Exp. o/o...got some quest. 4 ya....

Just wanted to tap you experieced guys brains for a second and get your thoughts.
Here we go, I'll try keep it short.
If you had 2yrs flatbedn' for a company and really like flatbedding.
-proably getting on with Landstar
-$40,000 or more to start- down payment on truck- or however you'd work it.
What truck would you look at?
How would you do it?

I don't usually talk about my finanial situation, but it seems realivent.
Monthly bills are utilities, $1000 house payment, $400 for wifes suv payment (owe 12k- like to pay off-but can wait to use money on better truck to make money).
Wife and kid at home.
There it is, what would you do if you were me?

 

You guys...I appreciate all the advice....anything and everything helps..and knowledge really is power. From my family and I, "Thank you." I'm gonna set down and read and re-read your posts and think about things.

 

You guys are great....the more I know the better, the more opionions- the better. Like to see what's in the experienced peoples heads.
-If it's a good time to buy (which makes sense),....well this is gonna be an impossible question in light of it would vary by to many sercumstances....but how do I hagle on price? How much of a mark up do dealers throw out on average?
-Lookn' at;
06' 379 400,000miles -c15 475-550 3.36 18speed in amazing cond.- askn' $65,000
(proably can do this- but would end up with $20,000 or so in debt-price a little high for first truck- like to heavy haul or learn some od- proably a no go on this one).

05' 379 500,000miles -c15 475 3.55 10speed #### good cond. -$55,000

Freightshaker fld 12064st classic 500,000 500horse s60 12.7 3.58 13speed midroof -$45,000
(this is more realistic- like this truck, looks good condition- was a grain hauler- is that mean its had a tuff life by nature?)

oh yeah, and there was another 03' shaker classic with 720,000miles for $33,000- I'd heard, and believe, the price was to high from some others nice enuff to help out with my inexperience.

havent had a chance to see the forementioned t600's yet....
-not with a company now, and am jumpn' the landstar hoops as we speak....would prefer to be able to run and make my own decisions....old job had a great fleet manager that never bothered me- only helped me....then got a new one....she annoyed me....I'd rather do my own thing then go company again. (got canned during a cut on drivers w/points after 2 yrs. there- was thinkn' of doing this anyway- driving record, employment history, criminal record, etc....is clean- except the gettn' canned part- which talked to landstar b4 bothering beginning the hoop jump and she said "I more then qualify and they don't go by what 1 person says, should apply.")

wow.... that was long winded....so what ya'll think about all that stuff? And again thank you....I appreciate your time and your thoughts.

 

oh, and get this....i did ask the company i was with before the bloody knife came out (they cut a few drivers at once)...if i could pay cash for 1 of their trucks and go ic....they said that you had to be making payments to them otherwise you would be an o/o....and they only higher o/o up north. She said that my only option to avoid all that would be to lease on their ic, make a couple payments, and then pay off the truck....and if i was a good employee then they'd "proably" keep me on. Guess it doesn't matter much now, which is o.k. with me.