Thinking about buying a $10K-$30K semi truck with cash? Don't spend a dollar until you watch this.I buy Freightliner Cascadias for $7,500 - $10,000 cash on Facebook Marketplace and put them to work in 1-2 weeks. In this video I show you the 5 NON-NEGOTIABLE checks that tell you to WALK AWAY immediately — no mechanic, no laptop needed.Perfect for new owner-operators and small fleet owners who are spending their last $10K-$15K and can't afford a $8,000 mistake.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: ✓ Why the truck MUST be stone cold when you arrive (and what they're hiding if it's warm) ✓ The cold-start knock that = walk away (injector vs spun bearing) ✓ The coolant cap test that reveals a blown head gasket ✓ Milky oil / milky coolant = walk away ✓ Electrical / DPF / ABS killers that stop you from getting DOT compliant ✓ BONUS checks: oil pressure at idle (15-20 PSI) & at 1500 RPM (50+ PSI), blowby tube smoke, brakes, tires & air leaksBEST TRUCK UNDER $30K (MY RECOMMENDATION): Freightliner Cascadia or International ProStar with Detroit or Cummins ISX. Avoid MaxxForce. Think Chevy — any shop can fix it, any computer can read it. KW / Peterbilt with PACCAR = limited shops + expensive software.MY REAL NUMBERS: • $9,000 Freightliner — million+ miles, made money back in 2 weeks • $10,000 Freightliner — 760k miles, only fan clutch + air compressor • This $7,500 truck — cost me another $8K because I ignored oil leaks + wiring harnessTIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Don't drop $20K-$30K before you check this 00:42 How I make money back in 7-14 days with cheap trucks 02:10 Best truck to buy under $30K (and what to avoid) 04:30 Cold start rule #1 - if you hear THIS, walk away 08:20 Get it to 150°-200° & the coolant pressure test 11:05 Pull the dipstick - milky oil = blown head gasket 13:40 Transmission jerking, air leaks & DOT killers 15:10 My $8K electrical mistake (oil leaks + wiring harness) 18:30 Extra checks: oil leaks, brakes, tires, oil pressure & blowbyLINKS & RESOURCES: → Subscribe for weekly no-fluff trucking business strategy: https://www.youtube.com/@MarcoPerkins → Watch: How I made my money back in 1 week on a $9K Freightliner (link in pinned comment)WHO IS THIS FOR: New owner operators, aspiring owner operators, and small fleet owners (1-5 trucks) buying with cash and wanting to flip profit fast without financing a $60K+ truck.Got questions? Drop them in the comments — I read every one and make videos from your questions.#OwnerOperator #TruckingBusiness #FreightlinerCascadia #SemiTruck #OwnerOperatorTruckingDISCLAIMER: This is not financial advice. This is what I do in my fleet — do your own due diligence and bring a mechanic if you can ($100-$250 for computer check is worth it).