Buying first used truck advice

What I’m going to do is buy a pre emissions truck 2007 or older with a Detroit 60 12.7 and going to pay cash. That will be about $10k - $15k. Then I have $25k for maintenance. From talking to shops local in my area it looks like $25k is good for a rebuild and other major repairs. Then I have about $15k leftover to hopefully carry me.

I want my operating costs as low as possible. I would never go into this with a truck payment. And would never go into this with a emissions truck. That’s just my opinion with doing lots of research.

I plan on running local / short haul in my area in the North East.

 

If you have 25k for a truck, why not use it as down payment for a newer truck? To be honest, I think you'll need a lot more cash. You say 25k for a truck and 10k for maintenance. When I first started driving, 12 years ago, tbay might have been enough to get started. You didn't have all the sensors and emissions systems in the trucks. From all my experience and research, I'm thinking you'll need 50 to 75k to get started, and I'm not sure that's enough.

 

Let’s say you bought a 2005 FL Columbia with a Detroit series 60 12.7 for $10-$15k. Knowing it’s going to need mostly likely major stuff like a rebuild etc, do you think $25k is enough for a short haul operation? That would be $40k all in for the truck with the repairs it needs. Then of course you’ll need to maintain $25k in a maintenance account.

 

I get a kick out of perspective owner operators, some who have never even driven a big truck, postulating about the best way to run a solo trucking company.

The irony is rich.

 

I’ve been driving a truck for 30 years mostly local and some short haul as a company driver for the same company. I’m ready to go out on my own if it’s with it.

 

See.....that's what I'm talking about right there. So a new owner would need about 100k.

 

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea for someone to even consider becoming an owner operator until they have at least 5 years experience under their belt as a company driver.

That's just my opinion, and as we all know, opinions are like buttholes, we all have one.

 

What I posted was $65k.

$15k for a pre emissions truck
$25k to get pre emissions truck repaired such as a rebuild
$25k for maintenance

 

Yeah, I wasn't talking about you having no experience as a driver. But you do seem to have the best game plan figured out. What's keeping you from pulling the trigger?

 

To be honest I’m taking my time because I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.

I’m 53 years old and been with the same company for 30 years and can retire snd start collecting my pension. But 53 is still young and have a long way to go until retirement and we’ll need income but not a full time income if that makes sense.

I want to run local and be home everyday without killing myself. I want to be my own boss at this point and if I don’t want to run I want it to be my choice. Again want to make sure everything is good before I start. It’s not like I’m in a rush but definitely want to do it.