Buying A Truck | Episode 5
What to Expect From Episode 5
This is a fun episode. Who doesn’t get excited about buying the truck that they are going to use to make them money. Heck, you are probably going to live in this thing 24/7 for days, if not weeks at a time. If there is a decision you want to get right, this is it. Here are some of the things we are going to talk about:
- Buying new vs used
- If you buy used, how many miles it should have
- If you should buy a warranty
- What you should look for in a truck
- The cost of the truck
Doing the Job
Get a truck that is going to do the job you need it to do. We talk about things like not buying a heavy haul truck if you are going to be hauling reefer loads.
How Much Does a Truck Cost?
There is more that goes into the cost of a truck than just what you pay the dealer. That is just the beginning and in the long run, not the biggest cost of owning a truck. We talk about the total cost of ownership and go into detail about the following:
- Purchase price
- Operating costs
- Fuel
- Repairs
- Maintenance
- Resale value
Spreadsheet
I talk a bit about the spreadsheet I used to help me make a decision on which truck to buy. You can download the spreadsheet and learn more about it on Motor Carrier HQ.
What I Bought
I purchased a Kenworth T680 with a PACCAR MX 13 455 engine and Eaton 13 speed manual transmission. I have been on the road for about two months now, no issues. I am loving the truck so far. Here is a picture before a deer decided it was a linebacker and tried to tackle me.
And here is the deer damage.
Listen to the Full Episode
Hi….37 years of trucking, have owned multiple different truck brands and the one model that I made the most money and had the least breakdowns was a Volvo 770. It was a 2003 model with 406,000 miles and it had the lower dinette with the upper bed. I sold it with 1.3 million miles without overhaul, but it had a Cummins motor opposed to a Volvo motor. Great truck! I enjoy your podcast!
Hi Doug, thanks for the insight. Volvo definitely makes a good truck. Glad you like the podcast, thanks for being a listener and contributor.
Loving the episodes! Maybe you will get into later on, but I would like to hear some more details. How did you find the truck, and what did you pay for a used truck with that many miles compared to some others you looked at. You mentioned your haul to Texas then back to northern Utah, will you be giving numbers on your loads? How many miles? How much did you make on the haul, how long did it take you? Like I say, loving it! But for us guys contemplating starting, some more details would be fun to hear… Read more »
Hi Mike, glad you are liking the podcast, please make sure to leave us a rating on you podcast app. I paid $65,990 for my truck, that included everything out the door, even the 2 year extended warranty I purchased. I looked at trucks at four different dealerships before I found the right one. I will get more into the numbers in some future episodes, including my monthly profit and loss statements, but as a kind of teaser and because you asked, here are the numbers on that second load from Texas to Utah. Again I am brand new so… Read more »
Awesome, thank you for the numbers! Looking forward to more episodes!
[…] use to help you find the right truck. Our podcast Haulin Assets has a few episodes that can help. Episode five is all about purchasing a truck and episode six covers how to finance […]
Great podcast
Glad you like it and hope you find all the info very helpful.
Was wondering if I could get some advice and questions specific to my situation? I would really appreciate the time and help. My email is truckerchris1989@gmail.com. Thank you!
I’ll shoot you an email.
Thank you for this podcast!! We are in the process of buying our trucks. Your mechanic said the fleet you got the truck from took care of their trucks very well. May i know what fleet is it pls? also, can you tell me which dealer and what state did you luckily found your truck? Really appreciate you!!
Hi Erika. I can’t remember which fleet it was since I didn’t buy the truck directly from the fleet. I think you typically have better luck buying from a small to midsized fleet rather than the large fleets. I think the smaller fleets do a better job with maintenance and don’t just do the cheapest repair to get the truck on the road. I bought my truck from PACCAR Financial Used Truck Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Here is a link to their website, https://www.paccarusedtrucks.com.
When you purchased your truck at PACCAR what was the negotiation like, was there wiggle room on the advertised price vs what you paid? Were they willing to deal or was it a take it or leave it?
There was a little wiggle room, but not much. I think you are more likely to get them to do a service on the truck or add something to it. For example, I got them to do a PM on my APU. If tires or breaks are close to replacement, those are things you are more likely to get a dealership to budge on.
[…] Have you decided that becoming an owner operator is right for you? Next is determining how to cover the cost of starting your own business. Our podcast Haulin Assets covers step-by-step many of the starting steps, including how to set up your business, get your operating authority, and buying your truck and trailer. […]
[…] use to help you find the right truck. Our podcast Haulin Assets has a few episodes that can help. Episode five is all about purchasing a truck and episode six covers how to finance […]