# How to get first work truck?



## ecaryn (Mar 19, 2008)

After pay rates and steady employment opportunities in my area dramatically fell with the slowed economy, I decided I could do slightly better and have more control working for myself. I do primarily handyman and property maintenance type work with some remodeling work for investors every now and again. I've only worked on my own for a handful of months now. 

My dilemma is I am having to work out of my personal _car_, which is an issue for many obvious reasons: poor professional image, lack of space etc. I need to get a company truck or van. My question is how do I go about doing this without the cash to purchase outright and no employer supplied paystubs/paycheck to get financing? How did you get your first company vehicle?


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## wink (Aug 2, 2006)

sell the car by a truck or van


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

Ditto
My first truck was an old Dodge pickup. It was sitting in a field with the bed all rusted out. I made a deal with the owner that I would do work around his place for 2 weeks in trade for the truck.

Got the truck, removed the bed, made a wooden bed with racks & boxes all around. It definitely looked like a woodchuck's truck but it worked great!!! 

Lot's of good comments from homeowners. Other contractors laughed & joked but I worked that truck for 3 years....long enough to get my company up & running and bought a nice cube van....... the rest is history............

Point is.....look around....be resourceful....be creative....:thumbup:


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## nlgutters (Dec 18, 2007)

just lie on the finance appliacation. They will never check nor do they care.


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## threaderman (Nov 15, 2007)

Years ago I was able to sub-contract out of my Ranger [with cap].I built a full sliding shelf so basically doubled the bed storage,pipe racks carrying 200' of pipe ,and 2 ladders,1 x 8' and 1 x 24'.LOW-RI- DER!!!The most important thing was she was very clean albeit a little small,but it still conveyed a image of cleansliness and orderliness.I still have it and it is as clean as most 2 year old vehicles,I use it for estimates at times ,with magnetic signs,since I can have dbl.the fuel mileage of the E-250.As long as your clean your good.You need to get the vehicle before you quit your hourly job.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

ecaryn said:


> After pay rates and steady employment opportunities in my area dramatically fell with the slowed economy, I decided I could do slightly better and have more control working for myself. I do primarily handyman and property maintenance type work with some remodeling work for investors every now and again. I've only worked on my own for a handful of months now.
> 
> My dilemma is I am having to work out of my personal _car_, which is an issue for many obvious reasons: poor professional image, lack of space etc. I need to get a company truck or van. My question is how do I go about doing this without the cash to purchase outright and no employer supplied paystubs/paycheck to get financing? How did you get your first company vehicle?


Open up a business checking account and pay yourself. Take out taxes and everything else and use those as your check stubs. Make sure you are paying yourself enough money to justify the monthly vehicle note and all your expenses based on your salary


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## Any Season (Nov 19, 2007)

You can always find a cheap truck. What I did when I was doing college pro in school was buy a 3 or $400 truck every year. It was always something that was in running condition and had at least a good tranny/engine. I would always end up putting another $200 into it, and paint it with black rustolium from **** Depot but they would last a while. I would literally drive them into the ground then have them towed away for free by a junkyard. Then I started my own business and bought an $1800 Dakota with boxes and racks already on it. Then a year later bought a 98' F150 for $4800, then last year finally bought a new F150. Now I have the '98, the new one, and I have a E250 van I got via barter. You'll find something, just look through the classified want ads or whatever you have in your area, and try to buy from a private owner.


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## JBBS (Jan 17, 2008)

Buy Here Pay Here! Can you come up with half down?


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

'Buy Here. Pay Here'......AKA.....'Compre Aqui. Pague Aqui'. Will sell anyone a car WITHOUT financial status. An address. Contacts. Valid DL. Phone Number. THAT IS ALL that is required. Oh yes! One other thing............'A reach around' while paying! You are going to pay too much! But beggars and persons without credit can not be choosers!


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

JBBS said:


> Buy Here Pay Here! Can you come up with half down?


That's an expensive way to buy a truck, but the buy here-pay here lots load up on work trucks and work vans for the very reason that it's hard for an uncapitalized entrepreneur to buy a truck otherwise.


