Spartan Fire Trucks for Sale

You can buy a reconditioned, service-ready used fire truck built on a Spartan chassis without paying new-build prices or waiting years for it. Spartan, now Spartan Emergency Response of Charlotte, Michigan and part of the REV Group, is best known for its custom Gladiator and Metro Star fire chassis that carry apparatus from many body builders, and it builds complete rigs too. Fire Truck Center sells used Spartan-chassis pumpers, aerials, and rescues that pass a 150-point inspection with third-party NFPA pump tests and aerial certification, backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Used Spartan-chassis trucks generally run from around $45,000 for older units to the mid-six figures for newer custom rigs — see the pumpers and aerials in stock now.

What are Spartan fire trucks known for?

Spartan fire trucks are known for the custom cab and chassis under them. Spartan Motors was formed in Charlotte, Michigan in 1975 by four engineers from the Diamond-Reo truck company, and it built custom cabover fire chassis to each department’s spec, which let smaller body manufacturers offer a true custom truck. That chassis is what “Spartan” means to most departments.

Two chassis carry the name. The names to know:

• Gladiator — Spartan’s flagship custom chassis since 1983, with a wide 99-inch cab.
• Metro Star — a 94-inch custom chassis in production since the 1990s.
• Complete apparatus — as Spartan Emergency Response, the company also builds complete pumpers, steel aerials and platforms, tankers, and rescues, including under its Smeal and Ladder Tower brands.
• A REV Group brand — Spartan ER became part of the REV Group in 2020, one of the largest fire apparatus groups in the country.

Because so many builders put bodies on Spartan chassis, a used Spartan is common on the market — and worth buying when you know exactly what you’re looking at.

Can you buy a used Spartan fire truck, and what types come up?

Yes — used apparatus on Spartan chassis comes to market often, most often as pumpers, with aerials and rescues showing up too. Fire Truck Center sources, reconditions, and sells them, so you’re not left hunting auction listings and hoping a truck is sound.

Because so many pumpers ride on Spartan chassis, that’s where most used demand lands. If you need pumping capacity, browse the used pumpers we have in stock. If you’re after reach, our used aerial and quint inventory is where the Spartan-chassis ladders land. You can also see every truck we have for sale in one place.

A used Spartan doesn’t have to be old to be a smart buy. Plenty of pumpers and aerials come out of departments as reserve or second-line trucks — low hours, well maintained, and visually close to new.

What should you know before buying a used Spartan?

Before buying a used Spartan, know the one thing that trips up buyers: a “Spartan” can mean a complete truck built by Spartan Emergency Response, or another manufacturer’s body built on a Spartan Gladiator or Metro Star chassis. Identify the body builder first, because you’re really buying two things — the chassis and the body — and both need to check out.

A used Spartan tends to share a few traits worth knowing:

• The chassis is the strength. Spartan built its name on heavy-duty custom cabover chassis engineered to spec. A maintained Spartan chassis has plenty of service life left in it.
• Know the body builder. On a Spartan-chassis truck, the body could be from Spartan ER, Smeal, Ladder Tower, or another builder. That tells you where to source body and compartment parts, so confirm it before you buy.
• Parts and service. Spartan chassis are widely supported, and Spartan ER is part of the REV Group’s national network. They hold their value well for parts and reliability, so a used Spartan is a solid buy, still a fraction of new.

On configuration, match the truck to your department:

• Pumper, aerial, or rescue. Spartan chassis carry all three. Match pump capacity, tank size, and aerial reach to your run card.
• Gladiator versus Metro Star. The Gladiator runs a wider 99-inch cab; the Metro Star is a narrower 94-inch cab that fits tighter stations and streets.
• Complete Spartan versus body-on-chassis. A complete Spartan ER rig comes from one manufacturer; a body-on-chassis truck combines two, which is fine as long as you know both.

Get the chassis, body builder, and configuration right, and a used Spartan will serve for years.

What should you check when buying a used Spartan?

On a used Spartan, check the chassis and frame first, then the pump, the aerial certification if it’s an aerial or quint, and the body build quality from whoever built it — because a Spartan-chassis truck is a chassis and a body, and you verify both. The frame and the pump are what cost the most to get wrong.

Here’s how our founder frames the priority, from years of buying and reconditioning these trucks:

“Structural integrity — making sure the frame is in solid condition with no problems. Checking the motor for leaks and performance, the transmission, and all the other electrical components.”

