Used Truck Buying Tips

Box trucks provide affordable, versatile transportation for businesses of all sizes. These common vehicles are used for a wide variety of tasks, such as delivering products to customers, moving inventory between warehouses and retail stores, and bringing equipment to job sites.

Also called cube trucks, cube vans, or box vans, box trucks consist of a cab – the passenger compartment and engine – and a separate "box" for cargo. This two-piece construction differentiates them from cargo vans, which are more like passenger vans (with their one-piece construction.) They're part of the larger category of medium-duty trucks, along with flatbed trucks, refrigerated trucks, utility trucks, and more.

Medium-duty trucks don't fall into the same category as full-size tractor rigs. They're not as powerful, and the bed or cargo area is permanently attached, not interchangeable the way tractor trailers are.

Most box trucks fall into GVW (gross vehicle weight) rating classes 3 through 6 – up to 26,000 pounds. Some reach class 7, but these larger models require a commercial driver's license (CDL), which could be a drawback for some buyers. Most small businesses buy class 3 and 4 trucks.

This Buyer's Guide will help you prepare for a box truck purchase by giving you essential information, such as the following:

• Do you want gasoline or diesel?
• What features are most important?
• How much can you expect to pay?

When buying a medium-duty truck, the most important questions relate to your business – not the trucks. Before you talk to a single dealer, sit down and think through your needs and expectations.

 

What will you be carrying? It doesn't get much more straightforward than this: what will your typical load be? What about your absolute maximum? These answers will determine what type of body, the size of the body, and the load rating you'll need.

Where will you be carrying it? The primary factors to consider here are the total mileage you'll put on the vehicle and the type of driving you'll be doing. Your needs for long-distance highway driving will be much different than your needs for quick trips around a city or off-road hauling.

When gathering this information, you should make sure the truck you buy can meet your current needs as well as your projected growth. Depending on the use it gets, a new medium-duty truck can easily last 10 years or more if well maintained, so you'll want one that can grow with your business.

Gasoline vs. diesel trucks

One basic decision to make before buying a box truck is whether you want a gasoline or diesel engine. Note that this is really only an option at the lower end of the medium-duty truck range: class 3 trucks are fairly equally split between gas and diesel, and some smaller class 4 trucks are available with gas engines. At larger capacities, you'll find almost exclusively diesel trucks.

Diesel engines have more power at low RPMs, making it easier to start from a standstill with a heavy load. They also last longer than gasoline engines if properly maintained.

Gasoline engines are far less expensive to purchase. They're also quieter and pollute less than diesels do, but that advantage is smaller than it used to be because of improved diesel technology.

Historically, diesel was cheaper than gas, but soaring oil costs have raised prices on both fuels to the point where they're essentially equal in many parts of the country. Diesel engines get marginally better mileage than do gas engines, but the higher cost of oil changes and other routine maintenance can cancel that savings out.

If you're buying class 3 trucks for very low mileage operation, a gasoline truck can save you money. In most cases, though, a diesel is a better long-term investment for your business.

Four-wheel drive trucks

Most box trucks are two-wheel drive (2WD), since they rarely go off-road and 2WD provides better gas mileage. If you plan on doing regular off-road driving, though, four-wheel drive (4WD) is invaluable for getting around on low-traction surfaces like mud or loose gravel. Don't buy 4WD lightly: in addition to the gas mileage hit, you'll also pay a premium up front – up to several thousand dollars.

 

 

Medium-duty trucks: basic types and options

One of the significant differences between buying a car and buying a commercial truck is that commercial truck dealers can work with you to design exactly the truck you want. Give them the details on the types of loads you need to carry, typical trips, and what frustrates you about your current trucks if applicable.

Types of medium-duty trucks

Box trucks – basic enclosed boxes with roll-up rear doors – are the most common type of medium-duty truck, but there are many other types of bodies to choose from:

Refrigerated trucks – If you need to keep your cargo cold, you'll pay more up front and in operating costs for a refrigerated truck.

