Which truck to buy?

Now that engine companies have lined up with truck manufactuers its hard to get what you really want. Unless you buy used. If you want to be economical as far as your pockets go Freightliner, If you have deep pockets go with Kenworth or Peterbuilt.

 

I saw this question before I left this morning, and there was no possible way to answer it. Before I could even begin to make a suggestion of any kind, I would have to know the two most basic bits of information, both of which were missing here. I have to know what you are going to pull with the truck, and then know where you plan to pull it before I can even begin to come up with any suggestions.

Then, once I have that minimal information as a starting point, then we can beging to figure out the specs for the truck. What matters is the way that the truck is specced out, not the name plate on the hood. You can spec out a Peterbilt and a Freightliner in the exact same way, so the style of hood ornamant doesn't matter much at all.

What you need to concentrate on is the engine brand, the engine model, the engine horsepower and torque ratings. Then you have to match it up with the correct transmission, and rear ends for what you need to do. You have to figure out how much aerodynamic aids you need or don;t need on the tractor, and then you have to decide how long of a wheelbase, or what size sleeper you need. All these items are the things that make up a truck. Just buying a truck because it is a certain brand is not good equipment management. In fact, it's almost a certainty to cost you financial trouble down the road.

if I give you advice, I will never tell you to buy this brand over that brand. I don't work that way, and I never have. I will help you figure out the specs, so that you end up with the most effective piece of equipment for your work, but it takes a lot of information passing back and forth to make it work out right. You can pull a dump trailer locally, haul containers regionally, or haul produce from coast to coast, but you need to spec your truck differently (and I might add correctly!) for each of those jobs to make the profit you are looking for at the end of the year.

 

kw t600
cat c15/3406e or cheaper fo fix cummins isx
13 speed
3.55 rears
72" sleeper
230ish wheelbase
make sure you get the sleeper cap

good power/enuf gears to keep speed on the uphill and good looks
better than a shaker with a detriot

and go with the light reefer....more versitale than a dry van

 

Someone on this thread said it doesn't matter which truck you go with. A truck's a truck, and one is as good as another. I'd have to say it depends on your long-term plans and your own preferences. If you get a rig, will you drive it 'til it drops, trade it in, or sell it later? If you want to sell it straight up or trade it later, you should go with the rig that will have the highest resale value then. That rig may be more expensive NOW, but you'll get more out of it later. That extra expense needed to add it to your stable today will even out at sell time tomorrow.

If I pay 50K for a Pete 379 today, drive it for 5 years, then sell it for 35K, I really paid only 15K for it.

If I pay 35K for a FLD today, drive it for 5 years, then sell it for 20K, I really paid only 15K for it.

Which is better? It's up to you, but I think I'd prefer the Pete. You may as well.

Get a copy of a truck paper and compare prices on what a newer truck will run you today and how much a truck that is five years older is going for today. That will give you a ball-park figure on what you'll be spending today and what kind of depreciation you can expect. If you can afford apple pie al amode instead of a twinkie, go for it.