Buying first used truck advice

Yea makes sense. I guess it depends on the operation. I’m going to be doing short haul / local and ’ve driven all sorts of trucks in my 30 years, new ones and older ones. I can’t see myself buying not buying a pre emissions truck especially with what I think the ole reliable Detroit series 60.

 

I'm brand new, and I kind of agree. I had no "real" experience as a trucker. Just knew how to drive them from the oilfield. I've dropped 62k so far. This week is the first week I've actually started getting my legs under me, but if my engine blows, I'm done. Game over. With some luck, I'll make it. But with bad luck, I basically just blew every dime we had. If you don't have a big chunk of money, it's going to be a risk. You're one big break down from going out of business until you get your account built back up.

 

just put the 10 and 25 together and get a 35k truck. you can get a road ready truck that has had recent inframe with paperwork for that. a 10k truck will eat that 25k up and still need more.

 

It appears you've already made up your mind, pre-emissions truck with a Detroit 60 and no truck payment is your destiny.

I wish you well.

 

Yea I’m pretty set on truck specs and I’m not second guessing myself. Like I said I’m taking my time and have looked at a couple trucks. What’s the most important now is finding a good, trust worthy and reliable mechanic. I want a mechanic that is going to honestly tell me what needs to be done and after that going to tell me and show me why this should be replaced or that or this needs to be tightened up etc etc. I wouldn’t touch the shop where we take our trucks with a ten foot poll.

 

Take what I'm saying with a grain of salt, but if you can't do your own work, you don't have enough money. I haven't let a shop touch my truck yet, and it's still about broke me. 62k, brother.

One thing I'll say, is if you're determined to continue, then make sure that truck is a winner. Get something with a recent in-frame. I got backed into a corner, and ended up with a crappy truck. Long story, but it is what it is. You're making a good choice with the 12.7. Take your time looking for a truck, and don't jump the gun. Don't let anyone work on your truck unless you know you absolutely can't fix it yourself.

 

The little I know a pre emissions FL with a Detroit series 60 can be fixed unless the frame is messed up. I think with this motor $25k can get me going good and maintaining $25k in a maintenance fund will be good.

I’m sorry this has happened to you brother. But I’m confident 110% I’m buying the right truck specs. And I wouldn’t start this unless I had at least $25k in a maintenance fund.

Remember I’m buying a $10k truck and willing to dump $25k into it initially still having $25k in a maintenance fund. . A pre emissions with a motor that lots of shops can work on and parts are cheap and easily accessible.

I won’t allow myself to be in a bind before I even start.

 

The lifetime maintenance in the first 5 years of my "White Volvo" was $0.04 a mile.

The only maintenance work I've ever personally performed on it was to change out the rear driver's side blinker assembly. Which is to say, unplug and remove it and plug the new one back in.

I ain't no mechanic, nor do I have an interest in ever becoming one. When I'm at home, which is quite frequently, the last thing I want to do is think about or work on a truck.

That's just me though.

 

Oh, nothing's happened yet, lol. I knew it was gonna be pricey, and I was a tad too extravagant in the beginning replacing things that probably didn't need to be replaced until I started making money. I hit the ground running this year, and I'll be okay in no time.

Remember, you can rebuild a 12.7 in your driveway for like two grand. So don't be blowing money on a mechanic if you can help it. Good luck if you pull the trigger, and keep us posted. You'll never know until you try, and if you don't try, you'll always wonder. Nothin' to it, but to do it.

 

Im not going to rebuild myself. I’ll take to a mechanic.