How to Find Good Food Trucks for Sale

First step – start looking at food trucks for sale. After all, if you’re looking to get started in the food truck business then you’re going to need to get started where everyone gets started – buy a food truck. Of course there are plenty of ways that you can find your first truck. Some people choose to purchase brand new mobile food trucks that are custom-made for everything they want while others decide that they would rather start out with a used truck that costs less money and gets them out there faster. It’s all going to be up to you and what you want most.

Used Food Trucks on eBay


Used food trucks for sale are found in many places – even on eBay!

Finding New Food Trucks for Sale

New food trucks can come a few different ways. You can go to a shop that builds food trucks and buy one from their show room in much the same way as you would buy any other brand new car. You would be able to select from a variety of different colors and styles but you’d be buying something that has already been built. It is possible to make changes or adjustments to that truck after you buy it but in most cases these trucks would be ready to hit the road!

The other option when you find a shop with new food trucks for sale is to custom make your own. In these cases you would be able to select absolutely everything from the inside out on your truck. You could make it whatever color you want, whatever size you want and you could put any amenities that you need on the inside. This is great for people who really want to jump in with both feet because you’ll have exactly what you want right from the start. Of course it takes a little longer this way because you need to wait for your truck to be built but you can rest assured it will be perfect for what you want because you designed it.

Finding Used Food Trucks for Sale

Your third option is to purchase a used truck. Once again you can often find these on the lot of companies that build food trucks. They could also be in different colors and styles and you’ll likely have your pick of several but you’ll have slightly less options. You’ll also have to contend with problems like wear, rust, and outdated pieces. You may have to contend with high mileage even because these vehicles have been used before.  If you find a cheap food truck for sale, don’t just rush in and buy it. Check it out thoroughly – there may be a good reason why it’s cheap!

When you decide to purchase a used truck you want to make sure you’re looking it over carefully and taking into account everything that you may have to fix up or change when you think of cost. After all that used truck may look like the better deal but if you have to put a lot more work (and therefore money) into it to get it ready then it’s really not the best choice for you. You may want to go with a new truck after all.

Be aware that you can search for used food trucks on eBay.  Buy a food truck online?  Who would have thought!  The same due diligence goes for any item you consider buying online – check it out thoroughly, including the seller.  For a high value item like a food truck, certainly plan to take some time getting to know the seller, their reasons for selling, the condition of the truck etc.

Avoid Getting a Lemon

We all know what a lemon is of course; it’s the car that you should never have bought because it’s really about useless. This is the car that needs pretty much every repair in the book and it looks like it too. You want to make sure that before you purchase a food truck you’re taking a close look online to determine what the requirements are for a food truck in your area. Then you’ll be able to ensure you’re getting the most for your money.

Another tip is to take a mechanic along with you. They’ll be able to check out all the components of the truck and make sure that it doesn’t need any costly repairs. From there you’ll just need to make sure that you’re checking over the body (look for rust or signs that the truck has recently been painted) and checking out any equipment that might be still in the truck. You want to make sure that even though things are older they are still good quality and you’ll still be able to get some good use out of them. Otherwise they’re not worth the money you’ll spend and you’ll end up regretting your purchase later.

Check the Regulations

Make sure before you get started with any of this that you’re checking all the rules and regulations for your state and local area. You need to be sure that you’re getting at the very least the minimum required parts for your truck. You need to make sure that you’re not getting something that’s been declared unsafe or unhealthy because that means you’ll have to do a lot of upgrading to get that truck out on the street. This could happen whether you buy new or used so be careful.

Also make sure that the truck you choose fits the rules for where you want to set up. There may be different regulations if you want to set up shop at the festival versus if you want to set up on a street corner. Make sure you know what all the rules are so you end up with something that will do what you want wherever you want it. You can find food trucks for sale quite easily but knowing what they’re really worth is sometimes more difficult.

“Don’t rush into the decision.  Ideally spend several months searching, looking and analyzing food trucks for sale that meet your criteria.”

Don’t rush into the decision.  Ideally spend several months searching, looking and analyzing food trucks for sale that meet your criteria.  And inspect as many as you possibly can.  Only once you’ve looked at all the sale prices of food trucks (repeat sale price, not asking price – they’re two different things!) and can compare the condition of one vehicle with another, will you be comparing apples for apples.  Remember, this is business.  The decision must be make on the numbers, not on emotion.  Food truck vendors need to be as savvy as the next business person, and if you have to start with a slightly lesser vehicle than that of your dreams, it may well be with good reason.

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