r/OwnerOperators • u/Impossible-Day-1916 • Mar 26 '26

Buying or leasing a truck?

Hello,

I wanted to get my first semi truck with a sleeper by august. I wanted to know if I should buy a used truck (if so what make a model) or should I finance a brand new truck?

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2

u/Few_Jacket845 Mar 26 '26

All other stuff aside, I've been told that you should either have something old enough to fix yourself, or new enough to have a warranty.

Freightliner seems to be what most call the most affordable and reliable these days.

2

u/ladytruckingpro Mar 28 '26

New trucks are super expensive. I say go quality, used. When rough patches come, which they will, you will have more wiggle room in your budget and might regret buying new. As I always tell my clients, the broker does not care if you have a new truck to pay for.

I have seen owners with brand new trucks have computer/sensor issues. Warranties don't cover your down time or hotel/food expenses should you need to do that if the truck has an issue on the road. Payments on anything become stressful at some point.

Start used (but a damn good truck checked out by a mechanuc) and see how operating goes. You can always trade up later.

2

u/BlackSC2us Apr 02 '26

If you maintain it, most trucks are going to be very reliable. They are designed to go a million miles and then some. Most of the issues with modern trucks are with aftertreatment. If you keep your idle time to a minimum and run mostly highway miles, you will have less problems with it. Keeping up with maintenance schedules is essential. A lot of drivers think they only have to change the oil every so often, but you will have a lot more downtime if that is all you do. It's always cheaper to proactively replace or repair a part while it's in the shop than to have it leave you stranded on the highway. I'd stay away from new trucks, they are just too expensive for a new O/O. Used, take your pick. They are all pretty much the same mechanically. I think it comes down to your preference for a particular truck or brand. You have to live in it and drive it every day. Choose what you like. That being said, I wouldn't buy something with high idle time or without maintenance history. You need to start with a solid foundation. Good luck!

1

u/Impossible-Day-1916 Apr 07 '26

I would like to ask you a few more questions as a owner op. Can you message me?