What condition of truck to buy

A lot is going to depend on what you end game with it is going to be.
If in the future you need to lease to a carrier, many require a certain age, for instance.
I tried the fix it up as I go with a cheaper truck, on my first go round, it didn't pan out well.
The way trucks are these days with all the junk on them, it is hard to say what the best way to go is.
A few years ago I would say, find the truck speced like you need it and buy one in the very best shape you could afford, but I am not even sure how I would go now, and since I wrecked mine, I may be having to make the same decision you are trying to.

 

Considering that old trucks cost just as much as newer used trucks. If not more.

I don't see that it makes sense buying old anymore. Specially with EPA slowly killing them off.

And with companies wanting 12 or newer.

 

Are you gonna go to california?

Are you gonna lease on to a big name dbag corporate conglomerate that dictates everything in your life? [which totally negates owning your own truck anyhow]

Do you have a shop big enough to overhaul a tractor?


In my opinion fix a junker as you go is a mistake. If yourd doing the cheap truck, go through it top to bottom before you ever put insurance on. You can chip away for 3 years rebuilding an old classic then take that entire folder of receipts and begin depreciating the entire pile as the cost to put the rig into service. Youll have a "new" truck that you know inside and out.

Truck prices are gonna be coming down soon i think so you may want to just keep window shopping. The truck id feel safest making payments on is the one ive been company driving for the last 50k miles or so. Theres nothing about each other we dont know.

 

And btw. I say old classic because the market CELEBRATES the 2million mile shiny long hood but wont look twice at the 2million mile ELD volvo. Dont invest in a dead end.

 

If it were me, I would go as new as possible. You may even get one still under warranty.

 

I'd trust a $5,000 or $10,000 old beat up turd of a first gen Volvo or Freightliner with a ton of miles on them over a $50,000 truck at a dealer.

 

Keep your eyes & ears open there are some good ones out there. Was a 1999 the other day rebuilt engine , tranny & 1 diff. Owner retiring . it was in your price range. . good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Originally volvo was a white/gmc/autocar. They had some of the toughest vocationals around. Id buy a WIA64 in a heartbeat. Coulda had a 3406, N14 or a dd60 for throwaway truck price.

 

I wasn't talking about a Volvo .