Flatbed trucks – Good for carrying larger items as well as loading and unloading with cranes, flatbed trucks can include fixed or dump beds.

Utility trucks – Designed for mobile maintenance and tradesmen, utility trucks are lined with bins and racks for storing tools, spare parts, and other equipment.

Landscape trucks – Partially open, with space to store mowers, bins, blowers, weed whackers, and more, landscape trucks often include sloped ramps and fold-down sides for easy access.

Box trucks are generally measured by the length of their cargo area. The most common sizes are from 14' to 26'. Both smaller and larger vehicles can be found, but they're rare – larger trucks are much more expensive and harder to drive, and smaller trucks don't provide the capacity most businesses are looking for.

There are two significantly different cab configurations for these trucks. Conventional high cabs sit behind the engine, providing better long-distance visibility and comfort for extended highway driving.

Cabover designs put the cab over the front axle and in front of the engine, providing far better visibility and maneuverability in tight spaces. In these designs, the cab tilts forward to grant access to the engine.

Almost all box trucks have roll-up doors in the back – similar to garage doors. One option to consider is a liftgate, a powered platform that raises and lowers your cargo from the street to the back of the truck. If you'll be using your truck mainly at loading docks, you won't need one, but for on-street deliveries a liftgate is a huge time-saver.

Other extras in the cargo area can include translucent ceilings for light, electric lights, and rail systems along the walls that make it easy to secure cargo when necessary.

In the operator's cab, you have a range of familiar options to choose from. These include automatic or manual transmission, A/C, bucket seats, CD players, and other comfort and convenience options similar to those available in new cars. Some medium-duty truck models offer the choice of regular or crew cabs, which add an extra row of seating.

When evaluating the cost of these extras, keep in mind the amount of time your drivers will spend in the truck over its lifespan. A small additional expense now can mean increased comfort for your employees for years to come.

 

Pricing

Medium-duty truck pricing is enormously varied, since the segment ranges from very basic 14' box trucks to 26' refrigerated trucks loaded with extras.

Keep in mind that the price ranges in this section are general guidelines: prices vary according to the size of the truck, the options you select, dealer inventories, and your location, so all pricing examples are only approximate.

Light-duty class 2 trucks can go for $25,000 to $35,000, but most commercial dealers start with class 3 trucks. You'll find it hard to get a new class 3 truck for under $35,000, although it's possible; more typical are prices of $35,000 to $45,000. Pricing for new class 4 trucks runs from $36,000 to $60,000 and higher if you really load them up with extras. Class 5 trucks range from $40,000 to $70,000 and class 6 from $50,000 to $85,000.

Refrigerated trucks carry a steep premium – $20,000 or more above the base cost. Other bed options may add $1,000 to $5,000, and highly customized configurations can cost much more.

This brings up the element of "buyer beware" when buying any used vehicle. Only buy from a dealer who offers at least some warranty to make sure you don't waste money on a lemon. Because of the longevity benefits, diesel trucks are often a better choice if you're buying an older vehicle, but if they haven't been properly maintained, they can be a disaster waiting to happen.

Used medium-duty truck pricing spans a huge range, just like used car pricing. A year-old 16' truck with only a few thousand miles on it may go for $35,000 instead of its $40,000 new price. But if you buy that same truck when it's four to five years old, with 50,000 or 100,000 miles on it, you could get it for $12,000 to $20,000.

Older trucks go for even less – you could find a 10-year-old truck that still runs for as little as $5,000, but you probably wouldn't want to count on it.

Financing

Know how you'll be paying for your truck before your start shopping: if you're like most small businesses, you'll want to finance your vehicle over several years. Be sure to ask each dealership what financing options they can provide, but consider other options as well. At a minimum, check with your business bank to see what terms it can offer on a vehicle loan.

In addition to reducing the up-front cost of a truck, financing your truck over three or five years can help you think more about the longer-term benefits of different models and options, and less about the bottom-line cost. For example, $1,500 may seem like a lot for a cabin upgrade, but when you look at it as $25 per month over five years, it's a small price to pay for the comfort and safety of your employees.