small fleet trucks hit 1 mil+ on a regular basis but fleet trucks rarely see past 500k.

    Reality is any 500k truck unless you have recipts in your hand just assume at a minimum no maintaince has ever been dkne and they are going to need the whole emissions system serviced. The DPF will not have been serviced. The doser will be worn, the decomp tube is likely contaminated due to slipshod maintaince. The SCR may be shot, the def filters will have likely never or rarely been changed. Sensors will be clogged up with soot the EGR is likely sooted up. These morons likely tried to go 50k+ on dirt cheap conventional oil and without samples to ensure it COULD. Turbos are likely contaminated or damaged. Grease will have been hit and miss. Likely never got an overhead. Hell they likely still have the factory airbags, batterys and shocks on them.

    They likely have a ton of idle time, steering wheel holders who abused them never had a clutch adjusted and i could literally go on and on. Combine all that together and is it any wonder these rigs are junk? If you want a reliable used rig you gotta be prepared to throw at least 20K at it just to get the maintaince to current. God forbid undo or repair any damage done by slipshod maintance.

    sure you get the occasional outfit that cares for the rigs and an O/O comes along and has a good solid workhorse. But for every single one of those you likely have 50+ peices of junk that required a huge amount of work to get operational and reliable.

    Hell even my new rig which WAS properly maintained still toom almost 15k to get squared away. Most new owner ops dont know this and get screwed.
     
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  11. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    I don't think fleets are buying and selling.

    They're leasing.

    My last otr boss was going through that England program. Can't remember the name of the actual company England was using but it was part of England.

    He was trading the trucks in every 3 years.
     
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