Need some advice on buying a Semi

Bersaglieri said:
I thought about renting but I think $500 a pop is going to add up quick with practicing and especially if I have to take the test more than once. I know my one neighbor has some trucks for his construction business, but they are usually gone. He's got a few dumps I could probably use to get a Class B, but I'd rather have the whole enchilada.

Kenworth
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Overpriced? Seems high for a 84' Kenworth. Guy is selling because of divorce and he couldn't make ends meet being an owner/operator. He now drives for a company. It was listed at $14,000 and now he's at $12,000.

4.11 gears [he thinks]
Complete out of frame with new crank, new cam, new air pump, rebuilt injection pump, etc with receipts. Has about 40k on the rebuild.
He and his father have owned it for the last 20 years and knows most of the history about everything on the truck.
Aluminum wheels, air bag rear, sprung front, 13 speed 'double over', virgin tires with 2 recaps in the rear.
Paint is fadded, but no big body issues.
He said the trans and rear have alot of miles on them, but no issues.

He invited me to come look at it on Saturday, what would you guys look for? Or should I just pass on this one? At what price would I not lose my ass on resale?

When comparing this to a 1993 International with a Mechanical N14 is seems the 93' would be a better move... guess it depends on tires and mechanical problems more than anything else. The guy with the 93' doesn't know anything about the truck, no history, and that bothers me.
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KW will be way easier to get rid of later. What engine btw?

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Good point RockinRam, that guy actually said it'll shine with some wax, but it wears off in the NM sun after a week or so. The top of the hood and roof are 'oxidized' a whitish color. But I'm not concerned about looks anyways, the full rebuild gives me faith that it'll hold some value and run well. You're truck looks sharp, I read your thread the other night, it makes me want to keep a truck and pull it!

I'll have to double check with the MVD, but I wonder if pulling a pintle behind the dump would count for class A. But I could get a class B without buying anything. The job I want typically uses dumps or utility trucks pulling a pintle trailer/backhoe.

I figured there would be more of a market for the Kenworth compared to the International, just not sure if $12,000 is stupid high or a decent start for negotiations. It's got a fresh Big Cam III Cummins.
 
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I'd go the Kenworth. What are you looking to do with it? I personally am not a fan of the 4.10's.
Deepest I would go is 3.90's myself. It'll be better with that 13 over but still I see fuel mileage being a ***** on that to an extent.
With a big cam and 13 over it'll be a good setup truck in my opinion.
 
Right now I'm just trying to get my CDL. I may take it back to Ohio with me and use it on the farm, do some local side jobs [Chesapeake], possibly pull it for ****s and giggles. I'm trying to get a good resume together so I can get out of NM/El Paso and get back home to Ohio. There are several jobs that prefer CDL holders and it's something I could fall back on later in life if necessary.

I'll have him double check on the gears, but I would never use this truck for OTR driving.
 
Oh well that's a different story then. Hmmm idk. Either way as far as resale, I'd get the kenworth.
 
That could have the potential to be a tough puller. Decent power can be had with the Big Cam and looks like it may have a Kenworth 8 bag suspension under it, which hooks nicely and the tires on the front drives look they are pretty meaty.

Does he have any paper work on the rebuild? Will he allow you to take an oil sample? If the truck has been worked in the recent past and hasn't been sitting around very long I don't see why it wouldn't be a good buy. You may have to fix minor things along the way, but you won't find a truck that you won't have to do some work on, unless it is brand new. Either way, that truck should be a good learning tool and nice to drive (compared to mine).
 
He does have paperwork on the rebuild, I can check that out tomorrow. I doubt he'd have a problem with doing an oil sample, he seemed like a stand up guy, just got the raw end on a divorce and it loosing his ass.

He did say it had the 8 bag suspension, I'll just go check it out tomorrow and bring back a bunch of pictures, info, and some oil samples. Does everyone still send them out to Black Labs or whatever it's called?
 
Bersaglieri said:
I'll have to double check with the MVD, but I wonder if pulling a pintle behind the dump would count for class A. But I could get a class B without buying anything. The job I want typically uses dumps or utility trucks pulling a pintle trailer/backhoe.

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In Ohio you will still need a class A to pull a pintle trailer with a dump/utility truck, provided the gvw of that trailer is over 10k. Class B is good for any straight truck.

ODPS | BMV | Ohio Driver License Information
 
I figured that's why they 'prefer' class A. I can borrow a dump for free and get a class B, but it looks like buying a truck is the only was I can snag a class A. Decisions...

Also called about a 1980 Mack today, but I think the old man wants to keep it.

Looks like this only all white:
ms_mack_sl.jpg


200k original miles [was used at Sky Harbor airport for most of it's life]
300 plus motor [EM6]
5 speed 'straight' trans
unsure on gears, but I think he said it likes 65mph? [He was pretty old and mumbling]
90% front tires, 60% rears
wet kit
$12,000

I've never heard much about Mack motors but it seems a 300 plus isn't going to hang with a 400 Cummins.
 
