Hey Geofkaye,
Your just an honest little fella huh. I definately know how bad the new market is today but be encouraged, I have seen a huge increase in new movement in the past 3-4 weeks. Hopefully it is sign of better days in the near future. With that said, I don't believe we will see a market like 2006 was in quite some time but Volvo is in a good spot with the new I-Shift and especially with all the changes that freightliner is going through with their chassis, models & axle restrictions.
I'm sorry about your problems with dealers but all I can ask for is that you give me a call and I will try and help. Funny, that is how I got established in this market is through customer service (Or just doing my job). A quick story. Doug, owner of Powerhouse, first called me 7 years ago now and asked about a used truck that I had in stock. I gave him all the information and represented the truck as honestly as possible and he bought the truck sight-un-seen. When the truck was delivered, it was exactly how it was suppose to be. Doug and I have become very good friends in the process and contrary to other stories that I have read in this forum, his plant has not burned down and he is still able to build high end coaches. He, like everyone, has just experienced a slow down and will get back on his feet. He is the one person in this industry that is always thinking outside the box and his ideas WORK.
I also got a call from haulmark about 5 years ago asking for a proposal on Volvo chassis. I got back with them that evening and they have been buying from me ever since. Mainly because I did my job and the dealers before had not been back to them for two weeks.
Sorry if it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn but I'm proud and excited to be part of this market. If you have any questinos or need me to look for some used equipment I will.
When it comes to buying between a new chassis or a used chassis, you will definately save some money with purchasing used equipment. This all depends on what you are willing to except from a used piece(ie mileage, year, etc...) A large concern that people should be aware of in buying a used over-the-road truck is that it will never have a large enough front axle capacity or the proper rear brake proportioning valve. Some people will say that if you just change the front tires to a higher weight rated tire that you will never have any problems. Not true, law enforcement is getting very strict in checking the GVW on the manufacturer sticker and not just by looking at the weight rating of the tire. Especially in this application. The problem with the brake proportioning valve is that on a normal over-the-road truck, it will put most of your braking on the front axle if it is not hooked too a trailer. This is a safety problem if your coach is trying to stop on just the smaller front brakes. Also, the cost of extending the frame and modifications are always signifcant and will never be the quality of a factory ordered chassis that we have engineered. So when looking for a used conversion, make sure that these areas have been addressed.
Feel free to call me if you have any additional questions or are looking for equipment.
Thanks for the input Geof,
Big T
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