Firespock on with QC as L/P IC

Dag gum break downs, bye bye tranny. Oh this is food for thought also. When considering a DB Kustoms truck; keep in mind you are buying a used truck 3 times higher than retail value. And used trucks are going to break down. Unfortunately for me I'm not even a year and a half in and I'll have $13k in repairs into this truck - not including preventative maintenance, tires, and an alignment. Then we'd need a big calculator. Lol.
I am taking responsibility for buying this truck so I have to carry on with any bad decisions that I made.
Still lovin' QC though. Obviously if I were to do it all over, I would of bought a truck from a dealership instead; and still lease on to QC.
My affiliate owner is going to see what we can do about getting me a rental in the meantime, so I don't go completely broke. I'll keep you guys updated on how that works out. Terminals helping us out is a big deal, so stay tuned my friends.

And ride easy out there.

 

13k a year and a half into buying a used truck is pretty good.

I really don't understand what your expectations on ownership of a used truck where....but if you really think buying a used truck off of a dealership would mean less in first year repairs.....well, I have a brand new bridge to sell you ......

I've now purchased two used trucks.....both where subject of PPI, both came of off nationally known dealerships ...first one was a Freighliner Century 2006......First year repairs came to close to 30K.......second one is a 2007 Pete.....6 months into it I'm at 23K......

These numbers are in line with, at least 7 other O/O I know.....

These are used pieces of COMMERCIAL HEAVY equipment.....NOT used cars.....

If your a diesel mechanic or, even just mechanically inclined, you can possibly, mitigate these costs.....but to expect new truck reliability (some would call this an oxymoron, I know) from a used piece of HEAVY equipment is nuts!

DB might go through these units and recondition or re build them, but the frames, bodies, and most smaller components still have hundreds of thousands of miles on them.....

Over the last 5 or so years of reading TTR and, first driving and then owning these big trucks, I've come to realize trouble free trucking is a myth, especially buying used.....some might achieve it after YEARS of reconditioning and replacing parts while providing diligent preventive maintenance, others (a select few) luck into it. If you buy new and are meticulous about your maintenance program...ok.

Either way, big rigs are like 6 year old girls, every week they want you to buy something new for them!

 

That's right; just about everything you said. This is not my first truck and won't be my last. The difference from a dealership would be roughly $60k less for the same truck and the same $13k in repairs. If you can't see what I'm talking about - someone else will need to help you. $13k in repairs is definitely not bad at all.
Onto a brighter side; my terminal owner and manager are going to see if there are any empty units out there I can rent. Awesome of them to respond on a Sunday.
Stay tuned my friends and in case some of you don't know - I'm an optimist who sees the glass better than half full. Every time.

 

Good people DB Kustoms are, they helped me find a rental. Plus they are going to work with me on getting DB Kustoms discounts on the parts. Blown transmission, plus while it's there I will have some preventive maintenance done with a thorough safety inspection.

You know, I did pay 3 times retail; but I have a custom truck and one heck of a support team. @RERM is correct - break downs suck, but it's the nature of the beast.

My new 18 speed Eaton will have a 3 year warranty, but the blown one made it 900,000 - so my new tranny will too.

QC has some really nice sign on bonuses right now, for anyone new coming over. We are getting busy and busier. Plus our terminal in Joliet is matching the sign on bonus - double yo money. If you've kept up with me - you know I am extremely happy in Joliet and with QC.
Three Cheers to DB Kustoms.

Ride easy out there brothers.

 

How is this for a rental "Sweet Cherry Pie"

 

Kinda depends on the cost......

 

Trucker porn......so.....any pics of the interior????lol!!!!!!

 

This one is one of the firsts so it's stock interior, but the power and smooth ride. Just wow.

 

Not cheap - $550. But a lot cheaper than PacLease and Ryder. I have been here 16 months and I have never had a negative check. Even though I will not bring home what I'm used to - due to loosing a couple days and paying rent - it will not be negative
My positive pay check streak stays alive.

 

Trucker's wife here. I'm the one who handles all the paperwork, bills, etc., etc. Warning: this is a long-### post.
Hubby fell in love with a DB truck. Was new to O/O (been driving for 20 years though) thought this was the perfect way to buy a good looking truck and start being an O/O. There were no reviews on DB at the time so we just ran the numbers we could. Lowest possible income with highest possible expenses. Looked good. Overhauled truck, they'd back the work, mentor us, blah, blah, blah. That was Sept 2015
Upside: Got into a good terminal in PA (until QC officially took it over) after starting at Albany.
Hubby runs his ### off.
I get on the phone to straighten crap out when it needs to be done.

Downside: #### good thing we didn't spend every dime he brought in and just gave ourselves a steady paycheck; saved the rest!
Have spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $25,000 in repairs. Yeah, yeah, I know "being an O/O has overhead". We accounted for that, hence the not spending every dime. But when a truck was supposedly redone top-to-bottom, the wiring shouldn't be spliced with household connectors. The truck shouldn't need thousands in repairs in the first 2 months. The truck shouldn't leak water into the cab the first week.
These trucks are NOT rebuilt/redone/overhauled. These trucks are painted fancy, given a new interior and sold, preying on hard working guys' dreams of finally driving a truck they can be proud of.

So, if it's paying for itself, despite the repairs, what's the problem?

The lease and contract fine print!

DB tells you it's a $150k truck, right? You think, great only $5000 down. Guess what you'll have paid by the end? $177k for an old, poorly redone truck.
Here's the details:
Your lease has NO escape clause. It actually reads "this lease cannot be canceled for any reason" Even if the truck blows up the first day out, you're stuck in the lease.
If you want to switch companies, and ENGs (finance company) decides to grant you mercy, you can "buy-out" the lease for 30% of what you owe which will come off of the payments NOT the balloon final purchase. So, in essence you've just given yourself even less time to come up with around $25k to purchase the truck at the end of the shortened term.
If you want to payoff the loan, (again being given permission by ENGs) you will pay EVERY SINGLE DIME OF INTEREST that would have been paid had you stayed for the whole term.
This means if you go get a loan to payoff the lease, you're paying double interest.
And good luck getting a loan on an old truck for $100K.

Oh, you want to find another company to contract to? Sure, as long as that company "matches what QC offers". This is where it gets really good. The company must 1. pay the payments to ENGs straight from the settlements 2. Have a fleet of 100 trucks or more....drum roll..... 3. Take FULL financial responsibility for the truck so if you default, they take ownership and put another driver in it. No company will do this. Why would they?

Also, that escrow they tell you about, DB drivers have to keep $5,000 at all times while everyone else only has to have $3,000. This can't be touched even though it's your money because it's used in the event you default, return the truck in poor condition, etc. Don't let them tell you that you can use it for repairs, you will have to fight tooth and nail to do so. We've done it but it was a battle.

What if you stick it out and make it to the end of the lease. You will now have to cough up the $25K "fair market value" or more that your lease states is the purchase price....here comes the fine print again.....if the "fair market value" of the truck is more than what your lease states, you have to pay that new, higher price. Yes, after you've already paid $150K for the POS.
Basically, ENGS can do anything they want because of how they worded the contract.
When you turn your truck in (because you probably will to avoid being shafted anymore) they will tell you to bring it to QC, your truck will be back on the DB website and sold to another sucker for only $3,000 down. So ENGs, DB, and QC just keep on raking it in.

Be warned. DB is completely and utterly full of it. Their trucks are in no way worth the money. The whole thing is a scam that runs on you turning your truck in. Don't talk to drivers who just bought their truck, find the few who still have theirs after a year.