limited peterbilt.. opinions

[Barry Donovan]

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsde...x?OHID=2551213


seeking some bangshifter opinions. Dad is going on 60, a long time trucking, over 25 as an owner operator. going on 38 in all. Making no more than the average college grad, he has dealt with millions of dollars. he has had from 290 to 550, internationals, kenworth, frieghtliner, a mack v8 was his first class A (lucky dog) in the 70s.

his most valuable rig was wrecked after he sold it...a big bunked international, 550hp. near the cost of this one. It had a 550, and both agreed the freakin monster was just too big for everyday long hours (Gargantuate). I could guess it may have sprung at its own frame...(it crashed in western maine hauling too much of something)

anyway, he tells me this is his last...wants it as a good resale. It is a big choice after 35 years...he stopped adding miles, and tells me he is at 3.5 million (it is more towards 6)

so...seeking an ultimate end for a long career n trucking is still more jackass than reality.

The limited pete, and the price in the ad is not what he has going by some means of being long term with something or other...seems a good candidate.

They may have reworked the dreaded EGR given the pipes, and he informed me the rear is 3.36 gear, and not the 3.55 in the ad.

would you just go for a regular truck and fade away from the most dreaded years of trucking? or would you reach for something limited, add some pretentious pride?

[ford141]

Re: limited peterbilt.. opinions

My dad just went through the same exact situation. He started driving a GMC Astro in '82 and had various nondescript Freightliners after that. In 2005 he finally bought the truck he really wanted- a Kenworth W900L, standup bunk, top of the line interior, 525 Cummins, 18spd. He also got it for the resale value, since he knew he wouldn't be driving much longer. He paid the truck off and sold it with 900,000 on it for $25K. Gave him a nice chunk of cash in the bank after he got out of it, and he still has pictures of the truck all through the house to remember it.

After he sold out he went to work for a local excavating company running equipment, but I think he really missed driving. He is back driving tractor/trailer now hauling glass on a local route. The pay is a little less than what he made when he owned his own truck, but he gets home every night, and he doesn't have to work on the truck, he just parks it and comes home at the end of the day.

[kyhunter89]

Re: limited peterbilt.. opinions

He is back driving tractor/trailer now hauling glass on a local route. The pay is a little less than what he made when he owned his own truck, but he gets home every night, and he doesn't have to work on the truck, he just parks it and comes home at the end of the day.

thats the way to do it...

truck still looks like a 379....

what size sleeper he want? just buy a plain 379 and do it your own way, thats pride...

[kelly andersen]

Re: limited peterbilt.. opinions

Too much money for a 4 year old truck, you can find similar ones for half what they are asking,limited edition or not,thats a ridiculous price,especially in this economy.

[Barry Donovan]

Re: limited peterbilt.. opinions

He is back driving tractor/trailer now hauling glass on a local route. The pay is a little less than what he made when he owned his own truck, but he gets home every night, and he doesn't have to work on the truck, he just parks it and comes home at the end of the day.

thats the way to do it...

truck still looks like a 379....

what size sleeper he want? just buy a plain 379 and do it your own way, thats pride...

that is what I would do too.

it is funny, my generation (30s to 40s) local, if growing up with the career.. all mad at trucks. trucks are never nice..they all suck.

one guy actually made his own, out of a pete chassis.. 3408, custom bunk. Now sitting as a monument. Another guy looks like he has a modern little big rig.. but the guts are again way beyond, and quite capable. What I would do, and alot of us want to do, is a generational think no doubt. An old guy who bounced around on hendrickson leafs and 290hp.. well...it is enough to make me cry at how humble his version of nice truck is.

So many mismatches and moscommunication on what is wanted and needed.. a pete has always had its fine line down the middle. We agree on this, not much else.


My dad believes in what is out there, atypical to trucking (as alot of owner operators are), his mind is on a bigger picture than motorhead, I am the opposite. Respecting what he thinks, I told him to go for it. And that price may be half of listing or something like that (upon checking around, the real price really is half of what is shown).. I found another limited, exactly half that price. A house in my locales economy can be had for their asking. Of course it is absurd.

The way he goes about this, I could get a call tomorrow asking for a ride to the trucks location.. he is fun like that.

getting for resale as last truck, I see it is a good idea, thanks for replies.

[daved931]

Re: limited peterbilt.. opinions

I think the PACCAR trucks are nicer and may offer a little bit better resale. However, you will face a higher initial purchase price.

If he goes back to IH (er, Navistar), they still have enough environmental credits that you can avoid the whole urea system. That can save you a fair amount of cash in the course of a year, depending upon mileage.

I just ordered our first International 4400 to join what has been a very solid fleet of Freightliner M2 106 trucks. One of the big reasons was the ability to order a 2012 without an urea system. DEF will probably run $2.75 - $3/gallon depending upon location. I believe it is already stocked in the Pilot chain and most larger truck stops. Approximately 3% of your fuel consumption is DEF fluid. For the truck I just got that means the following:

50,000 miles a year
6.5 mpg is what I get with the current Cummins/Freightliner trucks

7692 gallons of diesel
3% of 7692 is 231 gallons
231 x 2.75 = $635

Those are all approximations of course.

An OTR truck (I deal with delivery trucks), may cover 50,000 miles in a matter of a few months, which would make that DEF cost a lot higher.

Another thing I've noticed is that companies are buying up all of the used and off-lease trucks they can or they are converting to Navistar to avoid these urea systems. I just attended an industry (food distribution) conference that included the likes of Sysco, GFS and US Foodservice and they are all converting to International. What that means is, if you have an International with no urea system up for sale in a few years and it's in good shape, it may command a better price.

FWIW, we had an International 9200 as a loaner from Ryder when one of our sh*tty Sterlings was broken and that thing was f*cking nice inside. Wood grain dash, awesome seat and it drove about 100x nicer than our sh*t Sterlings and even our reliable as death and taxes Freightliners with 60 Series Detroits.

My $0.02.

Best of luck to your dad.