Where to buy a truck ?

[marcusk]

So I looked around a while back and found a few places that had good deals . I found one I think it was in either Ga or Mo not sure somewhere close to Ks to the east . Lost the link . Any way anyone got any good suggestions on where to buy from ?
I am looking for something inexpensive from a place with a good reputation for selling trucks that are not crap. Just maybe 25K or less .
I am planning on buying and then leasing out to someone . Grain maybe , but it seems to not pay all that well .

 

[Southern Fried]

Personally, I'd go someplace that has trucks for sale.

No..... I'm not being a smartass..... well that too 'cause I couldn't resist, but.....

I said trucks.... especially in the price range you mentioned.... and I mean real trucks; not worn out, problem ridden ex-fleet junkheaps. That's what commonly appears in those "dealers" whose lots are full of the cast-offs from the megas and mid-size fleets. Think of why those fleets are unloading dozens of trucks at one swipe.... because they're costing them more than it's worth to keep them. And guess what? Fleet maintained don't mean much anymore. When freight and rates get tight, maintenance and safety are one of the first things to get cut back, especially on the trucks/trailers that are going to be dumped within the year anyways.

Oh sure, sometimes you'll find an odd good one... but gambling your 25K in Vegas has better odds. Most will nickle and dime you to death within the first year and you'll wind up with something that even the scrap yards are losing interest in.

In my mind, if I were planning on buying a truck right now (and I'm certainly not), I'd be looking at an "older" (pre 2005) truck owned by an O/O who has maintenance records, etc that you can believe in and knows how much life is left in things like driveline, etc, etc.

But that's just me.... based on previous mistakes and the like.

 

[marcusk]

I did find something interesting on craigs list .
2005 Kenworth T 2000 ---- $ 22,000 ---- " or best offer " ----
13 speed Eaton Fuller transmission
550 Caterpillar
double bunk sleeper with all the options
830,000 miles
dual electric windows smart wheel.
dual air ride seats.
new motor 250,000 ago.
Good truck strong motor
No leaks anywhere
new shocks, new brakes
new drums
new radiator
Average fuel economy 6.2 mpg hauling cattle pot.
Aliarc grill guard

this truck will need new tires soon.

If all is true I might be checking it out . Especially since I am almost certain my truck will be parked at end of week since I was only given a 1 day permit to travel in Ne today and that being the usual place I go and the only load that makes good money . On top of that it was a pic on my phone of a permit not the emailed copy I was expecting . Hmmm ? Is this even legal ?

 

[marcusk]

Was checking out MNL truck Sales . Seems very pricey for trucks . Is this truck even worth 30K with over 1m on it ? http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5825979&dlr=1&pcid=2001000102

 

[ironpony]

You have a 50-50 chance of buying someone else's financial disaster area with any truck newer than model year 2004. Emissions trucks are a total gamble.

I'd get on the Truckpaper website and look for the specs you want. Call the dealer and order a full service oil sample lab if they haven't already changed the oil... it'll tell you a lot about the truck if you can get to it soon enough. Order a Rig Dig report, run the VIN number, look to see if its been put out of service frequently (bad in-service maintenance,) and reject it if it has. Have the dealer run the ECM report, and look for anything suspicious. Also run the VIN number past the manufacturer to see if its been in their shops for anything serious. None of this should cost you more than $100 for any truck you're serious about.

If its still passing the smell test, NOW its time to take it to an independent mechanic for an inspection, dyno it to check power to the ground and crankcase blow-by. Along with everything else, ask about the condition of the front end suspension. It will tell you a lot about the how the truck has been cared for. You want at least 80% of the rated horsepower delivered to the wheels on the dyno, and blow-by will tell you something about how near the need for an in-frame is. This will also tell you what it will take to make it road-ready.

You're not looking for reasons to buy it... you're looking for reasons to reject it. Make the truck convince you its WORTH being bought. If a dealer doesn't want to provide you with the opportunity to do any of the above, walk away: they're hiding something. Don't buy a truck that will financially ruin you.

There's great trucks out there for about $10,000 that will do you well with less than the same amount invested in it to make it road-ready that will make you a ton of money.

 

[Coronado Kid]

Dont get a t2000 those are some crappy 4bag air ride trucks they have metal tubes in air hoses i hear and some you have to replace

 

[ironpony]

Dont get a t2000 those are some crappy 4bag air ride trucks they have metal tubes in air hoses i hear and some you have to replace

If its mechanically sound, I could care less about that stuff.

 

[Duck]

Was checking out MNL truck Sales . Seems very pricey for trucks . Is this truck even worth 30K with over 1m on it ? http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5825979&dlr=1&pcid=2001000102

Maybe.

Do what Ironpony said in post #5 of this thread, and go from there.

 

[Coronado Kid]

What are you pulling to need hydraulic kit

 

[marcusk]

You have a 50-50 chance of buying someone else's financial disaster area with any truck newer than model year 2004. Emissions trucks are a total gamble.

I'd get on the Truckpaper website and look for the specs you want. Call the dealer and order a full service oil sample lab if they haven't already changed the oil... it'll tell you a lot about the truck if you can get to it soon enough. Order a Rig Dig report, run the VIN number, look to see if its been put out of service frequently (bad in-service maintenance,) and reject it if it has. Have the dealer run the ECM report, and look for anything suspicious. Also run the VIN number past the manufacturer to see if its been in their shops for anything serious. None of this should cost you more than $100 for any truck you're serious about.

