Has Anyone Bought a New Truck This Year?

ATeam · Jul 16, 2008

It has been a while since anyone here in the Open Forum has talked about a new truck purchase (Rev's ride being an exception). I have been visiting with a few dealers and vendors. Their reports are less than enthusiastic. Out of simple curiosity, I'm wondering if you or anyone you know has bought a new Class 7 or 8 expediter truck in 2008?

Tennesseahawk · Jul 16, 2008

Nope. Why do that, when I could buy a repo and pay a small fraction?

moose · Jul 16, 2008

I Did ,
but then you already know that...
have test drive 2 repo trucks, and looked into 7 used ones in the proses ,have found them to be somewhat too match unreliable /expansive to say the lesse ...
at that time i thought that having a breakdown when under an Expedite load , is un-explainable to the Carrier/costumer...
sells-mans have spend time over the phone like im the only costumer out there...

Moose.

Dennis463 · Jul 16, 2008

So it seems no one is taking the the business (stimulus) incentive rebate (write off) from the U.S. government to purchase or upgrade their equipment?

davekc · Jul 16, 2008

I believe (myself included) purchased their pre-emissions trucks last year. Current rebates don't come anywhere close enough to compensate for the reduced mileage, lack of available service, downtime/loss of revenue, and current reports indicating many heat related problems form the DPF setup that is prematurely wearing out components.
Additionally, I think with tightening credit, newcomers may find increased difficulties in obtaining favorable rates and financing.
Plenty of used equipment out there, but one better be educated through the whole process or it could turn ugly.
Many of the repos are trucks that have been neglected because the truck owner was under-capitalized.
It would be highly advisable that one knows what they are looking for and have the ability to identify those trucks.
If not, better hire someone who does.

P51bombay · Jul 16, 2008

How about the low emissions rebate you can get on a CNG truck - I think around $28000 per truck - downside is fillin' stations are few and far between.

davekc · Jul 16, 2008

UPS did a test on these. Currently, they wouldn't really be applicable to a OTR operation.

UPS study on this program
http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/fleettest/pdfs/31227.pdf

D Team Brothers · Jul 16, 2008

Bought an 08 end of 07 - big mistake (as others have correctly pointed out). Low fuel mileage, numerous problems with the new emmisions causing excessive down time, repairs are being treated as tests - we'll see if this works!

P51bombay · Jul 16, 2008

Is it the WS in your avy? What engine?

davekc · Jul 16, 2008

D Team Brothers said:
Bought an 08 end of 07 - big mistake (as others have correctly pointed out). Low fuel mileage, numerous problems with the new emissions causing excessive down time, repairs are being treated as tests - we'll see if this works!

I really feel for you. That whole program had disaster written all over it. They didn't then, and still don't have enough qualified techs to even work on them. Part of the reason we went the route we did.
The other annoying factor is that many weren't tested for longevity except in controlled environments. Truck that are in the 100k range are having all kind of components prematurely failing. That includes regular hard parts right down to hoses giving out. Just makes you want to give the EPA a big hug.

greg334 · Jul 16, 2008

davekc said:
I really feel for you. That whole program had disaster written all over it. They didn't then, and still don't have enough qualified techs to even work on them. Part of the reason we went the route we did.
The other annoying factor is that many weren't tested for longevity except in controlled environments. Truck that are in the 100k range are having all kind of components prematurely failing. That includes regular hard parts right down to hoses giving out. Just makes you want to give the EPA a big hug.

All the more reason to be scared of the 2010/2012 changes.

The EPA is shoving this hard into the industry, no one has actually come up with solid proof that trucks are the source of pollution that has been cited by the EPA or the deaths are actually related o diesel particles here in the states and very few people understand that the EPA is broke.

In addition to this, CARB/California is now regulating interstate commerce by forcing regulations on out of state trucks beyond the feds and the constitutional limits.

The better questions I feel that needs to be asked is; Who really needs to replace their truck with a newer one?

davekc · Jul 16, 2008

Part of the reason Cat opted out of the truck engine business.
Not sure what to expect in 2010 or 2012.
Just like this year, we likely won't know until it is here.

D Team Brothers · Jul 17, 2008

Engine is MBE 4000/450. With 90,000 miles a small oil leak developed up near the head gasket. Tore top off and found a small O ring that seemed a little brittle - leaking. Took three days to get replacment O ring! I'm afraid it's only the beginning. My two 03 Centuries with Cummins just keep cruising down the road, and both reaching 1 mil. miles. I agree, don't buy NEW!

moose · Jul 17, 2008

think the dealers / OEM will be on our side ?

this all new regulations actually work well for the OEM ,
as they can shift the costs of developing a new engine to the costumer that need a truck ,
like to remind ya all , we cannot change freight-rates , just because trucks are more expansive ...
while the OEM are making more money on the repairs then on selling new.
warranty aside , they will not make as match money , by selling a 3 million mil. trucks...

p.s : my new 07 truck is a pre-emission...
tho , some will not classified a Hino as a real truck...
Heck ,an suv feeds more horses...

Moose.

Jefferson3000 · Jul 17, 2008

I bought a truck that's new to me this year. Does that count?

pjjjjj · Jul 17, 2008

Guess not enough people are buying Sterlings:
(from cbc.ca)

720 jobs slashed at Ont. truck plant

Last Updated: Thursday, July 17, 2008 | 6:03 AM ET Comments18Recommend13CBC News

A truck plant in the southwestern Ontario city of St. Thomas is the latest company in the auto sector to cut hundreds of jobs as the industry falters due to an economic slowdown.

Sterling Truck Corp. has announced 720 jobs will be slashed, on top of nearly 600 previous layoffs.

Media reports state the workers will receive official layoff notices Thursday and be out of work by November.

Local union chair Dave MacArthur blamed economic slowdown south of the border as hurting demand for trucks.

The latest layoffs will have a ripple effect on St. Thomas that could see thousands more handed the pink slip in the region's parts and services sector, said Bob Hammersley, chief executive of the St. Thomas Chamber of Commerce.

"It is so severe, it is depressing," Hammersley told the London Free Press.

Ontario's automotive industry has seen thousands of jobs slashed due to rising fuel prices and the troubled U.S. economy.

The city was also hit in mid-June with 400 jobs cut at a Magna International Inc. plant that makes frames for General Motors pickups.

P51bombay · Jul 17, 2008

D Team Brothers said:
Engine is MBE 4000/450. With 90,000 miles a small oil leak developed up near the head gasket. Tore top off and found a small O ring that seemed a little brittle - leaking. Took three days to get replacment O ring! I'm afraid it's only the beginning. My two 03 Centuries with Cummins just keep cruising down the road, and both reaching 1 mil. miles. I agree, don't buy NEW!

Or perhaps don't by a Daimler product, I've not heard anything negative about a Cummins emissions engine - anyone else?

x06col · Jul 17, 2008

Watching all those "pretty" trucks sit on the side of the road or in a repair shop lot makes me real thankfull for my wayyy pre emission 1992 tree thousand dolla Farmall. She wern't pretty, but, knew how to git R done.

OntarioVanMan · Jul 17, 2008

Talk about economy stimulous....I hope all them GM buyouts do come on in....and deposit their money and in a year or less they'll be gone...especilly some S/R's i've run into....