Old truck, paid for, or new truck and payments

I was thinking today, how just about any repair is no big deal, without a payment. My fuel economy is terrible right now. Working on improving it. I may pay a good $300-$400 per week on fuel, vs. a newer 7-8 mpg Truck. Rather do it my way. I’ve done it the other way. Can’t always count on good fuel economy, or running enough miles to make it pay off. Have to work constantly, since the payments always due every month, and You never know when a repair cost will surprise you. Regular maintenance alone is expensive. Having a major repair bill, after you just bought tires, and the payments due also. All at once, along with lost revenue. It can be frustrating. I basically pay as I go. Most maintenance is out of pocket, boils down to a few hundred more with my weekly fuel cost. Having cash available, gets the job done quicker than a warranty, or waiting for approvals, loans, comcheck advances. All that BS that just boggles things down. A toolbox, and cash available. Less reliance on others BS. Worst case scenario, a $5000 trans or rears, maybe. That’s easily doable. Payments go out the window, lucky to recover 1/2 of the amount paid in 3 yrs. when it’s sold or traded. The older Truck can be kept in top top shape, for a fraction of the payment. Resale? Who cares. Not even an issue. The longer You run it, the better. Even a new one, either pay it off ASAP, trade up within 3 yrs. or pay it off, run it, rebuild it, run it some more. The longer you run it the lower the overall average cost per Mile gets. You’ll make more with it, after rebuild cost, second time around, without a payment. Either way, get a Truck you like, and that’s reliable. Last thing you want to do is spend a bunch of money on one, then sell for a big loss. Might have to keep one longer than planned, for many reasons. Slow down, park it. Beats calling the Bank and voluntarily turning it in. Tight economy, no problem. It makes money when it’s worked. Doesn’t suck you dry sitting in the Driveway.

 

This is a hotshot subforum. They are not like big rigs, they fall apart within few years after being built

 

300-400 a week? Dude, I'm paying 800-1200 a week in fuel.. If that's all you have to drive then yeh keep the old truck by all means.

 

The only reason I can figure that people Use pickups for hotshots is because they can’t get a loan for a larger commercial truck .
You still have to have a CDL , dot numbers etc etc
A slightly used medium duty like a FL60 costs less than a new pickup , gets the same MPG as a pickup , more power , better brakes . Bigger cab to sleep in etc

but I’ve never done hotshot , so I could be missing some important info .

 

Also geared too low to use on the highway usually

 

$300-$400 a week as in 2400 miles a week. 5.5 vs 7.0 mpg.

 

Yeah, I do OTR

 

P pumps and pushrods for life In a few months a 13mm is gonna be hanging off the side of the 93. No aneroid and fuel plate shaved to a 0. Laying into it easy it really doesn't smoke, unless you want it to Lol. 65psi on a single that's good. Was that still a 12mm?



https://youtube.com/shorts/guoqVaulZVk?feature=share

 

Yep. But it was a hybrid super 40. The drive pressure cost me a head gasket. I knew better, but that truck was just one experiment after another. Even 45psi was pushing that turbo off the map. After head gasket and studs, I went with HE351cw/HT3b compounds. The 3b had a divided 26cm housing. The cw was only 9cm, but I hogged out the wastegate.

 

That's ######. Its nuts how much some of them are putting out. The guy that built the pump mostly does pulling stuff. Lots of guys running 3 turbos now. And HUGE ones at that. The one day we were up there he was on the phone with a guy telling him how to set up water injection. He said you plumb it right into the intake.

One guy pushing over 100 psi and the timing set at 37