~HELP~ New O-O What Tractor to Buy PRE-1999???? ~HELP~

Just made my account my name is Jim, but my friends call me Jimbo or Big Jimbo.

TOPIC: Buying a used sleeper tractor PRE-1999 and trailer for first time truck buyer. Budget - $20,000-$50,000 cash or up to 50k.

I need some help from some veterans of the trade. I am really bad at using electronics so do not want the hassle of trying to use ELB. I have only used paper log books in the past and with all the new things I will have to deal with as an owner operator I do not want to have to learn a new system too. Im not good with electronics and am very good at keeping accurate paper records .

So this leaves me with buying a truck that is 1999 or older. I am not sure what kind of trailer I will buy or what types of goods I will deliver yet. I am currently planning on using the trucker apps that you can pick up loads or using brokers and taking it one load at a time. I figure this is my best way to get my foot in the door, be able to travel where I want, and take vacation time when I want.

Please feel free to answer as many or few questions as you want. I labeled questions so you can identify answers or just leave a response however you please. I look forward to learning here I plan to do this in the next few months hopefully I have had my B for years but just upgraded to CDL-A.

PLAN A:
I am working with cash so I am thinking of trying to find a nice truck body with a motor with a ton of miles to drive the cost of the tractor down. Then I plan on buying a new motor so I can rely on the truck to not break down as much.

Questions for PLAN A:

1A. If I go with this option do should I plan on replacing motor right away or run the current motor into the ground and once its broken replace (even if its 1,000,000+ miles)?

2A. I have no mechanic background nor know about trucks or engine brands. If I am replacing an engine can I choose any new brand of engine or am I restricted to buying the same kind that was already there. Also does it sometimes make sense just to replace parts of the engine like the pistons or something or is it normal to buy a whole new engine. What is best new engine to buy in terms of reliability, fuel economy (MPG?), cost of parts if it breaks etc?


3A. If i replace a motor how much will this set me back approximately? I assume its 12,000-22,000 but have no idea.

4A. If I am planning on replacing the motor does it matter as much what brand of tractor I buy. For example I hear PeterBilts have luxurious interiors but are not an economical option which is why no big corporations run them. I assume the poor economics is due to a combination of being not as reliable, fuel efficient, parts cost more and the trucks cost more in the first place. Since I am buying such an old truck the last factor I am not worried about because even if the used tractor cost a bit more I will also be getting more "luxury" (vs a freiteliner, volvo, international). My question is if I replace the engine on a PeterBilt can I make this a reliable machine that wont cost an ### and a half to fix or guzzle gas or will I be limited to the kind of engine I can install and still be ####ed $$ wise in long run?

5A. If I am buying a truck like this where I plan on rebuilding the engine what brands of tractors do you recommend and why (Pros and Cons)?

6A. If I am not worried about the engine what are the important things I should be looking for when buying the tractor in terms of features, ways to look for rust issues, is there some other parts that are separate from engine that I should check? Is it somewhat easy to add a generator for a truck without one to cool and heat truck at night without idling?

PLAN B:

1B. If it is simply too hard to figure out how to do plan A for a newbie like me should I instead try to buy a truck that is ready to hit the road and should still have a lot of life left?

2B. How many miles can a truck last approx. before it makes sense to replace motor due to economics of expenses relating to maintaining an old engine and poorer fuel economy etc.?

3B. What is the best truck to buy in terms of brands and pros and cons of each?

4B. What are some other things I should be looking at to try to find a good deal?

QUESTIONS FOR EITHER PLAN:

1C. What should I look for in a truck that old to find potential reasons to not buy a truck etc. is rust a big problem and is it worth it to go south to buy? I live in New England.

2C. What kind of used trailer should I buy dry van, flat bed, fridge unit, or tanker. I cannot get hazmat.

3C. How much money should I expect to spend on a truck and trailer considering I have more than the 50,000 if I need to dip into the money. Is it worth it to spend more to get something that will not break on me or is spending more a luxury.

3C. Any other advice for a new trucker? Good things to haul? Best places to find used trucks and trailers online? Is this idea crazy to buy a truck that old?


I do plan on living in this thing for some vacations too and bringing to music festivals as my RV etc. So i would like for it to be comfortable if possible.

 

How much CDL driving experience do you have?

 

None OTR. But i can shift up and down effortlessly with or without clutch. Only experiance in 18 wheeler was 3 weeks in a parking lot and a few hours on the road in school. I drove a 3 axle for 18 months to residential and warehouses some appartments in Bostons tight streets. Have done food trucks and buckettrucks with short trailers. Also boats, dirtbike trailer, horse trailers. I am confident driving but no experiance OTR... also have started a few small businesses before

 

I'm not trying to bum you out by saying this, instead I'm trying to save you a lot of money. There's aspects of this industry that you need to get a taste of and learn about before you jump in like this. This industry is much, much different than any other. I would highly recommend you become an employee at a company that hires new drivers for a little bit before you jump in head first.

The opportunity to start your trucking business will always be there, and your ambition and entrepreneurial background definitely suggests you could be successful in this business, but some experience as an actual OTR driver beforehand would do you a ton of good.

 

Ok thanks for the advice i have considered this and almost took a job recently. I may do that for a few months at least but not sure yet. I do tend to be overly ambitous and careless at times. Can you express why the experiance would help???

 

I also do not plan to be a trucker for many years but i wonder if i can make a little money here and there and maybe have another person drive the truck too when im not and get a small profit from that too hopefully. I feel like paper log books may help me be able to hire someone who wants to drive extra miles.

 

I dont want to be a slave to a corporatoin if i dont have to but convince me otherwise what will i learn?? I may work for a paver locally starting in march but should i be going OTR instead?

 

jmo, you should spend 2 years driving prior to the o/o thing. & research heavily.

 

Buy an apartment building

 

Plan A: You don't have enough money. If you're going to buy a truck and build it and learn how to drive it and buy a trailer and get everything road worthy and have start up money, and you cant turn a wrench and know nothing about truck mechanics...etc, you need $100k.

Plan B: If you're going to buy a truck that's ready to work, you have to know the truck and know about trucks, because if you don't, when you break down (ALL trucks break down, even brand new ones), that will be like you handing control of your finances to some mechanic shop. The guy's that do what you want to do can turn their own wrenches. Now, if you have a friend that knows his stuff and can turn wrenches and you can trust him, that will help you to learn (don't take advantage of a friend...if he is going to take the time to help you, you need to get out there with your coveralls and get dirty with him) and that will save you huge $$$ in the long run.

The engine you want is the 12.7 liter 500HP Detroit 60 series. Not the 430HP, not the 470HP. Has to be the 500HP engine.
On the truck, they will have the info on the tag in the door jam, driver's side...the transmission you want is the RTLO 18913A. It's the big 13 speed.