Found my dream truck but have a few questions

That would be fine if I needed a flat top and a wet kit. I need neither. The flat top is too small and the wet kit is just added weight that would never be utilized. And, I have been looking for the past 6 months.

 

As far as the schedule goes, it will be the same that I have now. Home every night (or every other night if I want longer loads) and off every weekend. Nothing moves on the weekend. The majority of the loads that get brokered are Jackson, TN (550mi), Reidsville, NC (900mi) Dyersburg, TN (650mi) Los Indios, TX (2150mi) McAllen and Laredo, TX (not sure of miles because I've never run those 2). There are some short loads in there as well. A friend of mine started running some broker loads with us and he ran from the other side of Birmingham back to the plant (70mi) and it paid $550. I know the Los Indios pays me $730 as a company driver and the broker pays $5,000 to brokered trucks. I spend $500 in fuel on the Los Indios in my 6.1mpg truck and that gets me back to the yard. We don't do multiple stops or go out and go here and there and here and there. Everything is out, unload/load, and straight back. So the scheduling is great. You really couldn't ask for a better scheduling because I don't want to be gone weeks at a time and home for a couple days like most companies do.

I was going for 6mpg on that truck as a worse case scenario. That's how I figured my business plan. I did everything paying the least amount possible with as little miles as possible with 6mpg and $4/gal fuel to see if the numbers still work in case things go south. Pulling those loads, it should do better than 6mpg but that is just what I figured my plan with.

The wife likes me being home but she doesn't mind me being gone as long as its not weeks at a time. Here lately I've been running our regional plus runs. So I left Monday at 5am, went to Vandalia, OH and got back yesterday at 2pm. Now I'm leaving in a couple hours to go to Los Indios, TX and I'll be back around midnight friday night. She doesn't mind that at all. She understands that I'm working my butt off now so that in 10 years maybe I won't have to and she understands and appreciates that. I did mention to her the other day that once I get a truck if she didn't mind me being gone a few weeks, I could make a lot more and that was a resounding no and I can understand that. Her schedule is 3 12 hour shifts per week (that is their full time) so she has a lot of time to ride with me and she enjoys riding. The reason I want the table in the back is because it is the only thing I miss about my Volvo. It had the work station in the back and was so much easier to do paperwork, eat, read, etc on lay overs. Now, I have to sit on the bed and do all of that because these T660's don't have a cabinet or desk or anything like that. Is it a necessity? Not really. But, I would like to have one.

With banks, I don't trust them. I HATE owing money and I hate credit. I've always tried to live by the, "If I can't pay cash then I don't need it" mantra and it has served me well. Of course, there are a few things I've had to finance but I wasn't happy about it. Even with not really financing much, my credit is in the mid 700's. I've never missed a payment or been late on a payment on anything ever. I've read some people on here opened a line of credit in case something major happened but I haven't really looked in to it much. Before I was married I cashed my check, put the cash in my pocket, and kept it there for when it was needed. Since I've been married, my checks are direct deposited because my wife keeps up with all of the bills and she does a dang good job of budgeting and saving. But I still don't like the fact that I have to deal with banks.

 

I know that no one here is trying to piss on my parade. Yall are only trying to offer the knowledge yall have gained in the industry and I understand that completely. I also budgeted for $10k for the first months fuel. I know that is probably well over what it should be and had planned on taking what was left over and putting it in the maintenance account at the end of the first month. I also budgeted $5k in misc things for the first month (not including fuel, insurance, fees, maintenance, etc) so if I ended up not needing that $5k, it would also go into maintenance. Again, not trying to justify buying THIS truck, but after the 1st month, money will move around to where I need it and my maintenance account should be larger than I budgeted for. But, like I said, I budgeted everything for a "worse case scenario".

 

Here are a few others I found. Lets see what yall think.

#1 http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5203581

#2 http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5208233

#3 http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5246163

I know these "buy here pay here" places can be the scum of the earth but they do offer a 48 mo warranty on engine/trans/rears. I have seen them advertise in the truck paper books. Says "rods, mains, liners, and pistons have been inspected and can be replaced for $995 additional". I'm assuming that is just the labor.

The only thing that absolutely scares the hell out of me is that ACERT cat.

EDIT: I called about those 3. All 3 have been sold. I asked more about the warranty and changing the bottom end. She said that when the trucks come in they inspect the rods, mains, liners, and pistons. If they feel like they need to be changed then they will do it. If not, I can request for them to change them for $995. I asked if thats just labor or parts because it seems kinda low and she said that is parts and labor and everything $995 out the door and they have a specific 1 year warranty on those. So if the truck has a 48mo powertrain warranty and I replace the rods, mains, liners, and pistons then pretty much everything on that truck will be covered for a while and that will put more money back into my company for getting a cheaper truck.

Bare with me guys. I'm slowly coming over to yalls side. The numbers keeps making sense. I hate when they make sense.