Forest Park

(404) 366-8044

5884 Frontage Road, Forest Park, GA

Get Directions

Jefferson

(706) 367-8998

1755 Dry Pond Rd, Jefferson, GA

Get Directions

Norcross

(770) 449-5300

6535 Crescent Drive, Norcross, GA

Get Directions

McDonough

(678) 583-8800

100 Sterling Place, McDonough, GA

Get Directions

Austell

(404) 344-1189

450 Lee Industrial Blvd, Austell, GA

Get Directions

Byron

(478) 956-1000

137 Peachtree Parkway, Byron, GA

Get Directions

SelecTrucks of Atlanta

(800) 999-2512

333 Industrial Blvd, McDonough, GA

Get Directions

SelecTrucks of Georgia

(706) 591-7024

1755 Dry Pond Rd, Jefferson, GA

Get Directions

Commercial Vehicle Parts Center

(770) 449-5300

6814 Best Friend Road, Doraville, GA

Get Directions

Specialty Vehicles

(404) 362-9385

5814 Frontage Rd, Forest Park, GA

Get Directions

SelecTrucks of Alabama

(205) 322-6695

401 Daniel Payne Dr, Birmingham, AL

Get Directions

Birmingham

(205) 322-6695

401 Daniel Payne Dr, Birmingham, AL

Get Directions

Tuscaloosa

(205) 759-8782

5404 Reese Phifer Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL

Get Directions

Harpersville

(205) 421-2020

3130 Hwy 280, Harpersville, AL

Get Directions

Cartersville

678-695-4920

543 Old Grassdale Rd., Cartersville, GA

Get Directions

Villa Rica

Corner of Edge Rd. & Liberty Rd., Villa Rica, GA

8/24/22

Are You Focused On The Beginning, But Not The End?

Purchasing a truck can be an exciting time, and there are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration.

SelecTrucks

Are You Focused On The Beginning, But Not The End?

Purchasing a truck can be an exciting time, and there are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration. Choosing a truck, negotiating a fair price, securing financing, considering your warranty options are all very important decisions. But have you decided how long you plan to keep the truck, and how you intend to dispose of it when its productive life is done?

Why You Should Own And Operate Your Semi-Truck In The “Sweet Spot”

Most savvy fleets today are focused on what they call an “Operating Window”. They are very conscious of what they pay for a truck, but more than that, they are conscious of what it costs to operate that truck while they own it, and they give a lot of thought to when that ownership should end, and roll into a new or newer truck. In the case of a good used truck, it is wise to carefully consider when in that truck’s life you should buy it and operate it, and just as important, when you are going to get rid of it and replace it with a newer truck. 

This operating window is the “Sweet Spot” in the life of that truck. Generally speaking, it begins when a truck has depreciated to a point where it becomes affordable, but may still have relatively low miles, and maybe even still have some factory warranty remaining. Hopefully the price is reasonable, and you can add as much extended warranty as you can afford to buy. This is where your “Operating Window” begins. For the next period of time, you should be operating in the “Sweet Spot”. The truck is running well with a minimum of downtime, and your warranty is covering any major repairs that you may have. 

When To Sell Your Semi-Truck

At some point in your ownership of the truck, the warranty will expire, and maintenance costs will begin to spike up as the truck gets some miles and age on it. This is where you need to have an exit strategy. If you’ve not planned the term of your financing properly, you might find yourself to be “upside down” at this point. With proper planning, your payoff will be less than the value of your trade allowance, and you can roll some equity into the next truck to reduce the amount of the payments on that truck.

Ask your SelecTrucks salesman to help you structure your deal so that you can own and operate your truck in the “Sweet Spot”, and then plan an exit strategy that allows you to “Keep On Trucking!”

View our inventory of new and used trucks and be sure to check out our blog to learn more!

This operating window is the “Sweet Spot” in the life of that truck. Generally speaking, it begins when a truck has depreciated to a point where it becomes affordable, but may still have relatively low miles, and maybe even still have some factory warranty remaining.

Gary Conleay

About the Author

Gary Conleay

Gary is a 35 year veteran of the truck sales business. After graduating with a degree in marketing from Southeastern Louisiana University, Gary began his career with Kenworth and Chevrolet Trucks in Baton Rouge, LA. In 1983, he became the youngest Sales Manager in the entire Peterbilt network. He has since worked with dealers in Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia, successfully creating and managing high performing sales teams. Gary has represented the Freightliner brand for the last 20 years and came to SelecTrucks of Atlanta in December of ’07.

Previous Story

I am PSTC - Jimmy Southard

Next Story

I am PSTC - Chantay Shirley Pirkle

DIESEL VS. ELECTRIC BUS

Cost Comparison

mi

Fields Are Editable

Modify the values in this tool to see what savings you could achieve by integrating electric school buses into your fleet. Close
/yr
MPG
$
$
buses
kWh
kWh
mi
Electric Energy Savings
1 Bus
Cost Annually
Cost Daily
Diesel
Electric Energy
Cost daily diesel bus
Cost daily electric bus
Cost annually diesel bus
Cost annually electric bus
Cost daily diesel buses
Cost daily electric buses
Cost annually diesel buses
Cost annually electric buses
Annual Savings
Annual Savings