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Starting a Trucking Company? What to Look For in Used Rigs

In today’s world, trucking is a booming business. Freight companies operate throughout the country, transporting goods of all kinds and sizes.

Trucking companies transport bulk materials such as cement, gravel, and sand; others specialize in hauling fragile or expensive items such as artwork, antiques, and fruits and vegetables; others deliver cargo directly to retail customers’ stores. This article will discuss some key considerations while starting up a freight brokerage or a courier services firm.

Buy a Used Rig from a Reputable Dealer

There are many legit used trucking companies out there that buy their used trucks from dealers. The issue with buying a used truck from a dealer is that you are likely to get a used truck that has been sitting for months, if not years. This means the truck is old and may have significant mileage.

This can be a huge difference when buying a used rig. If you are buying a used rig, ask the seller if they will provide a current trucking bill of materials (TBM) and maintenance history for the rig they are selling.

If the seller doesn’t offer this, walk away from the deal. You don’t want to buy a truck past its useful life. You can get this used truck Peterbilt 579 at an affordable rate from a genuine dealer.

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Ask If they Offer an Extended Warranty

Some companies advertise that their trucks come with an extended warranty. While this is probably true in some cases, most companies don’t offer an extended warranty.

Extended Warranties are mostly offered on luxury or specialty trucks and are generally only worth the price of adoption. You can expect to pay a small fortune for an extended warranty on a luxury truck.

You will likely end up spending more money than if you just purchased a new truck. Most companies will extend the warranty for a few years. At the end of the warranty, most companies will charge you for the privilege of having the warranty extended.

This is called “tolling” the warranty. If you don’t need the warranty anymore and would like to “toll” it, most companies will charge you $50 to $75. That’s not much money compared to the warranty cost, but it is still money wasted. Take my advice and buy a new truck.

Know When to Walk Away from a Deal

As scary as it may sound, walking away from a deal when you are presented with a counter offer that appears to be better than the first one can be good advice. The first time you meet in the middle is always the hardest. The first counter offer that feels right is the one you should accept. After that, the rest will follow.

When you walk away from a deal, you tell the seller that their first counter offer was too low for your liking. You are saying that you want to buy their rig at its current selling price, not what they were offering before.

If the seller is trying to push their offer up in the air because they think you have changed your mind, walk away. They are only trying to waste your time.

What’s the Previous Owner and Maintenance History

When you buy a truck from a dealer, you typically buy it from the current owner. When purchasing a truck from a private party, you should check the seller’s history to ensure they have good credit and are maintaining the truck properly.

Bad history can indicate many things, but most notably, the seller has a history of late payments or missed payments on the truck’s maintenance. When you buy a truck from a private party, you must check the seller’s history.

A truck maintenance record is more important than ever since the driver, not the owner, typically maintains trucks. The driver should be held to a higher standard than the owner.

If the seller has a history of poor financial management, the truck’s maintenance record will likely reflect that. When buying a private party truck, check the truck’s history.

When you are ready to purchase a truck, you will want to ensure that you know what to look for in a used rig. There are many factors to consider before making a purchase, but these are some of the most important to ensure an informed decision.

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