I cleaned up my credit cards and made sure my credit rating was R1 ... Had $1,000 cash and $7,500 available credit line thru VISA and MasterCard. The dealer got me to apply for a new truck as they were offering a low interest payment. He also said they would pay $3,000 towards my down payment (but of course they added this 3 grand to the truck price). GE Capital "almost" approved me when I offered 6 grand down plus 3 from the dealer but they said, "we want 12 grand". I talked to the carrier I was going to be leased to in Guelph ONT and they said, "we could have given you the money if you were already our driver. Since you're starting with us - we have to say no". So, I had to go for a used truck. We used the momentum created with GE conditional approval and I told the dealer I was interested in the 2004 International they had on their lot in Woodstock, ON. Lo and behold I was approved - with 9 grand down (6 from me; and 3 provided by the dealer). The truck had an unusually low mileage (165k mi) for a 2004 truck, but I called CAT customer service and they told me the 'first day of service' happened for this truck only in January 2005, even though it was built in December 2003 as a '2004' model. (Now I'd never buy a truck that spent so much time sitting on a dealer's lot.)
So far, I have spent a ton of money on repairs and making the truck 'my own'. At least I got a truck with a pretty moderate payment: $1,600 a month for 48 months at 9.75%. I know some guys are paying $2,500! If I were to buy my first truck again, I would LEASE a brand new tractor under a full maintenance lease for 36 months rather than buy. In this way, I can deduct the entire lease payment from my taxes, and have no headaches about repairs/maintenance. I'd also make sure I was getting EXACTLY the truck I wanted (customized specs; shipped directly from the plant - not a truck sitting on the dealer's lot).
International 9400 that I bought has a very well laid out sleeper (G-Man was right) but the Freightliner Columbia I drove for another company before had a much more robust interior and its plastic in the cab didn't break as easily. On another positive note, my International has a good insulation in the sleeper and I can 'almost' sleep parked next to a reefer - this was impossible with the Columbia. I also like the single piece windshield - it offers a much better visibility than 2 piece windshields in Freightliners and other trucks. The engine is CAT C15 which I upgraded to 475 hp. The torque is still 1,650 lb/ft because to change that I have to replace my 13 speed tranny (only rated for 1650 lb/ft torque). I'm happy with the engine performance and torque but it is noisy and the tapping/knocking noise I complained a dozen times about to a CAT facility was deemed as 'normal'. So, I think my next truck will probably have a DD15 - just so I can compare it to CAT.
As for the make and model - one o/o in our company has a Kenworth T600 (new) and he already had to do some repairs. The happiest guy I know drives a 2007 Volvo which he got after trading in his Freightliner. Unfortunately, in my experience Volvo dealers are not exactly flexible when it comes to financing. I was very happy with the service I received at this International dealer in London, ON (Carrier Trucks). I'd be curious to test-drive the new International Pro-Star, the allegedly 'most aerodynamic truck on the road today'.
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