How to Buy a Catering Truck
The day you buy a catering truck is the day you have bought a business. Because it is a business, it must be able to operate during business hours without a hitch. When you buy a catering truck you also buy all of the headaches that come should it break down on the road. This will result in a few hungry and angry customers, so you must take care in buying a good truck.
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Instructions
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Know how much you can spend or finance, and plan accordingly. You must know how much you can afford when choosing between a new or used truck
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Seek out advice from current owners. Find out where they buy from in your area. Ask them if the dealers are reliable and if they back up their products.
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Bring a mechanic when you go to a used catering truck dealer. This is your business; you can't afford a lemon. If you can't bring a mechanic, make sure you can bring the truck to a mechanic for inspection before you buy.
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If you buy new, ask what the warranty covers. Does the dealer provide you with a loaner if your new truck goes down?
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Before buying, check out the catering area of the truck. If it's a used truck, run it before you buy. Turn everything on as if you were going to stock the truck. Try the coffee machine. Turn on the steam trays and the fans. Check to see if the propane tanks (if installed) work.
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Test drive the truck. You will be spending a lot of time in this truck, and you need to make sure it is comfortable and that everything in the cab works. You will be maneuvering in tight places at times, so check that you can see out of the rear view mirrors and have a good view from the windshield.
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If the truck meets your expectations, offer a price. A price 20 percent lower than the advertised price is a good starting offer. If a used catering truck needs repairs, also take the cost of any repair off.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't let dealers rush you into a decision. They will often claim that a truck you are interested in has another buyer and you should make up your mind immediately. Don't believe it.
Run a CarFax report on the vehicle. You will need the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which you can obtain from the dealer.
Go to more than one dealer. Sometimes the dealer is as important as the truck.
Make sure that parts for the catering area of the truck are relatively easy to find. Don't get a "one of a kind" model.
Find out how much your business insurance will cost before buying the truck. Depending on where you are, it can be quite expensive.
The IRS does have a formula for catering trucks, so keep good records.
Don't operate your business before you get a food service permit from the local authorities.