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Bersaglieri said:
I figured that's why they 'prefer' class A. I can borrow a dump for free and get a class B, but it looks like buying a truck is the only was I can snag a class A. Decisions...

Also called about a 1980 Mack today, but I think the old man wants to keep it.

Looks like this only all white:
ms_mack_sl.jpg


200k original miles [was used at Sky Harbor airport for most of it's life]
300 plus motor [EM6]
5 speed 'straight' trans
unsure on gears
90% front tires, 60% rears
wet kit
$12,000

I've never heard much about Mack motors but it seems a 300 plus isn't going to hang with a 400 Cummins.
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Phuck Mack and Volvo...
 
Bersaglieri said:
Learn me man, I'm new to this.

I know Mack's can have their own trans/rears and are supposedly rated at the wheels. Volvo, I have no clue.
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Mack's can have their own motors as well. Both are a pain in the arse to work on and just crap trucks in my opinion. That's solely my opinion. I have heard that the newer Volvos ride good and have a short turning radius but not a truck for me.
 
Yea, the problem with proprietary parts is not being able to find them in a pinch and when you do paying big money for them. That alone can be a big negative. The Big Cam seems like a small block chevy sort of deal compared to a Mack.
 
Bersaglieri said:
Yea, the problem with proprietary parts is not being able to find them in a pinch and when you do paying big money for them. That alone can be a big negative. The Big Cam seems like a small block chevy sort of deal compared to a Mack.
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My point exactly...
 
E model cat would be my choice if I was looking to Hotrod a street semi, you can turn them down on the road and have a nice ride then at the track unleash some crazy power, for years here kta cummins have dominated mod street semi pullin then out of the blue these trucks started showing up from out in western pa, the past dominating truck with th kta hasn't made it past 3rd yet at any pull I have been to idk what all they have done to them but they are insane you can YouTube the one his name is Nate August it's a blue kw w900
 
6.5tdshortbus said:
E model cat would be my choice if I was looking to Hotrod a street semi, you can turn them down on the road and have a nice ride then at the track unleash some crazy power, for years here kta cummins have dominated mod street semi pullin then out of the blue these trucks started showing up from out in western pa, the past dominating truck with th kta hasn't made it past 3rd yet at any pull I have been to idk what all they have done to them but they are insane you can YouTube the one his name is Nate August it's a blue kw w900
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Yeah August has been pulling that truck for a while. And yes the 3406E and the C15 will make some wicked power. This past weekend I went Full Productions pull at Little Valley. They had the Big Rig series there and the Sanders were there with 3 trucks. They have a V8 Mack with 4 chargers, a Cummkns of some sort with 4 chargers and a C15 with one charger. Four trucks were in the pull off, sanders 3 and the killer. I figured the Mack and Cummins would just rip the C15 apart. But he went down there just like they did he was probably 10 feet behind the other tel sanders trucks and about 20 behind the Killer. Which the little Cat was only running one charger!

The KTA and V8 Mack days are numbered. There is a new dog in town and it comes in yellow!
 
RockinRam96 said:
Yeah August has been pulling that truck for a while. And yes the 3406E and the C15 will make some wicked power. This past weekend I went Full Productions pull at Little Valley. They had the Big Rig series there and the Sanders were there with 3 trucks. They have a V8 Mack with 4 chargers, a Cummkns of some sort with 4 chargers and a C15 with one charger. Four trucks were in the pull off, sanders 3 and the killer. I figured the Mack and Cummins would just rip the C15 apart. But he went down there just like they did he was probably 10 feet behind the other tel sanders trucks and about 20 behind the Killer. Which the little Cat was only running one charger!

The KTA and V8 Mack days are numbered. There is a new dog in town and it comes in yellow!
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You got that right there is a hot rod semi that came from Ohio called class act a blue Pete and he stomped Tom Lindsey's diesel doctor(quad turbo kta) and he is only running a single charger cat
 
Bersaglieri said:
I figured that's why they 'prefer' class A. I can borrow a dump for free and get a class B, but it looks like buying a truck is the only was I can snag a class A. Decisions...
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Or find a pintle trailer and take your test for class A. I used a single axle dump and a pintle hitch trailer to get my class A.
 
BRE said:
Mack's can have their own motors as well. Both are a pain in the arse to work on and just crap trucks in my opinion. That's solely my opinion. I have heard that the newer Volvos ride good and have a short turning radius but not a truck for me.
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I work at a Mack and Volvo dealership I hate them both with a burning passion almost as much as 6.0s the volvos do ride nice the older Mack's are tough sobs and pretty simple I'm talking about the gray etech engines when Volvo came in and made the mp they ruined Mack stay away from any mack older than 04
 
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