This weekend I thought I would take you all into my world of Trucks. I market and procure Medium Duty Trucks for a four dealership chain within Massachusetts and Rhode island. The brands I represent are three of the four Japanese Brands currently ofered in the States; Mitsubishi-Fuso, UD Trucks, and Hino. I do manage to scare up a few used Isuzu Trucks for our Used Truck Operation, and this is where I will be taking you for the weekend. The Medium Duty Used Truck is a fascinating niche, where value and common sense is key to providing the potential customer a vehicle that will fill his or her needs in the business they are in. Purchase prices for New Trucks have escalated sharply because of new emission controls, so I offer a true alternative to new. First up is the North American version of the Hino Medium Duty Trucks.

Hino Motors is a well regarded truck producer in Japan, and they introduced a line of Medium Duty Trucks to North America in 1984. These trucks, along with Mitsubishi-Fuso, Isuzu, and UD Nissan Diesel became popular within the crowded urban commercial centers because of their maneuverability, and became invaluable to independent food and package delivery companies that service these population centers.

Hino became a Toyota Subsidiary in 2003, and the brand was relaunched within the US, with plans to take on the bigger Medium Duty brands like International, Freightliner, Ford and GMC. The Launch of the Hino Conventional Cab proved to everyone that they were in it for the long haul, with a product that combined the best of both worlds: Japanese components with North American assembly on a Conventional Looking platform. Hino was able to take this one step further, and move into a brand new facility in Williamstown, West Virginia by 2007.

A word about Truck Classifications; Medium Duty Trucks fell into several classes, and they are as follows: Class 3 trucks have a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of between 10,001 and 14,000 pounds. Dual wheel pickup trucks fall into this classification. Class 4 trucks have a GVWR between 14,000 and 16,000 pounds. Class 5 trucks have a GVWR between 16,001 and 19,000 pounds. Class 6 trucks are between 19,001 and 26,000 pounds. With all of these trucks, an operator does not need a Commercial Drivers License. Class 7 trucks have a GVWR between 26,001 and 33,000 pounds. These are the heaviest trucks that can be imported without a heavy import duty. Class 8 are all trucks that have a GVW r above 33,000 pounds.

The Hino trucks proved to be a success, with sales approaching those of International and Freightliner, yet offer a lower cost up front, and a lower operating cost to the customers over the lifetime of the vehicle. They are very popular within the large rental and leasing fleets like Ryder, Penske, and Enterprise. I sell a lot of new Hinos, but let’s take a look at some of the used ones offered.

This is a 2006 Hino 145. This truck has a 14,500# GVW rating, which is a Class 4 Truck. Tires on this bad boy is unusually small with 16″ rims, but they get the job done. It has an efficient 175HP 4-Cylinder Diesel, backed up by a 4-Speed Aisin Automatic. This truck was a trade, and currently has 173,000 miles. The box is sixteen feet in length, and is set up for delivery of Appliances, Packages, or anything you could imagine. There is even a power liftgate at the rear. See the listing here.

This is a 2006 Hino 338. This truck has a 33,000# GVW rating, making this a Class 7 Truck. You will need a Commercial Drivers Licence to operate this truck. Unlike the 145 above, this truck has a 260HP 6-Cylinder Diesel with an Allison 6-Speed Automatic, and Air Brakes. I bought this truck from a wholesaler, and it was one of the cleanest trucks I have acquired in a long time. All Hinos come standard with A/C, AM FM CD, Tilt and Telescoping Wheel, Air Ride Seat, Cruise Control, and a 3-man interior. This truck has covered 167,000 miles, and has at least another 200,000 mile service life left. This is an extra clean 26ft ody, but lacks a liftgate. See the listing here.

This is a 2006 Hino 268. This truck has a 25,900# GVW rating, which makes this a Class 6 Truck, and can be operated without a Commercial Drivers License. This truck comes equipped with a 220HP Diesel, and a 5-Speed Allison Automatic. What is unusual about this truck is the rear Air Ride Suspension, which is suppose to be less jarring to the cargo. All the standard Hino features, and a Dual Fuel Tank makes this a longer haul truck. The truck shows 166,000 miles on the odometer. A 24ft Body, with a rear liftgate completed the package. It’s like driving a really big pickup truck. See the listing here.

Here is a 2007 Hino 268. Like the truck above, this is a Class 6 Truck, but this time there is a 6-speed manual transmission backing up the 220HP Diesel. 149,000 miles are showing on the odometer, and here is a clean 24ft body with a rear liftgate. A new clutch completes the package. See the listing here.

Finally, we have this 2008 Hino 338, which designates that this is a class 7 Truck. This is an off lease truck finished in an unusual color palette of Red and Black. The 260HP Diesel has a 6-Speed Manual, so that you can grind your own gears. A clean 24ft body with a rear liftgate makes sure the deliveries are well cared for, and this truck only has 175,000 miles on the odometer. See the listing here.

Yes, this is what I do for a living. I try and acquire trucks that have less that 160,000 miles, most with new rubber, and that have a service history that I can trace. A third party 100,000 warranty is included at no extra charge, just in case you wanted to know. Let me know what you think, and tell me if any of this is even remotely interesting.