When something breaks down far from home, the ability to go anywhere to service your machinery is a huge advantage. Creating a service truck tailored to the specific needs of your farm saves you time and money.
“Once prices started skyrocketing and you had to get on a waiting list for someone to come out and look at your equipment, it didn’t take long for farmers around here to decide to put a service body on a truck so they could drive around with their tools,” says Mark Koenig, owner and president of Koenig Body and Equipment in West Peoria, Illinois.
Service trucks can be defined in a number of ways, from a toolbox in the back of a pickup to a fully outfitted semi. This month’s Machinery Insider focuses on trucks with dedicated service beds for tool storage and space for add-ons such as welders, generators, and air compressors.
Strong sales and ROI
Auction prices for used late-model service trucks range from just over $10,000 to more than $140,000, depending on year, condition, and features. Auction sites auctiontime.com, ironplanet.com, and purplewave.com show a total of 71 model year 2018 and newer trucks sold in 2023. Most were in the $25,000 to $60,000 range.
The accompanying chart shows mileage is the main factor in determining value for used service trucks. However, add-ons such as cranes, welders, and air compressors also bump up the final selling price. Diesel engines provide strong return on investment as compared to gasoline, as do creature comforts like air-conditioning.
“It’s a picky market and service trucks sell anywhere from $10,000 for an old rusty utility unit to up to $150,000 for a well-equipped unit. The quality and condition really varies as far as price is concerned,” says Scott Steffes, president of Steffes Group in Fargo, North Dakota.
Many of the used service trucks on the market are from utility companies, contractors, or equipment dealership groups that are upgrading older units. Once farmers have a truck they like, Steffes says, it seems like they keep it.
“It’s my observation being an auctioneer for 45 years that a service truck is one of the most discussed and talked about features of most farm operations,” he adds.
As farmers realize the value of owning their own service vehicle, demand will continue to grow. Supply is good, especially for slightly older models. AuctionTime and IronPlanet show sales of 506 service trucks last year between the model years of 2013 and 2018, many of which have a comparatively low number of miles.
“Most of the time, service trucks don’t have the mileage,” Steffes says. “Unless your farms are 300, 400 miles apart, you’re keeping them pretty close to home.”