The decision on buying used or brand new

When I purchased mine (LONG story...) she was about 300K on the clock give or take a little bit, a better than common standard fleet crap with a 425 cat on a short through FLD midroof 9 speed. The roof was high enough to stand in. (That was important in those days)

I was no longer a company driver and in three weeks my first pile of billing due and payable are going out. It was the ultimate get going and load now. We are late. As company puke you blow it off and get dinner, tomorrow is a new day. As a O/O (And god only knows the other suitable titles that could have been hung into this school...)getting fuel, loaded and so on was incedibly overriding worst than drug addict trying to hold off morning sickness and withdrawals. (If you think they would have built and legalized medicine for withdrawal of any class of opiate, things would be well. No wonder people chug it and drop dead.

I was a O/O for a very short time due to the owner getting a discrimination against deafness. He thought that deaf people should never be that successful. I can shake a stick at dozens who are in a position probably to purchase his entire net worth as soon they point their banking people in one direction and executes the order in 20 ,minutes All tell you is that the idiot meanie got clubbed with his note and 41000 dollar tractor, the best of the harem as far as I as concerned. What a waste of three months effort. He could of spoke up and save us all the BS of foreplay and class work etc all that time.

 

Just because a truck is brand new with full warranty doesn’t mean you aren’t going to loose revenue when (not if) it’s in the shop.

If I was going to do another new truck I’d do a new glider that I put together..... but that probably isn’t an option for you. It takes lots of time and money .

You should probably look to get a 3ish year old truck . With some factory warranty left ....and records.

 

It ruins the aftertreatment system. It also causes carbon packing in the cylinders which makes the engine push burnt motor oil through the aftertreatment system, resulting in madness.

 

Or... find a company that runs trucks with the features you want, and pays decently. Tell them you want a high mileage truck to drive, and that you will buy that truck if it runs well when they get ready to sell it.

Drive it for 100k+ miles, and if it isnt constantly in the shop, buy it when the company decides to sell it.

That way you get an older truck, but one that you have personal experience with.

It might still fail in short order, but if it was dependable when you were driving it as a company driver, it likely will give you at least a decent amount of time running well as an o/o.

 

I've owned new and used. Both have + and -.
If it was me, after 5 trucks, new and used, I would look for a pre-emission used glider with a FACTORY BUILT AND INSTALLED 12.7 Detroit. And it would be a Columbia.
ALL TRUCKS BREAK. the downtime is the killer. The s60 Detroit is by far the most fuel efficient, cheapest engine for parts, and you can find GOOD Detroit mechanics everywhere. And stay away from $125+hr sealers.
The Columbia is a basic no frills truck. They made MILLIONS of them, parts are everywhere, including junkyards. They get the reputation of being the Lada of trucks but they are the cheapest truck on the road to KEEP ON THE ROAD. and that is the goal, keep it on the road.
I LOVED my 780 Volvo. And it was "relatively" problem free. But when it was, I waited for parts. And parts were expensive.
I bought a Schneider glider. 2012 Columbia. It was cheap and has a great engine. It gets great fuel mileage, it will be my last truck. As it needs rebuilding, I'll do it. Upgrades no sweat. At .12c a mile maintenance costs, and no payment, I can afford it.
Good luck.

 

12 c a mile and no payments... imo we have a winner

Excuse my slight hijack...what about straights?

Pre emission or recent, I'm looking to break in, but the trailer seems too much like work after driving a 4 wheel van...

Stretching a 2012 Columbia and finding a box is likely out of my risk tolerance

 

Here's my story: I know ONE person that recommends an older Freightliner with the MBE900 cause it gets 12 mpg, and his hasn't broke yet. I, don't know any better to judge, but I haven't found a running one locally yet

 

Guess I spoke too soon... wheel seal, bearing and drum today
joys of trucking.

 

I was back and forth on this issue myself for a few months, then I started having blow by issues. I have an 07, the last year before dpf started and I just shelled out 31k on a platinum overhaul with new turbos, oil cooler and all. Only 630k on truck but it idled a lot in it's previous life (pump service) I now have the same warranty on my engine that you would get on a new truck. There are lease drivers at my company dropping 20k+ on newer Volvos everytime they roll into the shop and the 2015 + newer company trucks are always having issues, down for weeks at a time, dealer can't figure things out right away or are booked solid, etc. Yes, I know I'm limiting my opportunities somewhat by having a pre emissions truck but I am content with my decision to keep this girl running until it turns to dust.