Maintenance is a nightmare these days. Whether it’s poor-quality trucks, bad parts, not enough mechanics or uncovered repairs by the warranty, it’s getting worse. Let’s break it down so you know what to watch for. As we promised, we are keeping it real, and we are talking about our own experiences at DOXA LLC.

Brand-new trucks, poor quality

• Seeing a $185,000 brand new truck break down after 1000 miles is a disaster. A new transmission was needed! This time, the dealership covered it, but it took two weeks to fix it. No loaner truck, no compensation, just two weeks of sitting.
• How about a brand-new truck with the wrong fuel filters? We had that happen, too. They left us stranded on the side of the road. We paid out of pocket.
• We also had another truck, at 50,000 miles, with electrical issues. Why?  We were told water got in. They never cover it because of the water infiltration. But that's the reason for the poor quality, not because we poured water.
  And the example can continue. The solution is simple: stick with us and we will share what we do by the end of this article.

Parts: Cheap, Low-Quality
Remember when new parts were new? Not anymore. Now, everything is remanufactured which means poor quality. First, they made them in the U.S, then Mexico, then China. Now? They’re outsourcing in other countries, cutting on the quality.

• The result? Worse quality. From our experience, some aftermarket parts from trusted brands are better than the "official" dealership parts.

Mechanics
Good mechanics? Rare. Most places are short-staffed, overworked, and hiring fresh grads who have never worked on a truck before.

• At the truck repair shop some mechanics forget to grease, overfill or underfill oil, and leave bolts loose.
• Some don’t diagnose problems - they just tell you to replace half your truck when they were supposed to do more research.

Sky-High Repair Costs
If you don’t know what’s wrong with your truck, you might end up paying too much. Shops charge outrageous fees for jobs that should cost way less.

• Get a second opinion. Call other mechanics.
• Look up estimated costs.
• Know what you’re paying for. Don't let them take advantage.

The Warranty Trap
Warranties sound great until you need them, we learned it the hard way. We had an engine under warranty, but guess what? Injectors were not covered. And because the injectors were the reason for the failure, then nothing was covered at the end. We lost a truck with 300k miles, and we had to pay over $20k to fix it.

• Check the warranty and what is not covered.
• Make sure you understand that there are many types of coverage.
• Make sure you also understand the maintenance or procedures you need to do to keep the warranty.
• Read the fine print: what’s covered, what’s not.

WHAT WE DO AT DOXA LLC

Learn Basic Maintenance

Trucking isn’t just about holding a steering wheel. Drivers should know their truck. The more you know, the less you’ll pay others. The money will come with the level of professionalism you achieve through learning and growing.
If you’re an Owner-Operator, you must be:
✔ A driver
✔ A mechanic
✔ A secretary

Buy your tools and carry spare parts

Check you under the bunk storage. It needs to be full of tools and parts. Why? You can break down in the middle of nowhere and you can save $2000 just because you had a 50$ part.

• Keep fuel filters, alternator belts, air lines, coolant hoses, and basic tools on hand.
• Knowing how to fix your own tires separates the best from the rest.
• We love Owner Operators doing their oil change by themselves. Besides, you save half of the price.

Find a good mechanic

Your best friend needs to be a mechanic, and his name needs to be saved as a speed dial. No joke, he is the one helping you to keep going and giving you the right advice in the middle of the night.

Get the right warranty

If you buy a new truck, get full bumper-to-bumper coverage for 500,000 miles/5 years. Try to understand the difference between the basic warranty that usually is just 300k miles in today's market for new trucks and other extra warranties up to 500k miles/5 years or an aftermarket warranty.

• We don't trust aftermarket warranties.
• Do you research and choose the best option.
• We recommend the warranty that will also cover the: DEF, DPF, EGR, INJECTORS, TURBO, besides the regular engine and transmission.
• Get the towing included too because it's not a big difference.

At DOXA LLC, we guide drivers to make smart decisions, and we share our years of experience. The decision is yours if you are an Owner-Operator. If you’re a company driver, be open to learning. We will always be there for you! Trucking is tough, but those who learn and adapt always come out ahead.