New vs Used Trucks

New or used is one of the first decisions a truck buyer makes, and there is no single right answer. It depends on how hard the truck will work, how long you plan to keep it, your cash flow and how much risk you can carry. Here is how the two compare.

The case for a new truck

• Warranty and predictability. A manufacturer's warranty and often a fixed-price service plan make costs predictable for the first years, which helps budgeting and finance approval.
• The latest technology. Current engines are more fuel efficient and meet the latest emissions standards, and current safety systems such as autonomous emergency braking, stability control and lane keeping assistance protect drivers and can lower insurance.
• Built to your specification. You choose the GVM, axle configuration, driveline and body exactly for your work.
• Uptime. A new truck is less likely to break down, which matters most for time-critical freight and contracts with penalties.
• Customer and contract requirements. Some contracts require trucks under a certain age.

The downsides: a higher purchase price, the steepest depreciation in the first few years, and wait times for a new build or body that can run to months.

The case for a used truck

• Lower price. The first owner has absorbed the biggest drop in value, so you get more truck for your money.
• Available now. A used truck can be working within days rather than waiting months for a build.
• Proven. Common faults in a given model are known, and a well-kept truck with a full service history is a known quantity.
• Lower depreciation from here. A used truck loses value more slowly, so resale can be closer to what you paid.

The downsides: higher maintenance and repair risk, older safety and emissions technology, possibly higher fuel use, and less choice about the specification. Inspection and paperwork checks become essential. See our used truck buying guide.

Side by side

	New	Used
Purchase price	Higher	Lower
Depreciation	Steepest in the first years	Slower
Warranty	Manufacturer's warranty	Remaining warranty, dealer warranty or none
Maintenance costs	Lower and predictable early on	Higher and less predictable
Fuel and emissions	Latest standards	Depends on age
Safety technology	Latest	Depends on age and model
Availability	Can involve a wait	Usually immediate
Finance	Easier approval, longer terms	Terms can be shorter for older trucks

Which suits you?

• New often makes sense when the truck will do high kilometres every year, you plan to keep it for many years, uptime is critical, or a contract requires a recent truck.
• Used often makes sense when the truck will do lower annual kilometres, you are starting out or adding a second truck, you need it quickly, or the work is seasonal.
• Near-new (one to three years old) can be the middle ground: much of the early depreciation gone, modern technology, and sometimes remaining warranty.

Look at the whole cost

Compare the total cost over the time you will own the truck: purchase price or finance, fuel, tyres, maintenance, registration, insurance and downtime, minus the resale value at the end. Our truck cost guide shows how to work it out.

Browse new trucks for sale or used trucks for sale.