Leasing or a loan for a tractor unit: running the numbers on a real example
"Should I take a loan or go with leasing?" is the most common finance question in the yard. The right answer depends on who is buying and how they plan to operate. Let's break it down on a live example.
What the fundamental difference is
With a loan, the truck is yours right away — the bank simply holds it as collateral. With leasing, the owner is the leasing company; you use the unit and buy it out gradually. Hence the practical consequences: leasing is faster to arrange and offers tax advantages for companies, while a loan is simpler for sole proprietors and gives you full freedom to do as you wish with the truck.
Running the numbers on a tractor unit at $40 000
- Loan (sample OTP terms): down payment from 20%, term up to 5 years; the monthly payment is lower, but full comprehensive (CASCO) insurance is required for the entire term.
- Leasing (sample A-Bank terms): down payment from 15%, arranged in 2–3 days, insurance and taxes often already built into the payment; the total overpayment is usually slightly higher.
- Break-even point: if the tractor unit goes out on routes right away, the difference in overpayment is recovered within the first months of work.
The figures in the example are approximate — banks revise their terms every quarter. A manager will run an up-to-date calculation for your specific unit in 15 minutes: just click "Loan application" on the listing card of any unit.
