It’s an eternal struggle and one of the biggest decisions that truck drivers and fleet owner/operators have to deal with; whether to continue repairing an inefficient, breakdown-prone vehicle or to consider a replacement.
Some repairs are large, others are small; some part of normal wear-and-tear and others are due to faulty equipment or manufacturing. The main factor to consider when deciding whether to repair, rebuild, or replace is cost.
A great exercise to guide you when deciding if it’s time to replace your old commercial truck or keep repairing it is to record the amount of money you’re spending on maintenance each month. After a few months, or even just one month, do the math to find out how much money you’re spending on repairs per mile traveled each month.
If you’re spending more than 0.13 - 0.14 cents per mile on repairs and monthly maintenance, it’s time to consider your replacement options. Buying a new commercial vehicle can be costly up front, especially for new business owners or drivers.
Quality used commercial trucks still have many of the same features of newer models, at a lower upfront cost. Used commercial trucks like the ones you’ll find in our inventory also come with optional warranties and service and maintenance packages, to keep you on the road and happy.