If its still passing the smell test, NOW its time to take it to an independent mechanic for an inspection, dyno it to check power to the ground and crankcase blow-by. Along with everything else, ask about the condition of the front end suspension. It will tell you a lot about the how the truck has been cared for. You want at least 80% of the rated horsepower delivered to the wheels on the dyno, and blow-by will tell you something about how near the need for an in-frame is. This will also tell you what it will take to make it road-ready.

You're not looking for reasons to buy it... you're looking for reasons to reject it. Make the truck convince you its WORTH being bought. If a dealer doesn't want to provide you with the opportunity to do any of the above, walk away: they're hiding something. Don't buy a truck that will financially ruin you.

There's great trucks out there for about $10,000 that will do you well with less than the same amount invested in it to make it road-ready that will make you a ton of money.

Thanks for that very good info . I really do not know much about trucks except how to drive them and check the obvious stuff.

 

[marcusk]

What are you pulling to need hydraulic kit

well I am a end dump driver mainly . that is actually what I would prefer to be doing . If I could find someone to hire me regional on that I would be quite happy . So wet kit would be good just in case and if later I get my own authority it would come I handy . what I am planning on here is that I am 56 and getting older . I would like to buy a truck and lease out . when paid for and have money to do it , own authority . then when I am old and tired of working so much and want to kick back more I would be able to haul what ever load I want when I want to make my money . Grain does not pay much as I found out lately but regional end dump is not as common so I will be trying for the grain.

 

[kswildcat]

I did find something interesting on craigs list .
2005 Kenworth T 2000 ---- $ 22,000 ---- " or best offer " ----
13 speed Eaton Fuller transmission
550 Caterpillar
double bunk sleeper with all the options
830,000 miles
dual electric windows smart wheel.
dual air ride seats.
new motor 250,000 ago.
Good truck strong motor
No leaks anywhere
new shocks, new brakes
new drums
new radiator
Average fuel economy 6.2 mpg hauling cattle pot.
Aliarc grill guard

this truck will need new tires soon.

If all is true I might be checking it out . Especially since I am almost certain my truck will be parked at end of week since I was only given a 1 day permit to travel in Ne today and that being the usual place I go and the only load that makes good money . On top of that it was a pic on my phone of a permit not the emailed copy I was expecting . Hmmm ? Is this even legal ?

Well first off I wouldnt buy a truck (especially a cheap truck) to haul grain... Grain dont pay.. If you want to pull a hopper bottom get set up with a company that hauls feed ingredients (much better pay and not a bad gig really).. For 2 the above mentioned truck is **** poor choice for hauling grain in the first place.. T2000 are junk for 1.. If it has a double bunk it is a condo which means if you do haul grain there will be a lot of places you either cannot load or will have to back into the elevator to load or jockey the struck to get under the low hanging spout because the truck is to tall.. Even a mid-roof sucks for grain hauling.. Flat top with low stacks is your best choice for the job. How do I know? I have been hauling grain.. Ive also hauled feed ingredients... I see your wanting to run regional.. Most of hauling feed ingredients is running the midwest, south and southeast.. Nice running area..

 

[Coronado Kid]

Well first off I wouldnt buy a truck (especially a cheap truck) to haul grain... Grain dont pay.. If you want to pull a hopper bottom get set up with a company that hauls feed ingredients (much better pay and not a bad gig really).. For 2 the above mentioned truck is **** poor choice for hauling grain in the first place.. T2000 are junk for 1.. If it has a double bunk it is a condo which means if you do haul grain there will be a lot of places you either cannot load or will have to back into the elevator to load or jockey the struck to get under the low hanging spout because the truck is to tall.. Even a mid-roof sucks for grain hauling.. Flat top with low stacks is your best choice for the job. How do I know? I have been hauling grain.. Ive also hauled feed ingredients... I see your wanting to run regional.. Most of hauling feed ingredients is running the midwest, south and southeast.. Nice running area..

Get an older pete a 1999-2004 or a flattop classic xl or something like that and a t800 would be even better but no such thing as having a raised roof with 70'' condo you can ride it

 

[kswildcat]

If you go the feed ingredients route be prepared to do some work as alot of the loads do not just come out of the trailer. Calcium you often have to blow it out with air even with vibrator on trailer, DDG can be the same way but usually comes off better. You pretty much have to sweep the trailer each load and after hauling meat and bone meal you have to get it washed.

The good thing is a lot of the places you will go are up and running 24/7 and you can run hard as you like (atleast was that way years ago when I done it). Company I was with I pretty much knew my entire weeks schedule when I made my monday morning check call. If I got home friday I would usually leave sunday night, get home saterday I would leave monday morning. And usually made just as much money as I did OTR.

You may ask why I quit. Well I was young and dumb and always looking for something better and got a gig with a company that hauled swinging meat which is my favorite load to haul. I would be doing it right now if the company I worked for had an empty truck. Have to pretty much wait for someone to retire, when I worked there the newest guy before me had been there for 8yrs and most the rest had been there 15 to 20 yrs..

Owning your own truck and hauling grain may be a bit different. But then you have to (if your smart) pay yourself as a company driver which still not make a lot and hope to hell you do not have many breakdowns. To much risk for this kid. I wouldnt even think of doing it unless I had atleast 10k stuffed in the bank.