Pay a mechanic to thoroughly go over any truck you want to buy and advise you on what you can perhaps expect from it. And get a dyno. You want to know as much about the truck as you can. Not only to figure what to pay for it and what expenses to expect, but also to know what you have when you are on the road.

 

Thanks for the advice, May sound stupid, but when I find a jem will the owner/dealer let me drive it away to a machanic to have it checked out like you all mentioned????

Jim

 

Hmmm I probably should have went with that plan to have someone else dispatch me like Merrick did tho....this is the umpteenth millionth time im sitting cuz I cant get a load out or its god-awfull riddiculous rate trying to backhaul......right now even 1.20 would sound good :-p
You guys jump al over me for hauling that cheap, but you dont know how depressing it is to call these guys and they want me to haul 45,000 fo a buck a mile :-p even I WONt go that low :-p
So sitting again....crap Carlisle PA this time....CH would have gave me 3,000 to head back to LA....but too far a DH all the way to Richmond so i passed....n the 3k I had to negotiate up from 2,600 :-p

 

Oh yeah...n on the rigmaster....let his ass sit....I'd love a new rigmaster, but Ive had to be practical and save the $ for a rainy day........use his damn head next time instead of thinking of his own comfort level....damn I hate it when its hot n sweltering and I dont have a generator.....but when something brakes I can afford to fix it or can sit a bit n it doesnt brake me either :-p n run on my own $ a couple of months

 

OMG so funny...i needed a good laugh affter dealing with brokers on the phone all afternoon getting no-where :-p

 

He should...if he didnt, he certainly isnt a dealer worth doing business with.
Thats the advantage you have over buying at auction....a dyno and mechanic inspecion before you buy...all being said I did buy at auction and did ok i believe, but I do have some mechanic experience beforehand, but not with diesels ...and certainly on nothing this big and does make a diff as I think Merrock points out, when all your tools are tiny sized dealing with old ladies cars lol
All in all the dyno I had after I bought came out pretty much as I expected.....no immediate problems but concerns for the future.

 

Pepe,

Are you just trying to get a load back to CA or will anywhere do? I just checked the load boards where you are and there are 90 loads within 50 miles. It's strange that only 1 lists what they are paying. A lot different than flatbed where a lot of them post what the rate is.

CH Robinson to Florida. 8000 pounds and paying $1.70 per mile?

 

will go pretty much anywhere...as long as it is at least headung west...florida or NE is out tho :-p
Leaves the SE out too...want to at least make progress on heading back....n this seems my best bet from here.
Yeah lots of loads posted, but when I call they are usually covered already or a terrible rate....am on hold for two decnt rates that if the guy cancels I get the load...n one he hasnt even sent his insurance in so Im crossing my fingers...it payed 3,200 which under the situation... would at least be reaspectable, being as I got 3,950 to come out here n was my best rate ever :-p
Learned a little trick....negotiating on Friday afternoon when they gotta have the load covered they at least are willing to come up more usually, first time I actually heard desperation in a broker's voice OMG lol.
Yeah you always almost gotta call em...I usually make them list a 800# but yeah get desperate and crank out the ph or ph card

 

take one of the Acerra loads
load and go to pittsburg from allentown
on Sun

 

I LOVE that sound