Just curious as I might be in line for my first truck. A previous post on here a while back gives details of a possible O/D opportunity I might have. If it does come about I dont want a huge debt therefore I’m not interested in new trucks.
I have recently seen a 1998 XF (750 000 km) for sale that suits my needs. I can afford to buy it outright but it needs MOTing (expired this month). Even though the spec is ideal, I cant help thinking its a bit too old, though it has a FSH. I know it needs a bit of work cosmetically, but as its 10 years old with no MOT do you think I’m asking for trouble ■■
Any advice from people who were once in this position would be grateful…
Whenever anything goes for sale with no MoT it always makes me wonder “why?” The way I see it is that if it would pass an MoT easily then why does the seller not put it through and then charge a lot more money for it with a full 12 months on it? If it won’t pass easily you probably don’t want it anyway.
As for age, I wouldn’t say 10 years is too old as a general rule, but of course it does depend on what work it has been doing and how well it has been maintained.
Paul
my first truck was a 9 yr old scania 143, but i knew it had been looked after from new, it never let me down once and sometimes i wish i still had it, but then again i was lucky it never let me down, you can get as much advice as you want but when it comes to it its you who will be sitting there grinning in 2 yrs time when its ran like clockwork and made you a few quid, or you will have your head in the oven cos its bankrupted you, its just a chance you take i,m afraid
repton:
Whenever anything goes for sale with no MoT it always makes me wonder “why?” The way I see it is that if it would pass an MoT easily then why does the seller not put it through and then charge a lot more money for it with a full 12 months on it? If it won’t pass easily you probably don’t want it anyway.
I agree entirely, an MOT is less than £100 worst case, so why sell it with one about to expire?
It would certainly put me off buying it
Short term rental, you get better kit, the risk to your reputation is eliminated.
No breakdowns, or if there are, you get a replacement.
You keep the money in your pocket, you will need it in the first year or two, and you can send it back, if the job goes pear shaped.
And, you will get a brilliant deal in the new year, as there will be loads of rental kit standing, twitchy bum time for the rental companies in 2009 IMHO 
You could allways try asking the seller to sweeten the deal by putting a years MOT on it for the sale to be agreed, seeing his reaction to the offer might tell you if theres a problem, possibly. 
donkey-dog:
You could allways try asking the seller to sweeten the deal by putting a years MOT on it for the sale to be agreed, seeing his reaction to the offer might tell you if theres a problem, possibly.
This is the other option, but, I`ll bet the runt runs a mile 
Theres a guy round here who runs a 1970 Ford D series with a huge box on the back.I think his back up is a Thames Trader.Simple and bombproof mechanics.I,ve been looking at coaches and for my second vehicle it would have to be a Leylond Leopard simple and rugged. It would go nice with a Volvo B10 old but reliable with the right body good starter vehicles.
If your lookin at Daf’s check for oil in the header tank and water in the oil.
repton:
Whenever anything goes for sale with no MoT it always makes me wonder “why?” The way I see it is that if it would pass an MoT easily then why does the seller not put it through and then charge a lot more money for it with a full 12 months on it? If it won’t pass easily you probably don’t want it anyway.
Agreed. I explained the exact same thing to a mate of mine only a few days when he was looking a buying a car off Ebay without any MoT.
As Donkey-dog says above, in an ideal world you could tell him to put some ticket on it and you’ll then buy it but even that’s not without its problems - the majority of these motor trader’s have a dodgy mate who runs an MoT place so you’ll get your MoT ticket but I’ll bet the truck doesn’t move from the forecourt… 
You’ll need a pre-service safety inspection before it goes on the road anyway, so combine this with the mot. Get it done before you part with any money at an independant garage of your choice and get them to go over it with a nit comb, or you could end up buying one with a hidden defective tyre like i did from thompsons of newcastle.
