TruckHunt Community

TruckHunt Sales Specialist Referral

TK Hunter — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:00:27 GMT

TruckHunt Sales Specialist Referral.......If you would like a personal referral, or if you prefer personal assistance in finding a good deal when purchasing your next truck, call the TruckHunt sales specialist, Brad Powell @ 214-717-4078 x101.

Brad has over 15 years of sales experience and extensive relationships in the truck and trucking industry. Brad will personally introduce you to the dealer that meets your specific truck and trailer needs.

Ask Brad....If he doesn't know the answer, he knows someone who does.

Brad Powell

214-717-4078 x101

Tech News - Better, Faster, Better, Faster

MoPal — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:19:34 GMT

Ok, the internet has made us more impatient than ever. We expect information....FAST! TruckHunt is built to be fast. But, TruckHunt cannot be fast alone. Simply update your browser to get the most from TruckHunt and other sites online. You probably don't even know what you have been missing.

It's all about the browser.

What browser are you using?

I would recommend installing full versions of either Chrome, Firefox, or upgrading your current browser. All of these are free, and you can have more than one browser installed at a time.

The least snappy is Internet Exploer 6. (10% of TruckHunt users are still using IE6). Go into the top right-hand corner of your browser, see if you can't find a question mark. Click it and select "About Internet Explorer". If you're using the old version, Internet Explorer 6 (released in 2001), several elements on our site might not render properly. There are all sorts of sites dedicated to how ineffective IE6 is at rendering modern content. Sites large and small are phasing out support for it, including YouTube. Some of the techniques implemented on our site (modern CSS, transparent PNGs) aren't supported by IE6.

We monitor traffic on our site and the vast majority of browsers navigating the site are Internet Explorer 7, 8, or Firefox. Chrome was introduced by Google about a year ago, but is gaining ground quickly as it is the fastest of them all.

If you're able, install the Chrome plugin for Internet Explorer, you shouldn't have any rendering problems and your experience using TruckHunt.com as well as other sites will be about 10x as snappy.

Get Ready For Winter

Serious Buddha — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:55:05 GMT

Yes...I know, today in only October 1st; but did you know that we've already seen temperatures in the mid-20's at higher elevations in the Rocky Mountains? Now's the time to start thinking about winterizing your truck. Tell us what you do to make sure you survive the highways and byways during the winter months. Let's talk tire chains to coolant flushes...anything that pertains to cold weather operations.

Triple R Diesel

MoPal — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:50:11 GMT

Triple R Diesel makes me want to buy a dump truck to drive around town!

Recommended Shops

Serious Buddha — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:11:21 GMT

Let's face it, we've all dealt with a repair shops that should recieve Kudos. Let the rest of our brothers and sisters know which shops to frequent.

Keep it positive. We want to know who is good.

The Successful On-Road Breakdown

Serious Buddha — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:41:09 GMT

We've all been there. Driving down the road without a care in the world (except that bumper sticker thats been following us for an hour) when BAMM!! something broke.

Most people know what to do next. Pull over, check your fluids, belts, tires, etc. But what do you do once you realized that the rig is down and you're going to have to be drug into a shop on the hook? This is a time when the decisions you start making on the side of the road will pay off a few days from now...big time.

Follow these few simple steps to help make your break down run a little smoother.

1) Remember where you're at. Do you know anybody from the area? These folks can recommend the best shop in town and the most reasonable wrecker service. Don't forget, you can always check TruckHunt.com for a list of trusted service providers.

2) Remain professional at all times. Service providers in the tow and repair business approach every customer as one who is ready to scream and yell. Catch them off guard by being polite and professional. I'm not suggesting you be a sucker; just remember your both business professionals and you should approach the situation that way.

3) Help the experts diagnose the problem. Offer very detailed explainations about what the truck was doing in the days, hours and minutes before the failure. Often times, small clues about sounds and smells can save hours of diagnostic time.

4) Step back and let the experts do their jobs. Even if you have background in mechanics let the factory trained folks do the job you're paying them for.

5) Get an estimate! Most shops charge a one hour minimum to diagnose and prepare an estimate. This total is usually rolled into the repair bill if you give the OK to repair. Always get a copy of the estimate in writing and make sure that it has been approved by a shop foreman or service manager.

6) Negotiate the final price upfront. You wouldn't want to haul a load from coast to coast only to be asked for a discount after you unloaded your trailer. Both you and the shop should have an understanding of what to expect at the pay desk before the repair begins.

7) Understand that things will change. Due to the complexity of today's trucks, it is not uncommon for a technician to discover other broken or worn components during the repair process. Ask for an explaination. If it's legitimate, ask that the same discount you recieved earlier be applied to these items.

8) Get to know the service manager while you're in his shop. If he understands that you are a professional, likeable person to do business with, he'll be more willing to go the extra mile for you.

9) Plan for an extra day of downtime (based on the shop's estimate). From manufactures, to suppliers, to dealers; everybody has reduced their parts inventory trying to survive these difficult times. Unless its a very simple repair you should expect that there will be a dely that the shop didn't exect when they told you that "your truck will be ready Wednesday at noon." Go into the repair expecting that and keep your blood preasure down a few points.

10) Do the math, and ask for options. Can paying air freight or a little extra for a part save you a day or two of downtime? If so, it might make sense to do that. Don't be shy about asking the shop to participate in these kinds of charges, but don't pick a fight over $50.

11) Ask to go on a post-repair test drive with a tech or service advisor. Make sure the repair is satisfactory before you pay the bill and drive off into the sunset.

12) Pay your bill, smile, log onto TruckHunt.com and let us know about your success stories.

Maintenance Intervals

Serious Buddha — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:19:35 GMT

Everybody has heard the old addage; spend a little now and save a lot later. Well? When is the right time and what is the right price for regularly scheduled maintenance items? I'll give you my thoughts and look forward to hearing yours.

An oil change should cost between $175 and $200 regardless of whether you use a truck stop or dealership. You change your oil every 15,000 to 20,000 miles unless you are using oil sampling on every PM service. If you are you can extend that interval to 25,000 to 30,000 miles.

Don't forget to change your synthetic lube in the transmission every 250,000 miles. This will prevent premature wear and keep those extended warranties in place. With parts and labor this will run around $300 per item.

Change you air cleaner once a year. Period. Unless the resriction guage tells you to change it sooner. They require some dirt to work efficiently, so don't change the to often.

Run the overhead at 60,000 miles on a new engine an then every 125,000 miles for about $450.

Don't forget to insect your belts and hoses often. A failure here can cost you hunreds in a tow bill alone for a simple repair.

One of the most overlooked maintenance items is wheel alignment. These run between $200 and $300 for a three axle alignment (don't waste your time and money on a front end only). One pot hole or curb can mis-align your truck enough to ruin a set of tires.

If you pay attention and plan your maintenance you will find all of these service on special at a shop near you almost any time of year.

Go Here!!!

Serious Buddha — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:13:43 GMT

Any friendly places to stop along the way? Something you might want to share with the youger trucker.

Respectful Negotiating

Administrator — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:41:12 GMT

Something about negotiaton and when you know you've got the best deal,,etc.

Take good pictures

Administrator — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:39:35 GMT

Some tips and tricks here on how to take better pictures