Reliability and low cost...

Im just going to go for the old iron. Probably a Pete. The easier you can work on them without the computer crap the better it is.

No offense to the computer stuff. But cranking a air breathing engine early in the morning at -30 and remembering to pull the engine block heater off before you go bye bye... it's really trouble free. Just be sure you have a second tractor to feed off of just in case your main crank air fails to quite get it lit within 10 seconds.

If you have ever heard a modern railroad engine something like a V16 or something huge crank, they do it with air and huge amounts of it too. Then once lit the computers in them regulated it.

There is to me nothing like the older engines when they are working well, there is a certain music that comes off them that's really sweet. Now, if for whatever reason they are not feeling well and arent working full you will hear that too. It will literally cough or wheeze just a little bit. Long before something really breaks.

 

Depends on your upfront budget and initial reserve to get you through the first 6 months, and if you're truly committed and invested in trucking beyond the next 5 years. I'm seeing a lot of responses that make no sense unless you're a better mechanic than a driver and may or may not have a steady income assurance.

If you're committed, buy a 3-4 year old Cascadia from one of a handful of smaller fleets who maintained them well.

 

You need to factor in roughly 10 cpm for every loss of 1 mpg you decide to forego with older technology.

As far as maintenance? Who knows what you may be getting into unless you can find a 1 owner truck with impeccable maintenance records.

 

Let me simplify your response:

Take the radiator cap off.

Put a new truck under it.

 

My 1998 volvo is hitting 7.5mpg running at 70mph cruise.

Was 1 owner, with full records.

 

Yeah its only taken me 3 years to get half that done

 

Yeah. I pass those gutless wonders on grades every day. They can't pull themselves out of a wet paper bag.

 

Stay away from big chains, dealers, and Caucasian mechanics.

Foreigners (South American/African) saved me huge, when dealer wanted $13k, and American dude wanted $8K, Eastern European dude wanted $7K. Everything was diagnosed/fixed for $4K, by a Honduran dude.

New Brakes (drums/rotors) & wheel seals all the way round instalation labor was $400 - with me buying parts, by some african dude.

All that was 20,000 miles ago. Not a single issue.

 

Haha...

You havent met this girl.

Honesty, I only do under 30K loads, so I dont stress the horse, and keep my mpg up. She quick too.