How Many Miles Can a Semi Truck Last? We Open Some Secrets

Semi trucks are thought to be the most reliable type of vehicles. They are made to work and tow weights all their life without much repair, maintenance, and other investments. These vehicles are engineered to get the work done and they must be durable. But do they actually last that long? And what problems do their owners get? And what should be considered high mileage for a semi truck?

Today, we'll be finding the answers to all these questions. And it's not only about the mileage of the big engines and transmissions. We'll try to figure out how long a semi truck can actually live and remain economically rational to drive. Also, we'll look at some modern requirements, commercial strategies to renew their fleet, etc.

Here's what we'll focus on:

1. How many miles can an average semi truck go?
2. What problems can you have with a semi truck?
3. Yearly maintenance cost for a semi truck.
4. Yearly mileage and other factors of owning a semi truck.

Let's get started!

How durable are the semi trucks, on average?

A semi truck is a really cool thing to own if you want to make money. We know some guys who resigned from their jobs and got their first trucks recently. Now they have their small companies with several semi trucks and several hired drivers. This business is very interesting for those who don't have a lot of money to invest but who can drive a semi truck and wants to earn some money.

Of course, for starting a business, you will need a decent truck. If you buy an old semi truck that is about to die, you will only spend your money to repair the vehicle and maintain its ability to move. So, you will need to know the optimal mileage of a used truck you can buy. We should say that the red line for a semi truck is around 750 000 miles. This mileage says that the truck is going to die very soon.

But here are some factors you should consider:

1. The engine of a semi truck is the thing that starts malfunctioning after about 300 000 miles. You will need to invest some money in it to keep going.
2. Also, the driving style of the previous owner or driver determines how long you can drive your used truck. Unfortunately, you have little chance to check that when you buy a truck.
3. Regular maintenance is a crucial point. Make sure you change the oil and filters and also make diagnostics regularly to just make sure that all the units in your truck are OK.
4. The climate plays an important role. A lot of trucks had been used in Alaska and then were brought to central states for being sold. This means that the engine and the body of such trucks are destroyed by the cold climate and road chemicals.
5. Age of the truck. You can buy a million-mile truck that is 5 or 6 years old and it will still be OK. But some 200 000-miles trucks that are already 15 years old will not be a good choice.

As you see, a lot of factors may decide if your truck is a good purchase. Of course, buying a new semi truck is always best. But they aren't cheap and you can't always get loans for buying them. So, used trucks are still the only choice for many companies and private buyers. You will need to check the truck not only in terms of its mileage, look at all the available records.

We believe that the majority of the semi trucks with under 500 000 miles on the clock are still OK and can go for 200-300 thousand miles more. But if you buy a truck with over 900 000 miles, you take a big risk. Want to throw away thousands of dollars? You may try such an option. But we don't recommend it.

So, the average mileage of a semi truck

After speaking to some truck drivers and also some businesses that use semi trucks for their logistics, we came up with the decision that any modern truck can go around 1 000 000 miles. Of course, it's only possible if you maintain and service your vehicles and don't overload them. But after passing the 750 000-mile mark, the truck will start asking for money. It means you will have to repair a lot of different units.

Now, the average truck in the US will do around 75 000 miles a year if it's used regularly. This means that after approximately 10 years companies will just change their trucks. Some companies use their trucks non-stop and get 150 000 miles a year, they will need to buy new semi trucks every 5 years or something like that.

Here's what will break in your semi truck after 750 000 miles:

1. Engine. Engines in semi trucks are not very bad. They usually have big displacement, high power, wonderful torque. These engines are usually diesel, they are extremely durable and reliable. Only minor problems come up to 750 000 miles. But after that, the engine may start failing more often.
2. Transmission. This is the most problematic unit in your semi truck. You will probably need to repair it regularly and finally replace it with a new one at 500 000 miles or even sooner. The transmissions suffer from overloading mainly.
3. Brakes. The safety systems should be maintained and controlled regularly. A semi truck has powerful brakes because the brakes are extremely loaded when the truck tows a trailer. This load can be the reason for problems.
4. Body and frame damages. This can sharply reduce the longevity of your truck because repairing the frame is not always possible and sometimes too expensive. Also, rust can be the reason for problems.
5. Wiring and electrical system problems. If the wiring in your truck starts malfunctioning, it's not that easy to locate the problem. Sometimes, you will need to replace expensive electronics and wires to prolong the life of the truck.
6. Suspension. Unfortunately, the semi truck's suspension is not as durable as the frame and some other parts. The rear suspension is always heavily loaded. And the truck's suspension is much more expensive to repair, especially if it's a relatively new truck.

If we were talking about a certain model of semi truck, we would be more specific about the failures and problems. But now we are talking about the average problems that can happen with every single semi truck. So, these are the troubles that you may expect to happen if your vehicle has already passed the 750 000-mile mark.

Owners say that after 500 000 miles the semi trucks start taking more money from your budget. Many companies try to buy new trucks once their old ones pass this mark. It means that older trucks with higher mileage are not an economically good decision. And sometimes, they will just take you directly to financial problems. That's why businesses try to avoid them.

When is a high-mileage truck OK?

If you want to buy a semi truck or if you are thinking about changing your truck, you should understand what's the best and the worst mileage for this. It's not only about repairing the vehicle but about the economical rationality of driving it. Things may differ from one truck to another and it depends on many personal factors, but we've tried to create a list of criteria showing that a high-mileage truck is still OK.

Here are the most important of these criteria:

• mileage under 750 000 miles - you can still have 200 000+ miles to go;
• no problems with the engine and transmission;
• no accident records, at least no serious accidents with bad damages;
• no rust on the body and frame, at least no intensive rust;
• you know the history of the truck and it wasn't overloaded and killed in any other way;
• the brand is reliable and the reviews are mainly good;
• you can find many 1 million plus miles trucks of the same model offered for sale;
• you can easily buy parts and units for this truck to repair it.

Now, you should consider your yearly costs to maintain this truck. If they are extremely high, you should think about alternatives. We would say, if your semi truck costs you more than $15,000 a year to repair and maintain, you should think about another truck. If it's still under that figure, you can keep using the semi truck you have.

Final words

Semi trucks are much more durable than passenger cars. An average passenger car will last 200 000 - 250 000 miles while a semi truck will last up to 1 000 000 miles and even more with good maintenance. You should consider this when buying or selling a semi truck. We've tried to show what can break in your truck and we've also investigated what owners say about the longevity of semi trucks.