Blog | Bobtail Insure - Here is what you need to know if you consider ...

As everything else, buying a used big rig can be a lot easier if you do your homework in advance. Because, let’s face it, buying anything previously owned and used can be more on the gambling side of things. Sometimes you will get the best for your money, but if you don’t do the necessary research, you can quickly find yourself stuck with a vehicle that causes more problems. 

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However, you don’t have to rely on your luck, when buying used truck. We will help you with some tips for getting the best for your buck with making a good research beforehand.

Research and look for the truck that meets your needs

New rigs can be considered a bit overpriced, so not every new owner-operator is ready or has the needed financial power to pay such price. This is why most newcomers to the business choose to start with a used rig. However, before you start looking at prices and deals, first you should consider what type of truck you need. What will your work involve? Are you going to do long hauls? Short hauls? Do you need a flatbed truck?

It’s all about the proper specs of the vehicle. Sure, you may find some good deals out there, but do these trucks suit your job? If you are going to haul heavy loads, an underpowered truck won’t cut it. So be smart about it.

This is what you need to look for in a used truck

First of all, you need to pay attention to the maintenance of the rig – take a look at the list of scheduled maintenance, get to know the engine history, how many miles etc. If the engine hasn’t been maintained in a proper state, you may find yourself in a need of a new engine sooner than you wished.

Here is what you need to ask for:

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• What is due for replacing soon?
• How often was the oil changed?
• Can I have copies of the maintenance records?
• Do the tires need changing?
• Are there problems with the engine?

You will also need to check the state of the rear-ends, drive train, transmission, suspension etc.

If you have the complete picture, you can make a more informed decision and also set aside some additional budget for repairs if needed.

Steer away from one and done trucks

Not all trucks are made the same. Some models have a relatively short life and a big drop in quality once a certain period of time and usage has passed. Make a research of the model – are there many deals with the same model? Usually this is not a good sign. If many people are selling the same model truck, well, maybe this rig should not be your first choice no matter the price.

Buying directly from a fleet

Purchasing a fleet tractor has its pros and cons. First of all, most fleets sell their rigs when they are updating to more current models. This means you can get a good deal on a truck that is not too old. Also, fleet owners usually keep a lot of information on their trucks, so you will have no problem receiving everything you need – mechanical history, proof of regular maintenance etc.

However, sometimes there are truckers that don’t take as much care of a company truck as they would do if it was their own. So, you should keep this in mind when buying a fleet tractor.

There you have it, some tips for making the best decision when buying used rigs. Remember, though, it all depends on your research. Be aware of what you need and make sure you have the whole information before making a decision. After all, this is very important, so don’t skip any steps.

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Hi everyone, I am new here and found this forum in my research process in becoming an owner operator. I feel like I have a good question in my search for buying a used truck. It seems to be the common advice to buy a used truck with around 400k-500k miles. I've notice most of these trucks range from $40k-$50k and up, and are in the - year range. Obviously this can vary significantly but this seems to be a fair range. It also seems like a lot of these trucks in this mileage range can have significant issues with the ERG/DPF systems since they were forced to rollout by government mandate and manufactures have had a lot of issues with these early generation models with these systems cause premature repairs like replacing a turbo at 300-400k instead of 600-700k for soot build up. This is just one example I have read about please feel free to add on or correct me if I am wrong. The 400-500k mileage range also seems to be a common range for fleets and other owners to "dump" off their trucks while they still have higher value and at the warranty expiration and/or at the point right before a lot of major repairs would likely need to be done. Because of all these variables I feel like there is a larger chance at buying a used truck in this 400k-500k mileage range for around $40k-$50k and having significant repair costs right away. I am considering buying a truck for much less (around $20k) with higher mileage (around 700-800k) that would more likely would have gone through more repairs and be mechanically updated instead of one with lower miles on the brink of mechanical failure or repair requirements. I would certainly expect a truck in the higher mileage range, or any used truck I am looking to buy, to be in need of some work. However, with my own due diligence I would like to be able to narrow it down to a very solid running truck (perhaps even from a private seller that took very good care of it) that would require much less maintenance and repair costs off the bat. I feel like this strategy could potentially save me thousands of my hard earned dollars. My goal is to run the truck about two years then upgrade to a newer one so I am anticipating putting about 200k-250k miles on it and certainly expect some unexpected repair needs. Then I plan on upgrading by selling/trading and buying newer, or possibly even keep and invest in rebuilding if I really like the truck. I know this is a lot but any advice would help, I am trying to take some time and research various buying options before I spend thousands of dollars and am hoping to find a truck to last me two years solid without major issues. Thanks ahead for anyone who takes time to reply to this!

Hopefully, you have been a company driver first. I have read a lot of questions from people on TRR who want to be a O/O and they don't even have their CDL yet. Even when you start as an O/O after being a company driver, there is so much to learn. First consider several things.... are you going to be an O/O leased to a carrier? Or an independent, an O/O with their own authority. Some carriers have age requirements for trucks to be leased on. If you are going to have your own authority or the truck age does not matter. Then I would recommend an ELD exempt truck. or older or a and up with a or older engine. Then you could run paper logs, and would not have to worry about any emissions components. I would look for a well taken care of truck thats being sold because of retirement or someone getting out of trucking. Good luck!

Thanks for taking the time to give your feedback. I actually have my CDL and have been driving with a family member who has there own company for about 4 months. I know this is a short period and most suggest to take extra time to hire into a large carrier, go through their training program, make rookie mistakes in a safer environment, etc. I certainly respect and understand this approach and still am considering it as I haven't pulled the trigger on the O/O route yet. I would probably be an O/O under the family company or look for a carrier like JB Hunt who only requires 3 months experience for O/O's. I actually plan on opening my own LLC and getting my DOT and MC for the long term. To be honest this has been a career change for me due to the pandemic and I have been a company driver for over 10 years, although not CDL I am used to being on the road. I have a technology and management degree and understand the business side and risks associated which is why I am taking this very seriously and doing thorough research and reaching out for feedback from experienced professionals. Those older trucks are certainly an option to be exempt from a lot of the modern changes and headaches in the industry but I think thats may be a better long term option where I could take my time and find a good one or rebuild it the way I want. Thanks for your feedback!