Thoughts on this truck

[Rawze]

(08-04-2019 )The Brethren Wrote:  A little about me and my situation. I’m an Army vet I’m married and have a step daughter. Currently I work for a small local trucking company. I drive a 2017 international lt day cab. I bring home around 450 a week. I’m home every night and off weekends. I have found a 2009 pro star eagle with the cummins isx435 for 15k. As an owner op with this company I’ll bring home 2500 to 3500 a week home every night and off weekends. I need to do something so I think I’m going to buy the truck. It has 598k miles. I drive around 400 to 500 miles a day. I haul cardboard boxes and coke loads as well as roll stock. Do you think this truck would serve me. If my credit union will cover it my payment should be rather low.

Your post implies that you have a lot to learn about trucking and truck purchasing. That or there is a lot you have not mentioned.

First of all, why is a 2009 truck only have less than 600k miles on it? That truck is 10 years old by now, and next,.. Why is it so cheap if that is the original miles? -- this is red flags to me.

NEXT .. do you know what rears it has? - what the shape of the engine is in? .. have you even looked it over? have you looked much past its paint job? Things like pulling the valve cover and checking the overhead cams? - Seeing how sooty the thing may be?

Does it still have the factory painted red sensors on the engine? -- (neglect?)

Shocks?, unusual tire wear?, clutch?, driveline?, the list is long.

full ecm report? - lifetime fuel mileage, regen history?. etc.etc.

and then there is the fact that if you don't spec it for your type of operations, it will cost you thousands if not tens of thousands every year in wasted fuel and other expenses.

expected speeds vs rear ratio, and all the other things related.

that is what comes to mind right away .. I am sure there is a lot more.


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At $15k a person can drop some money in parts and fix it up and it still would not a bad investment,.. Just make sure you have some $$$ to work with for getting it road worthy again. - If the engine is no good, then it is not worth more than about 10k even if the rest is in good shape. - whatever you do, don't expect to buy a $15,000 truck and think your going to haul freight with it without major issues and expenses right away. - might as well go the the casino and gamble,.. your odds would be higher.