[Joymax_Trans2]

We purchased our trailer in cash and financed our truck from the bank at 8.5% interest which made our truck payment below $600/mo.

[2hellandback]

Well lets see my 1st truck is a 2003 T-600 that looks and drives like a new truck compared to all th 900s ive driven over the years and thats been a bunch of them.

I paid or will be paying $29,950 it has 807,000 miles on on it, but wait i havent yet signed on the dotted line ,thanks to wells fargo im in the 6th week of financing and at this point they say my dealer will get the check next wednesday!!!

Now Volvo finance OKd me in 3 days at 3 years at 14.7% 5000 down and 900/ month Wells fargo is 660/month 4 yrs 5000 down. So as it stands i have allready paid 5,000 to Bennetts truck source, $169.00 for physical damage insurance. :shock: No job /lease commitment yet ops: And no truck in my yard! :sad:

[Dejanh]

Originally Posted by GMAN

It is much better to save your money and pay cash for your equipment starting out. It takes a lot of pressure off when you don't have to be concerned about making monthly payments.

Works for some but i think if you do that and that truck breaks down, youre out.

I went with new and i am never buying used. Even with this payment am still doing a bit better than a buddy of mine who has his payed off..

If i end up doing some things this year that am thinking about, i am again buying new, this time itll be Volvo.

[Double L]

What kind of truck you operating now Dejanh and why a Volvo for your next new truck? Just curious thats all.

[Dejanh]

I have Columbia by Freightliner. It is a nice truck man, no problems whatsoever. It has 475 HP and am really happy with it but if i end up with a contract that am working on with Interstate i want a bigger and more comfy truck with better turning radius which V is the best at..

I love Volvos just because its proven brand and all of the people i know are very happy with them. When i first started out they were too expensive for me to buy going up in high 120's....

Now, they are more reachable.. 8)

[Double L]

475hp Mercedes or Detroit. The fleet I use to work for washing their equipment had Columbia's with Mercedes rated at 450hp I think with straight 10's. We're not a bad truck at all. I heard alot of positives about Volvo except for the 03-04 Volvo's. Even though I grew up around Freightliners I prefer Kenworths since they hold a more special place in my heart cause the first truck I remember driving was a KW T600.

[Dejanh]

[quote="Double L"]475hp Mercedes or Detroit. quote]

Oh, even though i love german technology, i think they just missed it with their Benz engine. When it comes to commercial muscle i am detroit man all around, no Cat no Cummings, even though they are awesome too.

I love my Columbia.

[Double L]

I'll agree with you on that, I rather have a 500hp Detroit any day of the week. So for me I can't choose which I like the most Freightliner or Kenworth, but I do feel that Kenworth is the better brand over Peterbilt, the biggest things I love about Kenworths is the daylight doors and I've always liked their interior but I think Kenworths best interior was the pre 2000 before the first interior change. But I do think the biggest mistake Freightliner made was stopping production of the FLD120. I think after they did that they went downhill, I'm not knocking down Freightliner but the Columbia is the best looking tractor they have besides the Classic XL but that Cascadia is a eyesore in a way

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by Dejanh

Works for some but i think if you do that and that truck breaks down, youre out.

I went with new and i am never buying used. Even with this payment am still doing a bit better than a buddy of mine who has his payed off..

If i end up doing some things this year that am thinking about, i am again buying new, this time itll be Volvo.

Well, it would be a good idea to have additional money set aside to make any repairs. It will still cost less than buying new or on time. You can save a lot of interest when you pay cash. If you can pay cash and put the equivalent truck payment aside, you could buy a really nice truck in two or three years and pay cash. If you put $1,600/month in a money market account or savings for 3 years you would have a nice amount of money saved. That is about $20,000/year plus any interest. You would have at least $60,000 to pay down plus selling your paid for truck would give you even more money to pay down on a new truck or buy an almost new truck and pay cash. 8)

[BigDiesel]

I left the family business, went to truck driving school, would not work for a coolie carrier. Went to work for a O/O who took me under his wing and taught me the biz. Worked for him for 3 years then he sold me the truck and trailer I was running.