I'm thinking about purchasing my first new truck.

Fred_Berkelhammer · Apr 5, 2016

Hi. I have always bought used trucks for my company. (I've also never bought a new car or pickup truck for my family, so I am new to this). Last year, I had mechanics and towing costs that amounted to more than 5% of gross revenue. It was a set of particularly costly repairs, and not a typical year, but it got me thinking that maybe I need to start buying newer or new vehicles. I'm in contact with a truck dealer out of Phoenix who sends their new (NRR-I like cabovers) chassis to a fabricator, who builds chip boxes and installs them on a hoist. They've sent me a quote for pretty much what I'm looking for, with a few changes to be added or subtracted. My question is, are the items in a quote from a chassis dealer negotiable? Do some dealers negotiate and others not? I'm a lousy bargainer, tend to give away the farm, but wonder if this is something I should be concentrating on. Sticker shock comes into play for someone used to buying used equipment. I'd appreciate any feedback, and thanks.

classictruckman · Apr 5, 2016

Definitely negotiate him down, they always have a little wiggle room in there, on the chip body too.

matamorph · Apr 5, 2016

Fred_Berkelhammer said:
Hi. I have always bought used trucks for my company. (I've also never bought a new car or pickup truck for my family, so I am new to this). Last year, I had mechanics and towing costs that amounted to more than 5% of gross revenue. It was a set of particularly costly repairs, and not a typical year, but it got me thinking that maybe I need to start buying newer or new vehicles. I'm in contact with a truck dealer out of Phoenix who sends their new (NRR-I like cabovers) chassis to a fabricator, who builds chip boxes and installs them on a hoist. They've sent me a quote for pretty much what I'm looking for, with a few changes to be added or subtracted. My question is, are the items in a quote from a chassis dealer negotiable? Do some dealers negotiate and others not? I'm a lousy bargainer, tend to give away the farm, but wonder if this is something I should be concentrating on. Sticker shock comes into play for someone used to buying used equipment. I'd appreciate any feedback, and thanks.

Buy a used one and spend wut you saved on more biners!

frashdog · Apr 5, 2016

Fred_Berkelhammer said:
Hi. I have always bought used trucks for my company. (I've also never bought a new car or pickup truck for my family, so I am new to this). Last year, I had mechanics and towing costs that amounted to more than 5% of gross revenue. It was a set of particularly costly repairs, and not a typical year, but it got me thinking that maybe I need to start buying newer or new vehicles. I'm in contact with a truck dealer out of Phoenix who sends their new (NRR-I like cabovers) chassis to a fabricator, who builds chip boxes and installs them on a hoist. They've sent me a quote for pretty much what I'm looking for, with a few changes to be added or subtracted. My question is, are the items in a quote from a chassis dealer negotiable? Do some dealers negotiate and others not? I'm a lousy bargainer, tend to give away the farm, but wonder if this is something I should be concentrating on. Sticker shock comes into play for someone used to buying used equipment. I'd appreciate any feedback, and thanks.

Just bought my first new vehicle. 2016 f350 crew diesel. Cost more then my bucket truck. we make more money with a one ton then the bucket so...talk to an accountant. Ask about accelerated depreciation. Once you make enough money/are busy enough, you will lose money buying used equipment with down time for repairs. My first 8 years we just bought used equipment cheap, cause we could fix everything. Now we struggle to keep up with jobs, so down time fixing stuff is brutal...more newer equipment follows. I think used equipment is the way to start as a stepping stone to other newer equipment. We are hoping to buy a new mini skid steer and tracked lift this season.

matamorph · Apr 5, 2016

frashdog said:
Just bought my first new vehicle. 2016 f350 crew diesel. Cost more then my bucket truck. we make more money with a one ton then the bucket so...talk to an accountant. Ask about accelerated depreciation. Once you make enough money/are busy enough, you will lose money buying used equipment with down time for repairs. My first 8 years we just bought used equipment cheap, cause we could fix everything. Now we struggle to keep up with jobs, so down time fixing stuff is brutal...more newer equipment follows. I think used equipment is the way to start as a stepping stone to other newer equipment. We are hoping to buy a new mini skid steer and tracked lift this season.

Yeah, but... used equipment means more biners!...

matamorph · Apr 5, 2016

... shiny NEW biners!

... would love that new truck smell though!!!

...(until "first dink" paranoia sets in!...)

matamorph · Apr 5, 2016

...Just buy smart!

frashdog · Apr 5, 2016

matamorph said:
... shiny NEW biners!

... would love that new truck smell though!!!

...(until "first dink" paranoia sets in!...)

I held of for so long because everyone dents and scratches all my shit. Last year the day I said I was thinking of a new truck, a new guy gets in one of the one tons and runs the hitch on the chipper right along the whole side of the truck. Next day or so same guy puts the five gallon water cooler from the sandy ground to the hood then proceeded to wiggle it around back to the side so he could get a drink! Wtf...Scratched the shit right out of it. So....The day we pick up the new truck, as soon as we sit in it I ask my guy joking, but serious, "who do you think is going to be the first to scratch or dent it?" Not a month, not even the first payment and that guy did not hitch up the dump trailer properly and while dumping it stabbed into the tailgate...$650 just for the skin painted. Yea!