Everything we know about buying a used truck
Straight answers to the questions we hear most from owner-operators and small fleets — no sales pitch, just what actually matters. Practical guides on buying, financing and maintaining used semi trucks and trailers.
- Day Cab vs. Sleeper Truck: Which Should You Buy? — A practical, no-hype comparison of day cabs and sleeper trucks to help owner-operators and small fleets match the right truck to their routes and budget.
- What to Look for When Buying a Used Semi Truck — A practical inspection checklist covering the engine, frame, tires, transmission, fluid leaks, and paperwork — the things that actually predict what a used truck will cost you after the sale.
- How Many Miles Is Too Many for a Used Semi Truck? — There's no single mileage cutoff that makes a used semi a good or bad buy — here's what actually predicts how many miles a truck has left.
- Reefer vs. Dry Van: Which Trailer Fits Your Freight? — A practical comparison of refrigerated and dry van trailers — what each hauls best, what they cost to buy and run, and how to decide which one matches your freight.
- How Much Is My Semi Truck Worth? A Trade-In Valuation Guide — What actually drives a used truck's trade-in value, and what to expect when you bring one in for an appraisal.
- Semi Truck Financing With Bad Credit: What Lenders Actually Look At — Credit score matters, but it's not the only number lenders weigh when financing a semi truck or trailer purchase.
- CARB-Compliant Reefer Trailers: What California Buyers Need to Know — A plain-English look at why the refrigeration unit on a used reefer trailer deserves as much scrutiny as the tires and the compressor, especially if California is part of your routes.
- Buying a Day Cab for Laredo Drayage — Short-haul border freight runs on a different duty cycle than long-haul trucking — here's what that means for the truck you should buy.
- Crossroads of America: Why Indianapolis Is a Hub for Used Sleeper Trucks — Indianapolis earned its nickname from real interstate geography — here's how that convergence shaped the region's freight industry, and what it means if you're shopping for a used sleeper truck there.
- Winter-Ready: Checking a Used Truck for Frame Rust and Undercarriage Damage — A practical, no-hype walkthrough of what road salt does to a truck's frame over the years, and exactly where to check before buying a truck that has wintered in states like Michigan.
- How to Buy a Used Semi Truck in California — A step-by-step guide for California owner-operators and fleets: choosing the right truck, checking emissions questions, inspecting the unit and lining up financing.
- How Commercial Truck Financing Works — What lenders look at, which documents to gather, how payments are calculated and how to compare offers when you finance a used semi truck.
- Used Semi Truck Buying Checklist — A printable-style checklist covering paperwork, engine, drivetrain, frame, tires, brakes and cab before you buy a used tractor.
- How to Become an Owner-Operator: A Practical Roadmap — From CDL experience to your own authority, first truck and cash-flow plan, here is how drivers make the jump to owning their own truck.
- Used Freightliner Cascadia Buyer's Guide — What to compare when shopping used Cascadias: model year, drivetrain, mileage versus records, sleeper condition and frame.
- Buying a Used Semi Truck in Texas — How Texas carriers can choose, inspect and finance a used semi, whether they run long haul out of Dallas or drayage around Laredo.
- Volvo VNL vs. Freightliner Cascadia: Which Used Sleeper Fits You? — A fair comparison of two popular long-haul sleepers, and why the individual truck matters more than the badge.