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

Wow, I'm going back through this thread, and this driver is not listening to anybody. To the OP, I don't care how trustworthy your mechanic is. Maintenance on a truck is expensive. I've seen drivers dump thousands into one or multiple repairs. If you have to replace all your tires, your looking at anywhere from 3000-5000 dollars, that's just on the truck! I haven't even touched the trailer. Oil changes? Say 300-400 each time, every 15000 miles for example....thats almost monthly. My company just replaced a fan clutch on the truck I'm in. 2000 dollar repair. If you have to get towed, lord help you. All of that you have to be prepared for and 50K ain't nowhere near enough money. Its way more money that goes out then comes in, and loads have a fairly thin profit margin. May you should go fleece purchase first. Then you can see the real dark side of trucking

 

he isn't a driver but he is a big time food truck operator.

What does it take to operate a food truck, you drive to a location and open the doors, then sell food.

 

If plans on jumping in head 1st into the shallow end this is the set-up I'd go with. My uncles 2000 Classic has 500/1650 13 speed and 3.90s on LP 24.5 its a strong puller and he has almost 1.4 million on it. Did the rods/mains and slapped a new turbo and head on it around the 1.1M Mark

We run a 1993 Mack CH with 900k on it. Paid 22k cash for it and put another 35,000+ into it bringing back to its glory. That's doing 100% of our own work, not taking it up the rear from the shop.

The 99 CH that i usually drive my dad paid 26.5 cash but it never left the south so it has no rust. Heavy spec came with a lift axle and only a 2 owner truck. 1.2M on the body but less than 350k on a mack crate engine

460/1660 T2180 18 speed (by summer an updated reman is going in, $5,000) 4.42s on tall rubber and a wet kit came with it.

IMO you cant go wrong with a 60 series or a Mack E-7 PLN (pump line nozzle w/p7100 pump that made the 12v cummins legendary) 1991-1997. Steer clear of the Etechs they came out in late 97-early 98.

OP save that money, be a company hand for 2-3 years saving even more money then re think do you still want to do this.

We don't run ELD exempt because were outlaw, we run em because the 1990s was pretty much the last of the good trucks off all the brands

 

The 99 the day we got her home



After taking the tag off and a good polishing



Here's my dads baby the 93





All in all to paint it ourselves about $2500 in supplies. Take it to a shop that's easily 10k paint job

 

Serious question.....have you checked to see how much your insurance would be as a new motor carrier with no OTR experience? I’m just curious what people are getting quoted these days.

 

Well good luck, with the failure rate of owners who are experienced, you won't last long.

 

I would contact insurance companies and see if you are insurable as an independent with your experience.

You may not be.

You have a lot of tangential experience, but if nobody will insure you at a sane cost because you do not have the specific experience they want, well, that presents problems.