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Affordability.
Mosier - "Buy what you can afford. The last thing you want to do is get yourself in too deep, especially when starting out in this business. You've got to have capital to fall back on. I like to see people with 90 days of operating capital when they buy a truck."
"Don't be afraid to spend time shopping for a truck. Make sure you get the truck you want, but be realistic. If you can only reasonably afford a more modestly-equipped truck, go with that. There are times when truck buyers come in and start spec'ing their 'dream' truck and I have to bring them back to reality."
Portice - "Spec the truck to fit your needs but stay within your budget. Remember that you can always upgrade; you don't have to buy top-of-the-line equipment right at
the start."
Whitefield - "One thing to remember in truck buying is that you can always work your way up. Quite often, customers will see the entry level truck, then see the Cadillacs and the more affordable truck is forgotten."
Applications.
Mosier - "Match the truck to the company you're going to lease with. People have different truck needs nowadays - they may have a need for refrigerated equipment or special handling equipment. Maybe someone wants a stretched Class 8 or tandem axle.”
Jeff Brown - "Make sure the truck you're considering will do the job for you. Don't buy too small or light a truck just to save a few dollars because you'll possibly wind up
spending those savings in repair bills. Pay attention to the GVW and axle weight ratings."
Finding a dealer to do business with.
John LaLonde - "I recommend using a nameplate dealer. Not a Joe's truck lot or a car dealer that took a truck in on trade. This is a unique business with a unique piece of equipment."
"I hate to think of all of the people who have purchased a truck and when they show up at orientation, they discover that it's the wrong truck; its too short, too long,
etc. That's the benefit of dealing with a nameplate dealer in the business."
"I feel that if you go to a dealer and he doesn't have 15 or 20 expediters on the lot, you're in the wrong place. If they don't have that commitment, they won't be there in the long-term when you need them."
Portice - An expedited truck dealer will know what meets your needs and the current specs that your carrier requires."
"If a carrier requires a 13,000 pound payload to qualify as a 'D' unit, that's what you need. The key is to spec’ out the truck to make you the most money. It's the expedited truck dealer's job to know what the carriers
want."
Whitfield - "Find someone you're comfortable with. There are only a few that are in the expedited game and I would shop around. Buy from a dealer who has been in the business for a length of time. Not every dealer will have everything you're looking for, but maybe one of the other dealers does."
She continues, "We've established a relationship with several of the other dealers, so if I can't help you, I will refer you to someone who I feel you can trust. You've got to be willing to travel to see the trucks and test drive before you buy."
"There are a few dealerships who dabble in expedited sales, but there are only a few specialize in it. Pick a dealer who has been around for awhile and has been
in the business through the good times and the bad times."
Warranties
Brown - "Warranties are so important. How long will you be protected from expensive repairs? When you're just starting out, it's a critical part of your decision, that
is, how much of a 'war chest' can you build. Big repair bills will eat up that 'war chest', so the warranty can mean the difference between success and failure."
Serviceability
Brown - "As an owner-operator, there's a good possibility that you will get your hands dirty at one time or another, even just checking fluid levels. Can you see the engine, can you reach the dipstick, is a special tool required for the fuel/water separator? Are the
replaceable items accessible?
Financing.
LaLonde - "Make sure it's something that's going to work for you. If you finance at a higher rate to get your foot in the door, it might be alright for a short while, but if it's
loan shark rate, you'd better consider something else.
Whitfield - "Understanding your credit score is so important because finanacing a commercial vehicle is different than anything you've ever done. Knowing what kind of down payment you can afford effects what kind of truck you can buy. Look into buying programs through the carriers because a first time buyer can have trouble getting financing."
Portice - "One thing a buyer has to do is to make sure that the truck outlasts the loan. Look towards tomorrow. Let's say I can get your loan approved on a used truck for nothing down. Now, suppose you're ready to upgrade in a year - what's that truck worth in a year?"
"That was a problem buyers ran into a few years ago. Buyers were financing trucks for 72 months and wound up with a nice low payment, but three years later, you still didn't own your truck. The truck was worth 40k and you'd owe 80k. That doesn't work."
Add ons and accessories.
Whitfield - "All of these will cost you money, but they can save you money as well. A generator can save you substantial money in fuel costs as well as reducing engine wear.
“Everybody wants the fancy gadgets, the best they can get. When you add extra accessories on the truck, sure they add value, but they also add cost and weight. If
your company doesn't need a liftgate, I would suggest that you don't get one. It will add thousands to the cost and about 800 pounds.”
Mosier - "People are really looking into generators now, they're asking, what does it cost me, what can I save?"
"The comparison I use is - if you idle the truck, you'll use about a gallon every hour. If you use a generator, you'll use a gallon every 8 hours. If you're out there 300 days a year and you idle 8 hours a day, you can see that this accessory can save thousands in fuel."
Portice - "If it doesn't make money, why spend the money? The only add-on's that I can see are extra lighting for safety, like fog lights, and of course, a generator. That will save you money."
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