REEFER Advice needed PLEASE - Utility 3000 Vs Great Dane - Both with TK SB330

[JBA Transport]

Please, I need your advise and expertise with reefer trailers.

I am a woman and ...of course... new in the trucking industry, I need to buy a refrigerated trailer since the "rented" unit failed.
After 2 weeks driving in and out of FL state looking for the right trailer, I have (2) options but I am not sure which option is better. Please give me your advise taking in consideration that my truck does NOT go to West Coast and it is a supposed to have around 60% refrigerated loads.

• Option 1 = Great Dane / 2007 trailer with a 2013 Thermo King SB330 unit with 2,700 reefer hours. Trailer DOES NOT include any accessories . Price $22,000

• Option 2 = Utility 3000 /2008 trailer with a Thermo King SB330 unit with 29,000 reefer hours BUT NEW COMPRESSOR INSTALLED. Trailer DOES include ALL accessories, side skirts, e tracks and PSI. Price : $19,000

Which option would you buy ? Thanks

 

[mndriver]

Do you go to California?

Honestly, both seem over priced.

 

[Injun]

Great Dane

 

[JBA Transport]

Do you go to California?

Honestly, both seem over priced.

I do not go to California, only Midwest area. These are the lowest prices found in Florida
Thanks a lot for your advise.

 

[mndriver]

Then bobtail to where a price is better.

I bought my truck in Ridgefield wa. I bought my first trailer in Seattle wa the same day. I live in Minnesota.

I bought my second truck in Boise ID. I bought the trailer for it in Albert Lea MN.

Yes, I own two trucks and four trailers. I have a third driver leased on as well.

Don't put blinders on yourself.

The 2007 great Dane would be the better trailer for you needs. But it's likely that the floor will be getting bad over the tandems. Once it starts cracking from the outside in, it's all over. It will first appear as dark black lines that turn into cracks.

Older trailers like that will also have a propensity to be water logged in the insulation. It's just normal as trailers age. Go weigh a truck with identical trailers. One 10 years old and one new. It'll likely be 1000-1500 lbs heavier on the old trailer.

These two reasons alone have me shy away from used reefers.

Your best bet would be to find a trailer from 2009-2011. No newer. Doesn't matter that make. My preference is great Dane and carrier. Great Dane for me is like peterbilt for others. Carriers because they tend to cool quicker than a thermoking. Yes, they are louder.

IF I were to get back into another reefer, I'd go back to great Dane in Albert Lea and order another reefer box like my last one, but with disk brakes. Yes, I have a trailer spec with great Dane when I bought it in 2015 brand new.

I'd then go to WB equipment in Wisconsin and have them send a low hour carrier 2500 unit over to Albert Lea for them install on the new box.

WB Equipment Sales, Inc | Buy Sell Used Thermo King, Carrier, Truck Refrigeration Units, Parts, Fall River, WI

Cost would be around $53,000 total. With FET.

But I'd have a brand new box with disc brakes and a solid reefer that would pull -20°F in under an hour.

I know because that's what I had for my last reefer.



Yes, I even had 4 LED lights installed at the factory.

 

[mndriver]

All manufacturer had the same issue starting in 2011. The reason for it is because that's the year that the US industry went to having ONE supplier for sheet aluminum for trailers.

The issue was corrosion caused by dissimilar metals in the rivets and the sheet aluminum.

This is my 2015 great Dane in February 2016. Date of manufacture was July 5th, 2015.


A buddies 2014 utility reefer. About the same time.



Great Dane changed rivets in October 2016 to fix this.

So if I were to buy a USED trailer.

I would get nothing older than manufactured in December 2016.

 

[Duck]

Are those rivets stainless or galvanized/zinc?

 

[mndriver]

I was never told what they are made of or how they were coated.

I just know I saw this same problem on GD, Utility and Wabash

 

[mndriver]

Another ????

Do NEED the SB330 unit capacity for cooling?