Learning About Automotive Parts
About Me
Learning About Automotive Parts

Hello, my name is Talon. Welcome to my site about automotive parts. After 15 years of driving, I still have my very first car. For a long time, this cherished vehicle sat under a car cover in the garage. Now that I have the time and funds available, I started slowly restoring the car from the bottom up. I used a mix of original equipment and aftermarket parts to renew the vehicle’s suspension, brakes, engine, transmission and other important components. I will use this site to explore all of the parts you may need to buy or rebuild to restore your own vehicle. Thanks for visiting.

Archive
Tags
Categories

Learning About Automotive Parts

4 Tips for Purchasing a Used Semi-Truck

Paula Shaw

After several years of working for transportation companies, some experienced truck drivers decide that they would like to work for themselves as owner-operators. Running your own routes and making your own schedule can be a dream come true, but in order to be an owner-operator, you need your own semi-truck. Since buying a semi-truck is a big financial investment, it is often best for new owner-operators to start out by purchasing a used semi-truck that is in good condition. Use the following tips to find a used semi-truck that is a good value so you can begin building your own business.

Ask to See Service Records

When buying a used semi-truck, you want to find one that has been well maintained and taken care of over the years. The best way to ensure this is by asking the seller if you can see the service records. This will allow you to see exactly what kind of maintenance the truck has had as well as any major repairs that have been made over the past several years.

Inspect the Semi-Truck for Rust

Rust is typically a bad sign, but the reaction you should have to seeing rust depends on whether the rust is structural rust or surface rust. In many cases, surface rust can be taken care of by replacing a part or a body panel. But structural rust is a much bigger red flag and may indicate that the truck could turn into a money pit or may not be in good driving condition for much longer.

Hire a Mechanic

You never want to invest a large amount of money into a used semi-truck without having an experienced semi-truck mechanic do an inspection. It is worth your money to pay a mechanic to do the most comprehensive inspection possible so you will have peace of mind that the truck will not need major repairs in the near future if you decide to buy it.

Find Out If Parts Are Readily Available

You may be excited to find a well-maintained used semi-truck that is mechanically sound, but before you pull the trigger and make the purchase, take the time to do some research and make sure that you can easily buy replacement parts as needed. Ideally, you should be able to find parts for the make and model of the semi-truck from several different parts suppliers at a fair and reasonable price. 

Visit sites such as http://www.arrowtruck.com/ to look at companies selling used semi-trucks near you. 


Share