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## JBBS (Jan 17, 2008)

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Call it a "stupid tax" for those that have ruined credit or the only way to go for those who have....well...no other way!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

You can get pretty much anything for free. 

You just have to look.

Craigslist has a "Free" section. Sometimes they have cars or trucks there.

Drive around the rattiest parts of town, find yourself a decent looker, abandoned with no plates is great. Ask the owner if they want to get rid of it. 90% of the time they'll be happy to get it off of their property.

Or, go to a big construction company that'll have trucks they've upgraded from parked around. 

Or, check dealers that have trade ins. I've seen decent $500. vans. 

Or, sell your car or use it as a trade in. 

If you're just starting out, get used to giving up a lot of your personal life and to focusing all of your income on your newest dependant...your business. 

Be prepared to spend rent or mortgage money on tools. 

Be prepared to make sacrifices.

And good luck. 

If you work good, you'll make it.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

ecaryn said:


> After pay rates and steady employment opportunities in my area dramatically fell with the slowed economy, I decided I could do slightly better and have more control working for myself. I do primarily handyman and property maintenance type work with some remodeling work for investors every now and again. I've only worked on my own for a handful of months now.
> 
> My dilemma is I am having to work out of my personal _car_, which is an issue for many obvious reasons: poor professional image, lack of space etc. I need to get a company truck or van. My question is how do I go about doing this without the cash to purchase outright and no employer supplied paystubs/paycheck to get financing? How did you get your first company vehicle?


Try the vehicle section of Craigslist. Here's a random search for Lancaster, Pennsylvania for trucks under $1,000.00:

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/search/car?query=truck&minAsk=min&maxAsk=1000&addTwo=

May 1 - 1993 Ford F-250 Pickup truck, AT, V-8, 1250lb liftgate! - $750 - (Lancaster PA) pic

May 1 - Lund Genesis Tri-Fold Tonneau Cover For Dakota - $225 - (Lancaster, PA) pic

May 1 - FORD RANGER - $300 - (HOLTWOOD) pic

Apr 30 - New Chev SB Aluminum Truck Cap - $850 -

Apr 29 - Truck Caps - $200 - (Peach Bottom)

Apr 28 - WEATHERGUARD midsize diamond plate truck bed toolbox - $125 - (Lancaster)

Apr 27 - 1988 Dodge Dakota 4x4 Brand New Transmission/Clutch - $1000 - (Elizabethtown)

Apr 25 - FIBERGLASS TRUCK CAP - $100 - (ELIZABETHTOWN) pic

Apr 23 - Pick-up Truck tool box - $50 - (York ) pic

Apr 21 - 89 chevy 2500 - $900 - (lancaster)

Apr 21 - 1979 chevy c-30 dump - $900 - (oxford,pa) pic

Apr 21 - 1964 chevy stepside - $1000 - (lititz)

Apr 21 - 80-86 Ford Truck/ SUV Dash Cover 12-108 - $20 - (Paradise, PA) pic

Apr 19 - 2006 American Car Dolly / / elec. brakes - $900 - (Lititz/Manheim)

Apr 18 - New Truck Bedliner - $100 - (Denver, Pa)

Apr 18 - Contractor Truck Cap - $600 - (Denver, Pa)

Apr 13 - 1988 F250 4x4 - $700 - (gap ) pic

Apr 12 - 1991 Ford Ranger XLT - $675 - (Mountville)

Apr 8 - Tires 31x10x50 15LT Tires only (4) - $125 - (Harford, Md) pic

Apr 7 - 91 S-10 rolling chassis - $300 - (Quarryville)

Apr 1 - 1988 Chevrolet S-10 - $650 -

Apr 1 - LOOKING TO BUY "RELIABLE" USED CAR - $1000 - (Strasburg PA)

Mar 28 - delta truck tool box - $100 - (downingtown, pa)

Mar 24 - utility truck cap, aluminum, w/ side boxes - $600 - (Gap, Pa.)

