Small used truck dealership with a lot

Small trucking and delivery companies, contractors, farms, local businesses and owner-operators.

Margin on each truck sold after purchase, repairs, transport and lot costs. Extra income can come from financing referrals, trade-ins and consignment sales where you take a fee.

• Knowledge of commercial trucks and fair values
• Sales and negotiation
• Managing inventory cash and paperwork

• Dealer license rules can include a set lot size, signage, office hours and bond, so check with your state and city or county zoning office
• Garage liability and dealer insurance can be costly, so get quotes before buying stock
• Inventory ties up a lot of cash and repair costs can be hard to predict, so inspect trucks carefully
• Check title status, emissions rules in your state and whether disclosure rules like the FTC Buyers Guide apply to what you sell
• Workers' compensation insurance is usually needed once you hire staff, so check your state's rules

Startup costs are typically around $75,000 to $250,000, depending on your lot, how much inventory you buy and your insurance and licensing costs. Inventory ties up a lot of cash, and repair costs can be hard to predict.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $40,000 to $200,000, depending on how many trucks you sell and their prices. This is revenue, not take-home pay, and you should expect full-time hours, starting at about 40 a week.

Check your state's dealer license rules, which can include lot size, signage, office hours and a bond, plus city or county zoning. Also check dealer insurance quotes, title status, state emissions rules, FTC Buyers Guide disclosure and workers' compensation once you hire.