Shopping for pre-ELD truck: getting inspection

Turning an otherwise informative thread into a petty argument..

 

LOL Might want to learn to read. I don't mind debating someone that isn't so butt hurt they refuse to read. Someone like you that basic reading compression is lacking needs to not be in a location that reading is essential.

 

Still crying over an opinion I gave over a year ago I see. You really need to learn to move on with life.
And don't lie again and say you don't know what I'm talking about. Of course you do or you would not be specifically targeting me every time I do give an opinion....

 

I think that your dubious opinion has been duly noted.

 

Post it cause I have no idea and I don’t think you can proof or it didn’t happen and what would that make you? I’m waiting

 

Those Ford dumps are sweet looking. And for the price looks like a great way to get started cheap in hauling.

There was a guy I was conversing with not long ago that bought a Pete dump and learned how to wrench and fix it himself all via Youtube videos. Truck ran phenomenal and learning how to do brakes/basic maintenance saved him a fortune. He had 45k all said and done into the truck (including price) and he was able to make all his $ back hauling for DOT projects in PA inside of a year.

 

I seen in the holiday spirt of Easter you want to crucify anybody that doesn't agree with your way of thinking or that wants to own a per ELD truck... Good for you.

 

And we still haven’t helped with the OPs question of how to find a competent inspector in different locations, when shopping for a truck.

so it would be nice if the folks arguing about WHY someone wants a pre ELD or pre emission or pre computer truck could start their own thread to argue in, that would be nice. Thank you.

I stand firmly in the camp that a pre computer truck will be more reliable and make you more money long term .
ELDs are easy to manipulate.
I know drivers that do it .

anyway. Back to the topic ;

Several years ago I purchased and imported some vehicles from the UK.

I just randomly found a mechanic that posted occasionally on a VW diesel website .
I was buying Toyota diesels , but figured it was close enough.
I talked to him and we came to an agreement on compensation for the inspection.
I’d find a Toyota diesel on eBay near him and he’d go look at it, if it wasn’t a junker , I’d win the bid. He would go get the vehicle, bring it back to his shop,
Remove the drivetrain and and I’d handle having the drivetrain shipped to me in the states .
He kept the rest of the car as his payment.

long story short was, I just found a small independent shop and called and talked to the owner/mechanic .

he sounded competent on the phone and I trusted him.
Sometimes
You just have to take a chance.
And if you’re serious about buying it , you’d need to be there in person.

there was a long thread on here about a guys story of him searching for and buying a truck and getting his own authority etc . I can’t remember the name , but will look around the site and see if I can find it .
Maybe it was double yellow ?

 

I get wanting a 3rd parties opinion before going a long way too look at a truck before you waist time going to look at a heap. Pictures never really show the bad. In reality nothing but experience will ever give the buyer what they need to know to make an informed decision. Low mileage on a rebuild means squat. The chances of having to do it are high. The same with transmissions and diffs. The art of quality work is being lost. So what ever you buy no matter it’s history be ready for any challenge.


The only way to get a good feel for the shape a truck is really in is strap to a dyno and load it. Push it to its limit......not for 5 minutes either run it like a borrowed mule.


Their is so many ways to hide problems it’s not funny. Dynos are so hard to find with an operator that will load one that it’s almost not worth the hassle. Then you have the salesman that list every CAT as 550hp, couple that with a buyer that doesn’t know they are all different horsepower and you have a disaster lookin for a place to happen.


With a 20 year old truck anything could of happened in its life. It may have come with a 550 that was unrepairable out of desperation a 355 or 410 was put in with the 550 stickers on the rocker box and oil cooler. So you have no idea till...........they are not the same with just simple ECM adjustments. There is a lot of room for error on an old truck