Madrano’s Wholesale Fruit Company located in McAllen, Texas, is considering the purchase of a new fleet of tractors to be used in the delivery of fruits and vegetables grown in the Rio Grand Valley of Texas. If it goes through with the purchase, it will spend $400,000 on eight rigs. The new trucks will be kept for five years, during which time they will be depreciated toward a $40,000 salvage value using straight-line depreciation. The rigs are expected to have a market value in five years equal to their salvage value. The new tractors will be used to replace the company’s older fleet of eight trucks, which are fully depreciated but can be sold for an estimated $20,000 (because the tractors have a current book value of zero, the selling price is fully taxable at the firm’s 30 percent tax rate). The existing tractor fleet is expected to be useable for five more years, after which time they will have no salvage value. The existing fleet of tractors uses $200,000 per year in diesel fuel, whereas the new, more efficient fleet will use only $150,000. In addition, the new fleet will be covered under warranty, so the maintenance costs per year are expected to be only $12,000 compared to $35,000 for the existing fleet.

a. What are the differential operating cash flow savings per year during Years 1 through 5 for the new fleet?

b. What is the initial cash outlay required to replace the existing fleet with the newer tractors?

c. Sketch a timeline for the replacement project cash flows for Years 0 through 5.

d. If Madrano requires a 15 percent discount rate for new investments, should the fleet be replaced?