Car hauling with a 5 pack??????

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Hello everyone, my first post after lot's of reading.

I have a class B CDL and want to start hauling car's with a 5 pack as a O/O. Would be running from NY heading south about 6-800 mi.. Reload and head back north.

I would be using Central Dispatch to find loads unless I could get hooked up with something else (co-part?). Certainly open to other way's to run.

Trying to decide between new at $120,000, 5 yr. loan around $2,500 per mo. Or a used southern truck somewhere around $50,000 and financed.

I have a very seasonal business doing storage and could be doing the car thing about 7-8 mo. per year.
Your thought's would all be appreciated.

Also, if anyone know's of a nice used 5 pack, let me know please.

Thanks in advance.
Be good, Jim

If your trailer and freight are over 10,000 GVW you need a Class A w/combination endorsement.

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Thanks TF!

No trailer with this set-up.
Basically a tractor with 3 cars up top and 2 behind the day cab.

Be good, Jim

[traveler15301]

If your trailer and freight are over 10,000 GVW you need a Class A w/combination endorsement.

only if the GCWR is also over 26k

[BanditsCousin]

It appears as though you want to do this operating under your own authority?? If you are worried about finding loads, maybe you should consider leasing on to a car hauler outfit.

And by 5-pack, I imagin the type of vehicles DAS runs? (funky cab/trailer configuration)

And, as far as buying a truck- start small, then go big. I myself am tempted to get the biggest/baddest sleeper on the road but I am doing it in "baby steps" I'd get a great deal on some mechanically sound equipment (used) and see where your business goes from there. This minimizes your commitment and frees up cash reserves for operating expenses/claims/repais etc.

I forgot to ask, how much experience do you have hauling cars?

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Banditscousin,

Not worried about finding loads but always looking for better paying loads.

To see a 5 pack go to
WWW.cottrelltrailers.com then click on 5 pack.

I am looking for good used but cant find anything southern/rust free.

Hopefully someone will post up a nice used truck.

Thanks for the quick replys.

Be good, Jim

[BanditsCousin]

Okay, the 5-pack was not what I thought it was. That would awsome for getting into tight and/or restricted areas!! With that setup, I believe Class B might work.

I'm still confused on if you are currently an experienced carhauler and know about the car hauling business.

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Banditscousin,

Totally forgot the exp. question.

I don't have any exp. with an actual car hauler. Ridden along and helped out.

Have been a foreign car mechanic most of my life, am 50 now.
I have driven a 2,600 gal water truck for about 12 years. Try driving that when it's 3/4 full and not flop it!
Also have-----
Old 1953 Cat D-8 13A cable blade dozer
Back hoe
Small crane
Flat bottom V-drive race boat, blown on alcohol

If I can run all that stuff and still have all my fingers, toe's and both eye's a car hauler is a piece of cake....

Oh......I also lived with a real biaotch of a woman for 10 year's, so not much scares me....LOL

Be good, Jim

[BanditsCousin]

Oh......I also lived with a real biaotch of a woman for 10 year's, so not much scares me....LOL

Amen Brother 8)

Thats good you have ridden along and experienced the work. Hopefully your contact will help steer you in the right direction and get you lined up with some stead, $$profitable$$ work 8)

[NascarFan]

What about finding a truck that you like then take it to somebody and have them put that setup on it.

[GMAN]

Before you proceed too far with this idea, you may want to check to see whether you can find an insurance company who will insure you without experience. There are probably more claims paid out for those hauling cars than anything else. You get a scratch and you will spend $1,000 or more. Insurance is expensive in this business. Insurance to haul cars is more expensive and without experience will be a real challenge.

Banditscousin,

Not worried about finding loads but always looking for better paying loads.

To see a 5 pack go to
WWW.cottrelltrailers.com then click on 5 pack.

I am looking for good used but cant find anything southern/rust free.

Hopefully someone will post up a nice used truck.

Thanks for the quick replys.

Be good, Jim

Interesting setup. 8)

[GMAN]

There is a company in Alabama called FET Sales who restores, refurbishes and sells various types of car haulers. I have seen some 5 packs a few times on their lot. They were sold out a year or so ago and changed their name. They are in a small town in north Alabama near Boaz and Albertville. If you can find a copy of The Truckpaper, he usually has an ad for a carhauler.

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Gman,

Good point on the ins. end.
I was figuring with a 12+ yr. clean CDL and zero ins. claims, ins. wouldn't be a problem.
I will check into it ASAP.

I tried doing searches for FET and found nothing....

Looked at the truckpaper.com and didn't see anything in Alabama.
Hopefully someone else might be able to help out with a name?

Going to call Jack Key car hauling and see if he know's of anything...

Thanks guy's!!
Be good, Jim

[ben45750]

Could also look at the 4 car rollbacks, you lose 1 car but can do a little more with a rollback hauling other things.



something like this

[DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]

Thanks Ben,

Yeah I know about them. Carry 3 on the truck and a stinger wheel lift out back. More for the salvage trade.
I really would like a 6-7-8 car trailer but only have a class B CDL right now.
If I like the work I will jump up to a class A CDL.
Untill then, I can run a 5 pack and see how it goes.
Just trying to find a used one rather than spend $120K for new.

Found 2 Peterbilt 5 pack's in Mass. but 1 is very rusty for $40K and the other is better rust wise for $52K but still rust scabs, even on the cab????? Both have approx 500K miles on them.

Used from the south is the only way to go really....

Be good, Jim

[GMAN]

Gman,

Good point on the ins. end.
I was figuring with a 12+ yr. clean CDL and zero ins. claims, ins. wouldn't be a problem.
I will check into it ASAP.

I tried doing searches for FET and found nothing....

Looked at the truckpaper.com and didn't see anything in Alabama.
Hopefully someone else might be able to help out with a name?

Going to call Jack Key car hauling and see if he know's of anything...

Thanks guy's!!
Be good, Jim

Try this company. If you go to the truck paper website and pull up truck dealers in Alabama you will find them. When I pulled them up they had a photo of a 5 pack.

NORTH EAST AUTO TRUCK BROKERS - (256)561-4068 - Crossville, Alabama - CLICK ON OUR LINK TO VIEW OUR WEBSITE!!


Perhaps it will be different with a Class B license, but with a Class A you will need at least 2 years of otr experience to find a decent insurance company without the radius restriction. You can probably get Progressive to insure you but will probably be restricted to a 300 mile radius. And I am not sure they will cover anyone who hauls cars. If you find someone who will insure you with a Class B to haul cars you may want to let us know so that we can pass the info along to others.

[LOAD IT]

4 years ago, I ran cars on a 53ft stepdeck with dovetail and ramps, driver stayed out 30-45 days at a time. The truck would gross $4000 to $7000 per week. We got cars from Central Dispatch, DAS, HHG moving companies, ebay sellers, and word of mouth. This was a great business, but the claims will cost you, and its always the guy with a piece of crap car or some ebay guy that bought the car site unseen, but you dented the middle of the roof or made the engine smoke. I beat every claim, but they can cost you. Go for it and good luck.

[vontrial]

hey Load IT does Central Dispatch have good rates , thinking about starting out with a 4 car hauler lived in Ms would like to stay in the Southeast to start out.

[GMAN]

I used to have a form that I used to show damage on a vehicle when I picked it up. Any damage was noted and sometimes photographed and signed off by the shipper. When I arrived at the receiver I made sure that they inspected the vehicle and signed off on it. You need to take special care when you haul cars.