Buying a truck for the first time isn’t like buying a car. The type of truck you choose affects the sorts of jobs you’re able to accept, the types of cargo you can transport, how fuel-efficient it is and whether it’s going to be making money for you or costing you money in the repair shop. Here are some important things to consider before making a potentially costly mistake.
Define the Jobs Your Truck Must Handle
Before you start comparing trucks’ trays, engines and finance options, it’s important to work out what you’ll actually be using the truck for. Think about the sorts of jobs you’ll be doing and what you’ll be transporting on a regular basis. Other factors to consider include:
- How far will you typically drive?
- How many times will you stop and start?
- Where will you park?
- Will you be doing a lot of backing into tight spaces at work sites, warehouses and customers’ properties?
- Will you be using your truck to tow trailers or other equipment?
- Who else will be driving it? Can they comfortably get in and out of it?
Think about the sort of body you’ll need (tipper, enclosed, refrigerated, towing etc.) and make sure the truck you choose is suitable for it.
Match Capacity and Condition to Your Work
Work Out What Your Typical Loads Will Be
Work out what your heaviest load will typically be (rather than what the absolute heaviest load you could ever transport in your truck might be) and what size it is. Don’t forget that anything added to the truck (extra bodies, accessories, tools, a full tank of fuel, toolbox, passengers) all affect the amount of payload space you have available.
Don’t just consider the advertised payload of a truck. While it’s important to make sure your truck is big enough for the job, it’s usually better to have a little extra capacity available rather than pushing your truck right up to its limit every time.
Decide Whether You Want to Buy a New or Used Truck
There are advantages to buying a truck new. They come with a manufacturer’s warranty, should have fairly predictable maintenance requirements and will include all the latest safety features. In some cases it may be easier to get specialised trucks (those requiring a particular body, power take-off etc.) new rather than used.
Buying used can save you money, however, particularly if you’re working with a limited budget or need a truck in a hurry; listings grouped under “new & used trucks Australia” keep both options in view unless only factory-new stock fits the job. Depreciation won’t hit you as hard and if you stick with a popular truck model you shouldn’t have too many problems finding parts or getting it fixed when it needs servicing. That said, you’ll have no way of knowing how well the previous owner looked after it and how heavily they used it.
It’s worth noting that not everyone should necessarily be buying a truck. If you’re looking at a smaller, lighter truck and will only be using it occasionally, it may be cheaper to just hire one off when you need it or even just get a smaller commercial vehicle instead.
Research the Truck’s Working History
If you’re looking at trucks that have been heavily used, don’t just take the kilometres travelled on trust, as a truck that’s only travelled a small number of kilometres but done a lot of stopping and starting, idling or carrying heavy loads might actually be in worse shape than one that’s been driven more kilometres but mainly travelled on the highway.
Budget for the Total Cost of Ownership
Don’t just consider how much the truck will cost, but consider the cost of owning it, too. Before you go looking at trucks, sit down and work out a realistic monthly budget for running costs that includes:
- Fuel
- Repairs and servicing
- Tyres
- Insurance and registration
- Bodywork repairs
- Load securing equipment
- Repairs to secure loads
- Washing
- Lost productivity while the truck is being repaired
- Administration
- Driver training
- Compliance
Remember that even minor differences in fuel efficiency (the IEA’s version at www.iea.org/energy-system/transport/fuel-economy is the least fluffy) can add up if you’re driving every day. Don’t get a vehicle that’s too small for the jobs you’ll be using it for, because it could end up costing you more in fuel, but make sure you’re not paying for extra power or capacity you don’t need, either.
When you’re looking at trucks ask questions about how often they need to be serviced, how often tyres will need replacing etc. If you’re looking at used and the seller can’t confidently answer these questions or explain the truck’s service history, make sure you take that into account before making an offer.
Inspect the Truck, Chassis and Body
Truck chassis and body components
If you’re buying used don’t assume that a truck that looks good on the outside (new paint, spotless cab etc.) is in good nick, so pay to have it inspected by a qualified truck mechanic before you buy it. Make sure they give everything a once-over from engine to electrical equipment to the chassis, brakes, transmission, suspension, steering etc.
If the paint looks good but the truck has odd tyre wear patterns or a mix of tyres, has leaking fluids, rust around brackets or uneven gaps between panels then it’s worth asking questions about accident history and whether any repairs were done professionally.
Slow Down Before Committing to a Purchase
Even if the seller swears there’s another buyer waiting on the truck, don’t rush into buying it if you haven’t done all your due diligence, because it will cost you a whole lot more in time, money and sleepless nights sorting things out later on if you haven’t done your homework!
Think Long & Hard Before You Buy
Think long & hard about what sort of truck will suit your needs, and don’t just go for the latest, nicest looking or cheapest truck on the market. Make a note of everything you’ll need the truck for, work out what your maximum realistic budget is, including on-going running costs, and use that as a checklist when viewing trucks. Make sure whatever truck you buy will be safe and legal to use for your day-to-day work and allow some leeway for growth!