Mar 22 - Chevy exhaust - $175 - (Washington Boro)

=========================================================

Here's a pic of the first one...pick up truck with a liftgate for only *$750.00*:


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## dlcj (Oct 1, 2007)

I have a friend who has a dealer license. He only buys salvage title cars and trucks, repairs them and sells them. I went with him to a auction and bought a 91 S10 that was hit in the back. It had a bent frame and needed a tailgate, bumper and back window. The interior was trashed buy the last owner and needed a seat. I paid $200 for it and my buddy drove it home from the sale. After repairing everthing myself i have $1000 in it. Probably could have done it for less but i wanted a new paint job ($350) and rolled in bed liner ($100). Sense then ive put over 10k miles on it at and average of 26 mpg. There out there just have to look.


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

My first work vehicle was bought when I was 17. It was a 1984 Dodge 250 van for $1,200. On my 21'st b-day decided I wanted something nicer so went out and bought a one year old 1999 F150 with 21K miles. Put $5K down and financed $18K. Drove that truck for work only a couple times in the year it was owned and with add ons, down payment, and 12 payments dumped around $12K into it. When I traded it in for the two year old 99 F250 diesel they gave me $250 over loan value for it. In other words it cost me about $1K per month to own the F150 and when traded it had 46K miles on it, mint condition.

The F250 has been paid off for two years now and since then bought a 00 Excursion diesel which is also now paid for. Got a few years left on the third work vehicle a 99 F350 DRW diesel and when that's paid off no more vehicles for a long, long time!!!

In the mean time paid cash for four other cars, all personal. 65 Mustang, 69 GTO, 99 R/T, 86 Shelby. My wife hates all the trucks, cars, and trailers.

The amazing thing is that in the past three years I also bought and sold another 12 vehicles.


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## Handyman Jim (Apr 24, 2008)

There are auctions here where federal, state, and local gov't work vehicles pickups, utility body, vans are sold.I have never been to one of the auctions but I see the list of vehicles in the back page of the classified section of the sunday paper.Don't know if this will help;but,you may have similar auctions near where you live.

http://www.handymanjimnoonan.com


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## rfed32 (Jul 9, 2008)

i would say find something cheaper but not going to fall apart...even if its a smaller truck ranger s10 etc. but i would put a rack on it...i have a weatherguard atc rack love it trac rac something like that....and maybe a tool box...but start out small and go up from there...


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## Winchester (Jun 29, 2008)

I just told the dealership how much I make and they asked if I could provide proof. I said "yes" and they never asked for proof or anything. Just make sure the number you give sounds reasonable.

I am now leasing a 2008 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab V6 TRD. They will have it in this week, since they didn't have the colour I wanted. I've been in business for 3 months, and in the same situation as you.

My first work truck is not going to be a piece of junk. I am doing work in high-end neighbourhoods and want to keep getting more work. A nice truck with some pretty lettering across the back window will help.

It's all about marketing, and also lease payments are a business expense.


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

> It's all about marketing, and also lease payments are a business expense.


yeah it says "look i am making too much off of your jobs. shop price on me"
and it is an EXPENSIVE business expense.


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## skyhook (Mar 17, 2007)

Watch your mirror, when someone is tailgating you, slam on the brakes. Car gets totaled, you get money and buy a nice truck. :thumbsup:


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## Cache (Sep 18, 2007)

john5mt said:


> yeah it says "look i am making too much off of your jobs. shop price on me"
> and it is an EXPENSIVE business expense.


Agreed. There is no reason why someone should be driving a brand new leased $35,000 "work truck". Not only is it neither a good business decision nor practical, it begs for people to wonder if you're overpaid. 

When I was first married, I lived in a little two-bdrm apartment and the neighbor across the stairs was a 60-year old physician nearing retirement. He owned two cars. His S10 pickup worth about $2500 and his wife's corolla worth about $1500. He kicked a little razor scooter a mile to his clinic everyday. When I asked why he doesn't live nicer than that, his response taught me a valuable lesson about people and business.