Why dont you take a mechanic with you to give the once over, then if he finds a major problem you can walk away or if it only needs brakes or tyres you might be able to negotiate a deal. I bought my first truck with out mot , it cost me 3 grand and I it kept for two years.
A quick word of caution regarding Daf XF’s (I used to run one) AIR VALVES!! listen for air leaks, some of the valves are horendously expensive and there are lots of them!!
I had a fantastic run with the one & only XF I ran but I have hears stories that would make your hair curl. (if you have any )
Good luck anyway, Ross.
tc trans:
repton:
Whenever anything goes for sale with no MoT it always makes me wonder “why?” The way I see it is that if it would pass an MoT easily then why does the seller not put it through and then charge a lot more money for it with a full 12 months on it? If it won’t pass easily you probably don’t want it anyway.I agree entirely, an MOT is less than £100 worst case, so why sell it with one about to expire?
It would certainly put me off buying it
On the flip side, i bought a 51 plate scania topline in august, it only had 3 weeks left on the test, the dealer had only just got it in, so we struck a deal, i tokk it away, the only things it needed for test were a tyre, an extra shim in the kingpin, a couple of mudflaps, and a hazard light warning bulb!!
Rob K:
the majority of these motor trader’s have a dodgy mate who runs an MoT place so you’ll get your MoT ticket but I’ll bet the truck doesn’t move from the forecourt…
not really rob, as vosa do all truck tests, no private garages as such - still not foolproof i grant you, forged test cert etc is still possible
mot for a truck is not like mot a car its a lot more difficult to as sugested above get a dodgey mot, its all operated by vosa not saying it cant be done but wouldnt of thought so.
also someone on post said check for water in oil or oil in water. thats just one thing theres a million things to consider that can go wrong best thing to do is take a fitter with you to check it over for you may save you a lot of money.
but just because you take a fitter with you theres nothing stopping anything from going wrong with the truck and beleive me i am talking from experiece.
you cant expect to buy a truck fuel it up and off you go beleive me a truck 10 years old is going to have problems even if you are running local, and when things do go wrong they cost a fortune.
someone said above that £100 for mot i have 7 trucks ranging from 2000 to 2003 and each truck never costs less than £1000 to get through mot is my garage ripping me off may be so.
vosa wont even look at your truck if it hasnt been steam cleaned underneath.
what i would do is hire for a month or two see if you are going to be ok with the job, work out your costs and profit, hiring a unit on a short term like this youl pay around £350 to £400 per week big chunk of profit gone i know but if your not to sure the hired truck can be returned,
you buy one thats a lemon will be a big mistake they are a money pit if you get a bad one
the problem you have is that if you dont try it youl never know if you could have made good money,
john
i am in the same situation the truck i am looking for are even older mechanical problems are so easy to hide when when your clued up and out to rip people off get some one with who knows what they are on about have a look at more than one wagon there may be one alot better just down the road i am also making sure theres money ready for when it does go bang look past the spots and airhorns and imagine the truck in a horrible colour if you still like the truck then cos of the engine ,box etc haggle and part with the cash ( then cry ) if you have looked around have heard the ive got a russian / african who will take it as it that i am getting if they cant cut some slack for someone trying a new venture then bugger em they aint having a penny off me
when looking at buying a new truck, you need to consider cost of vehicle, cost of maintenance, mpg, as well as tax allowance at end of year.
If you buy a vehicle for £10,000 you can offset 40% against you profit at the end of the year so you can subtract £4,000 from your profits.
If you buy a vehicle for £20,000 you can subtract £8,000 from your profits. And it may be cheaper on the maintenance over the year. Additionally if a vehicle is off the road for repairs, it isn’t earning any money…
Did I mention I have a 2003 Super space cab for sale? See for sale section…
Owner Drivers:
If you buy a vehicle for £10,000 you can offset 40% against you profit at the end of the year so you can subtract £4,000 from your profits.
Should you actually make any in this tight financial climate. 
Ross. 
and if you don’t you can carry the allowance forward to future years…