How to Find the Best Trucks for Sale

The process of finding and buying a semi truck tends to be a little different than the process of searching for a new personal vehicle. Usually, when you’re looking at a car or truck for personal use, you can go to a dealership and drive off the lot in your new vehicle if you wanted to. 

Buying a semi truck tends to take a more extended amount of time and effort. It’s rare for an owner-operator to find the perfect vehicle for their business needs on the first day of shopping for equipment. You’ll want to put a lot of effort into research, budgeting, and viewing when it comes to a purchase like this. After all, you want the money you put into this equipment to pay off eventually. 

Best Used Trucks to Buy

Whether you’re looking for the best used trucks to buy or you’re looking to buy new, you’ll want to sit down and put together a checklist of things to do before starting your search and solidifying your purchase. As an example, here are some things you’ll probably want to do before you begin looking for your equipment:

Figure Out What You Want

What are the qualities that are most important to you and your business in a semi truck? You have to understand your needs before you begin your search for the perfect truck. This is an especially important step if you’re a first-time buyer. 

Ask yourself a lot of questions. Do you have a specific make of truck in mind already? Would you rather buy new or used? Will you need a truck with a sleeper or can you get by with a day cab? Do you prefer a manual or automated manual transmission? What are your dealbreakers? 

The more you think about the features you prefer in a semi truck, the better off you will be when you begin your search. Being able to narrow down your preferences allows you the ability to weed out the trucks that won’t be suitable for you more quickly. 

Create a Budget 

Unless your pockets are lined with money, you’re going to want to create a clear budget. You know better than anyone what you can afford to spend and the amount you’re willing to spend on this type of equipment. 

In addition to creating a budget, you will also want to consider how you’re going to pay for your truck. Will you take out a loan or can you pay in cash? Allocating a certain amount of money to this purchase can be a good way to check yourself when searching for the right truck.

Do Some Research

Don’t decide to buy the first truck that you look at. Even if you truly think it’s the perfect truck for you and your business, you should always try to shop around a little more. See what else is out there at the same price. Compare the pros and cons of different vehicles. See where you can get the best deal. 

If after all of that, you still want to buy the first truck you looked at, consider yourself lucky. Most of the time, the first semi you see is not going to be the one that you end up driving off the lot. Being able to compare and contrast different models also helps you understand what you want most out of a truck.

Best Deals on Trucks Right Now

After you create your checklist and do some research, it’s time to get out in the world and look at your serious contenders. We recommend that you see the trucks in person to get a good idea of their specific condition, and sellers should be open to letting you do a test drive. After all, this is a significant investment, so it’s important to know the quality of your equipment. 

If you’re buying used and looking for the best deals on trucks right now, you’ll also want to check out and confirm the truck’s history. Sellers should be open to giving you information about the truck’s accident and maintenance history. If not, we’d recommend trying to find a truck elsewhere. If you feel that the seller is trying to hide the history of the vehicle they are trying to sell you, it’s a big sign that you should not be working with them. 

The first thing you should do when working with a new seller is find out if they are trustworthy. Unfortunately, just like in every industry, there are truck sellers who might be looking to make money off of faulty equipment by withholding the actual condition of their vehicles. It’s important to be wary of sellers like this when you’re shopping around for your semi. 

Most Reliable Used Trucks

At Handshake Fleet, our leadership has over 30 years of experience in the trucking industry. We know what businesses are potentially looking for in a truck, and we have a wealth of knowledge we will happily apply to your particular situation. Our goal is to help you find the most reliable used trucks best suited to your needs as an owner-operator. 

We understand that buying a semi truck is a big investment, so we only offer reliable new and used trucks. At Handshake Fleet, we are dedicated to getting our customers quality trucks and trailers that fit within any budget. We offer a wide range of brands from different manufacturers and offer just about every kind of equipment. 

Handshake Fleet is based in the Chicagoland area, and we are committed to making the process of buying trucks and trailers as easy and smooth as possible. This is why we offer full-service assistance, which means that we can help with arranging necessary financing, insurance, title, license plates/tags, and more. 

If you’re in the market for a new semi truck or trailer, take a look at the vast selection of equipment listed on our website. Not only do we guarantee you’ll find what you’re looking for, but we can also promise that the process of buying your new truck will be as painless as possible. If you have any questions about finding your new truck, contact us today.