SFI Trucks

The Freightliners had chainboxes when they bought them. They removed the tool/chain box to install the APU. We tried to get it but all they said was no.

 

My husband and I teamed and we made the BIG mistake of leasing through SFI. We were told we had to get a new truck. Ours was a 2012 587 Pete with a Cummins ISX engine 13 speed. Our payments were $1,335.00 per WEEK. This truck had problems from day one. All documented and our rep Karen G was aware of. I would send her emails each time the truck broke down or had a problem. We got the truck in Sept of 2011. The first year the truck cost $11,000.00 in repairs. Now the maintenance account would take out $140.00 and put it aside for truck repairs. Doing the math you can see we were already in the hole. Anyway in Jan 2013 Karen told us that her manager said since we were having never ending trouble with this truck they were going to get us out of it and put us in a new one. We were pleased thinking now we can run and make money. Was told the truck we wanted was coming in in May and choose a color. Then we waited and waited and waited. Finally the third week of May I called Karen and asked when the truck was coming in. Her reply was: we had a meeting and since you are so far behind in payments and in the hole for maintenance we are not going to do it. We were stuck with the piece of crap. Next problem, if this wasn't enough, was when the truck did run, the miles sucked. Even though we were IC's teams were dispatched. PLANNERS! So trying to get out of the hole was impossible because the miles we would get would just barely cover expenses and many times there wasn't enough for that truck payment. This all comes to a head when the truck once again had a problem with the exhaust system and we got the stop engine light. It down for 4 days. Get it back and 3 weeks later, it now develops a problem with either the clutch or transmission. I don't know which because when we called SFI again to let her know she tells me: you've had so much trouble with the truck we are going to take the truck back and take you out of the lease. Not our fault but we are the ones that suffer.&nbsp; <br>Also there were times because of the truck or lousy miles we would be 3 payments behind. We would get a rare excellent week. SFI would take all 3 payments at once. Out of close to $10,000.00 we would get $200.00 or nothing. When I asked why hit us with it all we need money to pay bills at home. Karen's response.....if the truck makes money we are going to take the payments. We are not going to not take a payment so you can pay your bills at home.<br><br>Don't lease anywhere. If you can get a truck through a bank or buy one outright don't go IC<br>

 

I would love to hear Karens side if the story!! Lol but really they did you a favor by letting u off the hook b4 you got yourself deeper in the hole than y'all already were..

 

Unfortunately that's how the game is played. They don't care about you or your bills it's about getting there money. Drivers think there going to pay there trucks off and have a big cash role in there savings. Not happening. It doesn't matter if your choice or regular ic there's going to get there's. Your just lucky u where able to get out.

 

Agreed! There are 2 sides for every story and they didn't HAVE to get a new truck. Nobody forced them to sign the lease and it sounds like they got off extremely lucky! That was a class act to get them out of the Lease without serious financial repercussions. This is what drives me absolutely nuts. It has been stated at nauseum to have a LARGE maintenance fund set aside before you even think about leasing/buying a Truck. Making mileage pay plus FSC at a mega-carrier and then add a $1300 a week payment?! A simple glimpse at the operating cost of a truck and then take into the low pay for running on mileage + FSC can give you an immediate picture of the bare minimum that you need to run to make a profit. If it's less or not significantly above what you can make as a company Driver, then why would you risk it?
Run Company for a few years and bank the money, pay 30-40 for a good used truck and keep 12k for a maintenance fund and run it for a few years as you gain O/O experience. You don't have a truck payment to worry about and you already have money set aside for repairs and take the money that you would have paid for truck payments and pay it towards your business or the purchase of a newer truck either down the road or to add it and another driver toward your business.

I personally will never own a brand new truck. Every Company that I have worked for that has bought brand new tractors has several months of the things being in the shop repeatably until they have about 60-90k on them and then things seem to mellow out. This may be a wives tale, but I've seen it often enough for it to convince me

 

Excuse me but Karen Gagnon told us that they require teams to have new trucks because of all the miles we would be putting on. We were not offered older ones. There would have been no problem if the breaking down and constant repairs of the truck were address. At one point they were going to give us another truck, asked us what we wanted and the color and when the time came for the truck to come in that's when we were told they changed their mind.

 

Why did you have to come out of pocket for repairs on a brand new truck?? Doesn't really matter anyway bottom line is y'all signed for it saying you would pay the payment!! Why do you feel they owed you anything? Of course their going to take all your pass due payments why wouldn't they? There not charity! They told you the contract b4 u signed right? Like wouldn't think it said anyway if u can't pay your payment that it would be ok ad long as you pay your bills at home SFI will be happy!! Lol wow it takes all kinds

 

I don't care to dig into this too much but I do find myself wondering a. how you spent $11,000 out of pocket on repairs on a brand new truck under full manufacturer warranty during the first year, and b. why you would rely on a miniscule $140/week maintenance account, even though someone else told you this $140 was acceptable.