Work through the truck in this order:

1. Chassis and frame. The Spartan chassis checked for cracks, corrosion, and repair history. This is the make-or-break check on any used apparatus.
2. Pump. An NFPA pump test — no leaks, holds vacuum, flows its rated GPM (Spartan-chassis pumpers commonly run 1,250 to 2,000 GPM).
3. Aerial certification. If it’s an aerial or quint, a current third-party aerial test to NFPA standards confirms the ladder is safe to operate.
4. Body and build. The body, compartments, and mounts checked, along with which builder made them, so you know where parts come from.
5. Drivetrain and miles. Engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, and electrical, with our guideline of roughly 100,000 miles and 10,000 hours as an upper bound.

Every used Spartan we sell goes through our 150-point inspection and gets its pump test and aerial certification from a third party before it leaves the lot, so you get documented proof on each of these points rather than a promise.

How much does a used Spartan fire truck cost?

A used Spartan-chassis truck costs a fraction of a new one, with price driven mostly by apparatus type, age, and body. Used pumpers and aerials span a wide range — older units can land near $45,000, while newer custom rigs run into the mid-six figures. For a full breakdown by truck type, see what used fire trucks actually cost.

Spartan-chassis apparatus type	Typical used price range	Notes
Pumper / engine (Gladiator, Metro Star)	$45,000 – $350,000+	Priced on age, body builder, and hours
Aerial / quint	$20,000 – $500,000+	Priced on reach, age, and hours; older units are a top value
Rescue / heavy rescue	$70,000 – $175,000	Depends on body and compartment build

These are Fire Truck Center’s general used ranges by apparatus type, not Spartan-specific quotes — every truck is priced individually.

The comparison that matters is used versus new. A new custom pumper now runs well into six figures, and a new aerial past a million, with build queues stretching two to four years. A reconditioned Spartan-chassis truck can be in service in a matter of weeks. You’re saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of waiting.

Financing is available through lenders that specialize in emergency vehicles, so the up-front number doesn’t have to be the whole story for a department on a tight budget.

Why buy your used Spartan from Fire Truck Center?

Because every truck is reconditioned and put through a 150-point inspection with third-party NFPA pump and aerial certification, then backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and nationwide delivery. That combination is rare in used apparatus, and it’s built to answer the one fear every buyer has: getting a lemon.

With a Spartan, we also tell you exactly what you’re buying — the chassis and the body builder — so there’s no guessing about where parts come from or what you’re really getting. That clarity matters most on a truck that two manufacturers had a hand in.

The 30-day satisfaction guarantee is the part almost nobody else offers. If the truck isn’t right, you return it within 30 days for a full refund, for any reason. Fire Truck Center pays the return freight, and the truck comes back in the same condition it went out. Thirty days is enough to confirm a used fire truck is mechanically sound.

Delivery is handled the same way — carefully. Aerials and larger units are usually driven to your department rather than hauled, which protects the truck and often saves money. Most buyers come out to our Levittown, PA facility to inspect the truck in person first, then we deliver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Spartan a complete fire truck or just a chassis?

A Spartan can be either — Spartan is best known for its custom Gladiator and Metro Star fire chassis, which many body builders build on, and Spartan Emergency Response also builds complete trucks. So a used “Spartan” might be a complete Spartan rig or another manufacturer’s body on a Spartan chassis. Knowing which one you’re looking at tells you where body and chassis parts come from.

Who owns Spartan now?

Spartan Emergency Response has been part of the REV Group since 2020, along with its Smeal and Ladder Tower brands. The Spartan fire chassis and complete-apparatus lines are built under REV Group’s fire and emergency segment. For a used buyer, that means Spartan chassis are supported through a large national network.

How many miles or hours are too many on a used Spartan?

As a general guideline, we look for used trucks under about 100,000 miles and 10,000 engine hours. Many reserve and second-line Spartan-chassis pumpers come in well under that, because they saw light duty in their first life. Documented maintenance and a clean inspection matter more than the raw numbers.

Does a used Spartan come NFPA-certified?

A used Spartan from Fire Truck Center comes with a current third-party pump test and, on an aerial, an aerial certification to NFPA standards. Both tests are performed by an independent testing company, so you have documented proof the pump and aerial are safe to put in service. We won’t deliver an aerial without it.

Can you deliver a Spartan to our department?

Yes — Fire Truck Center delivers nationwide, and we’ve sent trucks to nearly every state in the lower 48. Aerials and larger units are usually driven to your department rather than shipped on a carrier, which protects the truck and often costs less. Most departments inspect the truck in person at our facility first, then we handle delivery.