I swear..after reading all the proposals over the years to try and get CV's to carry more and be bigger..someone will come in one day and suggest we lobby the government to change the hours of the day to like 28 so we can work more....
Buying sprinter vs 10-14k GVWR box truck?
- Thread starter dc843
- Start date
Suggestions:
First and foremost....Slow down....this will easily put another $20-40 dollars a load in your pocket depending of vehicle and load parameters...
Tire pressure...
Oil...use the best for maximum effect....Smaller the profile less the wind resistance and square box makes little money...
and of course watch your unpaid miles....they offer you even $20 bucks in a CV thats a lot of miles...
smaller is much more efficient then bigger....theres more profit with a 5Lb box then 6 skids....they most times pay the same...
First and foremost....Slow down....this will easily put another $20-40 dollars a load in your pocket depending of vehicle and load parameters...
Tire pressure...
Oil...use the best for maximum effect....Smaller the profile less the wind resistance and square box makes little money...
and of course watch your unpaid miles....they offer you even $20 bucks in a CV thats a lot of miles...
smaller is much more efficient then bigger....theres more profit with a 5Lb box then 6 skids....they most times pay the same...
My sweet spot for freight weight is about 500 lbs, enough to make the ride smooth 
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yep..same here....kinda just sets down and hugs the road...My sweet spot for freight weight is about 500 lbs, enough to make the ride smooth
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Very solid points. I can haul 3 skids and I think I've only had 1 3 skid load in the 3 months I've been doing this, so I can believe that 4 won't be many, just wasn't sure if that might be the magic number.
Does anone have a "sweet spot" for your speed for the max mpg? Think I definately need to start paying more attention to those little things.
Oh and how do you guys feel on buying a new van vs a used one? Or maybe waiting till the end of the year and see if I can get a deal on a 16, I see a good bit of them used with not many miles at all
Does anone have a "sweet spot" for your speed for the max mpg? Think I definately need to start paying more attention to those little things.
Oh and how do you guys feel on buying a new van vs a used one? Or maybe waiting till the end of the year and see if I can get a deal on a 16, I see a good bit of them used with not many miles at all
USED. Have you done this before? I have for 10 years but I started out fairly new...learned a lesson...if you know nothing of mechanics you'll want something in the sweet spot between 2 years old (my guesstimate on max depreciation vs age, at least for Ford Ram Chevy) and the max age of equipment allowed by the company you lease with. If you can buy new, my advice would be 2 years old, at least until you know whether this is something you like or not.
I found buying newer that the payments stayed high while I still had maintenance costs, after 6 months or a year of doing this, even a brand new vehicle accumulates a LOT of miles. I work less and earn more for it now without chasing the depreciation every month.
Of course if you buy a newer diesel all bets are off. No idea how to plan that one, make best buds with a good mechanic and hope you got a good truck. Gas models are cheaper, simpler, and easier to get fixed on the road.
My 2 cents..
(Oh and for speed truck and gearing dependent, 55 mph for everything is the best, above that they're all different...my sprinter gets 24.5 at 60 but only loses 2 mpg at 70 for example...and as for freight, where I am I need my 13 feet or bigger just to get an opportunity to move from home, but it's true lighter is better if you are in a good area)
I found buying newer that the payments stayed high while I still had maintenance costs, after 6 months or a year of doing this, even a brand new vehicle accumulates a LOT of miles. I work less and earn more for it now without chasing the depreciation every month.
Of course if you buy a newer diesel all bets are off. No idea how to plan that one, make best buds with a good mechanic and hope you got a good truck. Gas models are cheaper, simpler, and easier to get fixed on the road.
My 2 cents..
(Oh and for speed truck and gearing dependent, 55 mph for everything is the best, above that they're all different...my sprinter gets 24.5 at 60 but only loses 2 mpg at 70 for example...and as for freight, where I am I need my 13 feet or bigger just to get an opportunity to move from home, but it's true lighter is better if you are in a good area)
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Yes sir I've been working for a fleet owner for about 3 months, figuring the 40 percent Im paying to him could go to my own van and pay it off in about a year based on my money needs, conservative miles estimate, etc. Not only that but I don't like being told how long I need to stay out and what not.
I'm not in a good freight area either I feel your pain, luckily my company is normally willing to pay me on the empty move a few hundred miles to the industry areas of my state
Also I'm considering leasing on to a local delivery company that I could switch back and forth between that and expediting, especially over winter, I'm not a fan of the cold lol.
I will just use a sprinter as an example...
a brand new 16 sprinter back in fall of 15 was going for about $45K depending on the options....Now I hear they are going for about 36-38K again depending on options....end of model year I believe even when I was growing up was the best time to buy new...and some states can be better then others...shop around...keep your ears open....
15-20% was the accepted amount of DH for our division....obviously less is better...maybe with rates going in the tank...10% would be a better target...
So im pretty set on getting something used in the $17-$27k range used something like a 2013-15 with less than 200k, not sure what model but definitely a 3500 and the longer version.
So what do you think would be a good amount of start up money to get it started? i was thinking 8k would be a fair number what do you all think?
I dont have many personal expenses, so between getting insurances, the van payment, money away for maintnance, etc.
anything else i need to take into account?
So what do you think would be a good amount of start up money to get it started? i was thinking 8k would be a fair number what do you all think?
I dont have many personal expenses, so between getting insurances, the van payment, money away for maintnance, etc.
anything else i need to take into account?
I have 20 bucks in my pocket. You seem to be in the middle
i dont think ive gone 3 days without a load let alone 6 months
huh?
Random $4000 medical bills, I have 20 bucks until the next pay. Life is not boring
It's great to have 6 months ahead but if you had 8000 I would not hesitate
Cargo vans have a smaller risk exposure
It's great to have 6 months ahead but if you had 8000 I would not hesitate
Cargo vans have a smaller risk exposure
How about if you get injured and can't work for 4 months? Do you have the resources to survive until you can work again? Ask Turtle how long he was out when he broke his wrist.
How about you get into an accident, they decide to fix your van instead of totaling it? Now they take their sweet time to fix it. 2 months later you get back on the road. First load your engine blows up....
This is not a business where you can safely live paycheck to paycheck.
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And I can get good deals on slightly used vans from failed expediters
Yeah I understand but I think around 8-10k would be enough to cover me as start up money.
On the other hand everything could go right and I make good money.
Life is a gamble sometimes