_"Cars aren't really that great anyway, and when I drove a mercedes, patients thought I had enough money that they didn't need to pay me."_

I later graduated in business management: finance/economics. Throughout my college years that statement became even more true. I learned the concept of economic cost and what expenses like leased autos do to a young business. To be brief I'll just say that the true cost of a nice truck to a mid-20s entreprenuer is over $1,000,000.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Cache said:


> Agreed. There is no reason why someone should be driving a brand new leased $35,000 "work truck". Not only is it neither a good business decision nor practical, it begs for people to wonder if you're overpaid.
> 
> When I was first married, I lived in a little two-bdrm apartment and the neighbor across the stairs was a 60-year old physician nearing retirement. He owned two cars. His S10 pickup worth about $2500 and his wife's corolla worth about $1500. He kicked a little razor scooter a mile to his clinic everyday. When I asked why he doesn't live nicer than that, his response taught me a valuable lesson about people and business.
> 
> ...


To me, $35,000. is a fleet! 

I'd get a nice 12'+ Dump, 
a 12' Rack Truck, 
a 16' box truck 
and possibly a Ford Escape Hybrid for estimates and running around! 


All diesel (save the Hybrid), all less than 10 years old, all white, all ready to be lettered! 

But for now, I'm extremely happy in my '01 Ford Excursion Limited that I picked up for less than 1/2 of what it's worth (thanks to the high gas prices and my V10!). :thumbsup:


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## Cache (Sep 18, 2007)

2ndGen said:


> To me, $35,000. is a fleet!
> 
> I'd get a nice 12'+ Dump,
> a 12' Rack Truck,
> ...


Yep. I use a '93 GMC 2500 deisel to haul the trailers. It's great and gets the job done just as well as any new truck.

Every time I pour a foundation on a new house, subs start rolling up to sell me their services. I'd say more than half of them drive fully outfitted trucks that are less than 1 year old. Then when I turn them away they try to undercut any other bid I might possibly have; practically begging for the work. Gotta pay for that truck I imagine. I always wonder to myself, if they have to beg for the work, what made them go out and take on a $600 car payment?


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I worked out of my car until I saved up the money for a Ford van, $3500. It looked good but had high miles, mostly highway. I worked it hard for 2 yrs. and when the engine started to knock a little it was time to go, I got $2,800 for it and was honest with the buyer. He said that he was going to deliver bread with it. I still see it around town with a kid driving it.


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## BKFranks (Feb 19, 2008)

I went to the dealer, had no proof of income other then a bank statement showing deposits. Drove away with a brand new $27,000 truck. This is my personal truck and work truck. Next truck I buy is going to be cheaper and used only for work, nothing fancy. You have to start out using your own personal credit and when you start applying for business credit they will ask for a guarantor, which will be you using your own personal credit as a guarantee. The first business card I applied for was a Citibank Home Depot Visa that I saw an application for at an HD contractor event. It a regular visa card, but a certain portion of the credit limit was reserved for Home Depot purchases only, but after 6 months they increased the total limit and removed the reserved portion for HD. I only use my other regular HD card for purchases there which isn't that often.
If you have bad credit, your going to have to save up the cash to buy something. Or if you're married use your wife's credit to buy the truck and have her add your name to the account after you buy it. That will make your credit look better.


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## Winchester (Jun 29, 2008)

john5mt said:


> yeah it says "look i am making too much off of your jobs. shop price on me"
> and it is an EXPENSIVE business expense.


Also, it is a 48 month lease @ $350/month which is nothing for a $39,000 truck. I pay more than that maintaining my piece of junk car.

I m a registered apprentice with an Electrical Contracting company and work 1-3 days a week when they really need the help. it is going towards hours getting my ticket and it is backup if I ever don't have enough work. I could work full-time there anytime I wanted. The only reason I do work there for the past 3 months at all is as a favour because they really do need me sometimes and the owner has been good to me, and we are more friends than employer/employee.

Anyway, you don't know the neighbourhoods I've been working in.

If I pulled up in my new truck where _I live_. The HOs would be thinking "this guy charges more than I can afford...." 

If I pulled up to a house where I've been working lately they are more likely to think "This guy is fairly successful and probably knows what he is doing."

It all depends on what area you are working and would like to continue working.



I'll keep you updated on how well it goes getting more jobs in these nice neighbourhoods :thumbup:


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