Repair Costs for O/O's Today (Parts & Labor)

I've left marketing and advertising and am certain I want to drive a truck till retirement. I'll make roughly $10,000 per year more than I do now and I'll be on the road all the time and doing what I love - driving. I am fortunate enough to have some savings and would like to start out as an Owner/Operator with the prices of the actual Rigs being the cheapest in a couple of decades according to some stats I read. From book knowledge, I can say the next couple of years will be tough, but as gas prices, commodity prices, and lastly, wages level out, the industry will be as strong as ever. The only thing that's worrying me right now is repair costs. It's the only unknown I have. I want to buy an International...wait, I need to buy an International at this point in time, from about '03 that has 600,000 miles just because that's in my budget. Detroit 60's seem to be a long lasting reliable motor similar to a Chevy 350 block, so I feel comfortable about that one.

Hmmm...repair costs...
For 4 wheelers, I can get an oil change for $30 (used to pay $9.99 in the early 90s). I can get my starter changed for $175, a tune up done for $250 (cap, rotor, wires, plugs), and have the engine overhauled for $2000 if need be. I can get my brakes done, shoes, drums, rotors, and pads, with bleeding of lines for about $400. If I need new aftermarket struts or shocks, I can pay $500 for all of them installed, OEM a couple hundred more.

If my transmission goes out, I can spend anywhere from $800-$3000 depending on if its automatic or standard, and if the car is domestic or import. I can always find brand new tires for $150 each (with install, valve stems, etc included), and A/C repairs rarely exceed $500 unless the car has electrical problems.

Now, if I take everything that I know from 4wheelers and apply it to trucks, I'm I gonna get the right idea?

Does a Volvo repair cost more than a Freightliner's because it's Euro?
Are PACCARs, the GM of rigs - Domestic, reliable drivetrains, but need lots of care and attention to run well? Or is drivetrain down to just several manufacturer's anyway, such as Cummins, Caterpillar, and Eaton Fuller for transmissions? What needs repair most commonly, and how much does it total?

If an oil change is $200 for a rig, is it right to say everything is 8 times as much as a car's?!!?! Do O/O's have to pay more for repairs than Schneider would have to, because of "Corporate Accounts"? Can an experienced O/O help with any of my questions?

I hope I don't sound too formal. I don't need hard facts...I want opinions....tons of them.

 

bump...even a wheel bearing repair cost? $300? Is it common? Does it howl when it goes bad? same as car?

 

I really appreciate the valuable advice and tips from you guys...this is what I was hoping for...you really have to think "bigger"...refreshing!
Also, is assessing "Blowby" (how much oil is getting in your air cleaner?!) kind of like a compression test on a 4wheeler? Does it give you an idea of how long the motor will keep going till it goes?

 

Hey reeferdude, is it a good idea to get a reefer trailer instead of a dry van?