need a well experienced driver to answer this

Specking a truck correctly will greatly affect its operating cost, and still needs to be up to the job it does. Our trucks we specked for a contract years ago avg 10 mpg (86 models) . But those trucks were built for just that job, and would stink at any other job. So it's balancing act!

 

So you are telling me in 1986 you had trucks avg 10 mpg you have made me laugh so hard I pooped in my pants!! I have money that says you are more full of it than a x-mas turkey!!!!Put up or shut up.

 

As miaden said, unless you know the seller and the truck, it's always a crap shoot. In trucks, as with anything else, you get what you pay for. I have talked to many fellows who literally go gaga telling me about some 15-25 thousand $ tractor they either were looking at buying, or had bought. Often saying "it seems to run real nice"
Well, maybe, but for how long? The potential for costly repairs in these trucks is huge. Even paying up to 60 or 70 k for a truck is not guaranteeing you no repairs.
And, as miaden also said, the new trucks with all the sensors have breakdowns too. Might be warranty, but regardless, you have to take into account towing, down time, lost revenue, which are seldom going to be covered. Unless you are fortunate enough to have a bag of cash to buy a truck with, you have a choice of big payments on a new or nearly new unit, with still some potential for breakdowns and repairs, medium payments on a slightly older unit, with more potential for repairs, or a lower cost unit, possibly with low or no payments, but major repair potential. As far as mpg goes, a lot depends on the type of work. You will want to gear it so that it can cruise in the recommended range for whatever engine you have. Gear it too slow, and you will curse it everyday you get into it. Too fast, and you have the opposite problem, might be hard to get a load moving in mud, or soft terrain, and you will either be lugging it to stay at the speed limit, or having to run in second from the top gear. I once bought a freightliner with 3:55 diffs and a 13 speed and 24" tires. Went like a bearcat down the highway, but had a ##### of a time lifting a load in a soft yard. 18sp trannys are in my opinion the best because they give you a good range on both ends, a good low gear, and double overs on the top end for cruising. Whatever trucks you look at, have a really good look. That means in addition to driving and listening, put on your coveralls and take a good led flashlight and crawl under from front to back. Take your time, if you have a good feel about it, and you like the way it drives, well.....what more can you do but take a chance. A final option might be to have it looked at by a trusted mechanic. Good luck.

 

You'd have to do the math on that. There's a lot of factors involved. Now, let's say at 59 mph you get 8 mpg on fuel, and at 70 you get 7.3 mpg. On a 500 mile trip, and fuel at $4.25/gallon, you will spend $265.63 at 59 and $291.10 at 70. A difference of $25.47 for the entire trip, but you will get there an hour and 20 minutes faster. So I guess the deciding question is whether that hour and 20 minutes is worth $25.47 to you ?

Personally, if I pick up such a load first thing in the morning and it doesn't have to deliver til the following morning it may be worth the extra hour and 20 minutes to put the $25.47 in my pocket. But if I pick that load up in the afternoon or I was close on hours or something, then I'm gonna run as fast as the law allows every time.

 

That's good reasoning, but if you add that $25 to every day, then over the course of a year you're looking at a savings of $5,000-$6,000, and that's a lot different story than $25.

 

If I could save the $25 every day, sure. But think about this, if I reach my destination at 9pm driving 70 I can take a 10 hour break and ready to work at 7am. At 59 I get there at 10:20, take my 10 hour break and ready at 8:20 a.m. Both are good scenarios if I'm on time, and get a reload, etc... However, at least the way I operate there will be times when getting there at 2 pm or getting there at 3:20 pm will be the difference between getting another load that day or not. Also, consider what do you do if you are 1 hour from your destination and run out of hours ? At 70 you'd have made it. So, I guess it's situational. As much as the $25/day adds up, so does the extra hour and a half/day.

 

You also make more by the hour the faster you drive. Can't forget to add that in there. That's the important factor. Comparing fuel cost versus mileage pay in an hour. You may use more fuel, but you also get more miles. These companies don't run 55 for a reason. If getting better fuel mileage was the only factor, everyone would be running 55:smt102

 

Yes sir! Like I said , they were made for a job. Cummins helped us design them and stated if they did not get at least 8 mpg they would buy the fleet. We pulled some design tricks . Ran a 7 speed because the back box (high low) cost you drag. Ran a tag set up (no power divider ) to waste fuel. Get the trailer gap down to 16 inches. That contract was light (max gross was 56k) 90% interstate in the southeast ( so flat ground) . They worked great for their job, gave them a different job, they would stink!
Replaced a fleet of cabovers with them and cut our fuel bill in half! At fuel prices back then they paid for them selves. Learn to control your bodily functions man!

 

What does your family put in the turkey? Sounds like the food at your house may taste like crap!