[truckmetal13]

it is better to buy a truck from fleet or from dealer?
Do you know any places around Chicago that sell fleet trucks,and which trucks are maintenance the best?

[BanditsCousin]

Either one can be hit or miss. One fleet may be meticulous on maintenance, while another may not. Same goes true for an o/o that beats on his equipment like a rented mule or hauls light loads and is super anal. In either case, getting documentation for minor and major maintenance is always a plus.

Arrow Truck Sales (off rt53/I55) or House of Trucks (off 83/I55) might be a good place to start your window shopping.

[truckmetal13]

What you thing about werner fleet trucks?

[truckmetal13]

to pull a dry van how many hp i need to have at least and what transmission i need to have?

[GMAN]

Some fleets maintain their equipment better than others. I know of one fleet that only changes their oil at 50,000 miles. They will add oil, change filters and do an oil analysis at regular intervals, but won't do an oil change until the truck hits 50,000 miles. There are others that will do oil changes at more frequent intervals. I try to change oil in my trucks at around 15,000 miles. I have known of others who change at 10,000 miles. I think most owner operators will be more conscientious about making oil changes than some fleets. You will find good and poor with both. The best thing to do is check any truck in which you are interested before buying it. Most fleets keep good maintenance records. You can always ask to see them. A trucks appearance can also tell you a lot about how it was maintained. If the interior has a good appearance then it was likely pretty well maintained. If it looks all ragged out then it was probably not well maintained. That is not the only thing to look at but it is a good indicator of how it was taken care of by the driver and company.

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by truckmetal13

to pull a dry van how many hp i need to have at least and what transmission i need to have?

Anything over 400 hp would be good depending on where you run. If you run the west or were there are a lot of mountains and heavy winds then more horsepower would help. I would look at something between 425-500 hp. You don't really need anything but a 10 speed transmission. Although a 13 or 18 would also work. You will usually pay more for a 13 or 18 speed transmission.

[truckmetal13]

thanks for answers

[GMAN]

Originally Posted by truckmetal13

What you thing about werner fleet trucks?

I spoke with Werner a few years ago when I was planning on buying another truck. Their prices seemed a bit high at the time. According to the salesman with whom I spoke, Werner keep up their maintenance. If you are interested in buying one of their trucks I would suggest talking with some of their drivers and ask them about maintenance intervals and how quickly Werner takes care of mechanical problems.

You can sometimes get a good deal from an individual. There are so many owner operators who have lost their trucks this past year that you may find a good deal from someone who is close to having their truck repossessed. Check EBay and Craigs List. Another place some forget about are auctions. In order to get a good deal at an auction you will need either a letter from your bank or cash. Auctions are a good place to buy equipment in a down economy providing you have someone who is mechanically inclined to check out any equipment of interest. In this type of economy it is more important than ever to get a good deal. Take your time. Make a list of those things you consider critical to any truck that you want to purchase. I would not worry too much about buying a specific brand of truck. If a truck meets your minimum requirements and you can get a good deal then I would buy it. Before buying any truck I would make sure that you had a lease in hand or funds to get your authority and run the truck for a few months.

[truckmetal13]

Originally Posted by GMAN

I spoke with Werner a few years ago when I was planning on buying another truck. Their prices seemed a bit high at the time. According to the salesman with whom I spoke, Werner keep up their maintenance. If you are interested in buying one of their trucks I would suggest talking with some of their drivers and ask them about maintenance intervals and how quickly Werner takes care of mechanical problems.

You can sometimes get a good deal from an individual. There are so many owner operators who have lost their trucks this past year that you may find a good deal from someone who is close to having their truck repossessed. Check EBay and Craigs List. Another place some forget about are auctions. In order to get a good deal at an auction you will need either a letter from your bank or cash. Auctions are a good place to buy equipment in a down economy providing you have someone who is mechanically inclined to check out any equipment of interest. In this type of economy it is more important than ever to get a good deal. Take your time. Make a list of those things you consider critical to any truck that you want to purchase. I would not worry too much about buying a specific brand of truck. If a truck meets your minimum requirements and you can get a good deal then I would buy it. Before buying any truck I would make sure that you had a lease in hand or funds to get your authority and run the truck for a few months.

Thanks GMAN

[Creek Jackson]

If you want to get an idea of what trucks are selling for or at least what is being asked for them; You can check out truckpaper.com or pick up a paper copy at many truckstops. There are thousands and thousands of trucks listed there.
Also you can check commercialtrucktrader.com
Good Luck!