Purchase Truck

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by TheTruth1234, Dec 30, 2009.

  1. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

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    Nov 25, 2008
    Kellogg, IA
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    Before I bought any truck, I would dump the ECM and go over the 30+ pages of data (a complete dump, not a summary), I would have the truck put on a dyno and checked, I would pull oil sample from engine and have it tested, then I would then go over the truck bumper to bumper and underneath. Paying a good mechanic (not affiliated with the dealer or owner) to go over it with you would be money well spent.

    With the way trucks are selling, taking the time to do this most likely will not risk having the truck bought by someone else before you get all the results. Try and negotiate the dyno testing and other costs of inspection be paid by dealer. That will be difficult, but can be done.

    If dealer doesn't want to jump thru these hoops, then there are a lot of trucks out there. Move on to another.
     
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  3. Grumman

    Grumman Light Load Member

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    Nov 7, 2009
    Locust Grove, GA
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    Always great advice, however consider the price of the truck when you select your pre-buy rituals. Don't spend 2k checking out a 10k truck for example. Try to find out where the truck came from as that might suggest what kind of maint. program the truck has been under.
    The select truck dealers usually do a good job of detailing and checking out the trucks they sell. Most of their trucks are priced above what similar ones in the region. Some of that may be tied up in money invested in bringing the truck up to spec. or not. I do know the blue Transport mid-roofs went pretty quickly here in McDonough, GA. They had pretty good specs and looked real clean. Looks like it would make a good flatbed tractor.
    As far as their "new" O/O program goes, those trucks are going to be priced more than ones else where. They add some benefits to the package but only require 1k down with a beacon of 640 or so I believe. Those TA trucks are not in that program.
     
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  4. QuoteWarz Insurance

    QuoteWarz Insurance Light Load Member

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    Jan 1, 2010
    Los Angeles, Ca
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    Cowpie1, that is some great suggestions and I really think that everyone should get their truck inspected by an independent mechanic or shop before purchasing. Your truck is going to be one of the biggest purchases of your career and buying a lemon can cause you a lot of headaches that's for sure.
     
  5. LBZ

    LBZ Road Train Member

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    Road to Nowhere
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    I just checked around for prices on getting a truck dyno'd & the dealer I was going through offered to split the dyno fee. A respected small local diesel shop said they would charge about $200 to thoroughly go over the thing, or about 4 hours worth of checking things over.(also noted I could be there as well.) Said they would pull the oil samples requested, but the fee for the analyses through wherever I sent them to would be on me. So guessing all in all around $500 to know what you really have.

    Beats a possible avoidable tow bill & explaining to a customer why you aren't there yet! ;)
     
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