How to check used trucks

If you can afford to buy it and not have a note it can be good. The newer motors don't sem to be getting as many miles before overhauls that I used to see so it could go eithr way. At that mileage I would have to make sure I had some money or line of credit to rebuild it if it were to come up.
here is my philosophy on buying trucks.

Either buy it new and have the big payment with warrenty (or very slightly used)

or buy it old and cheap and pay cash.

I don't like the idea of buying a truck with 500k or so on it and having a note. AT that point you have a payment and a truck that is coming due for a good amount of repairs possibly.

Lots of dealers get trucks in with that mileage and reman the motor right away before selling it. that is a god way to get a truck but if that had been don they would be advertising it. If there isn't paperwork to prove the rebuild was done then assume it hasn't been, I don't care who is telling you. Besides there is many variaitions of a rebuild. some people even consider $700 bearing set as a "rebuild" there is you basic pistons and liners rebuild, then there is the top end but without getting into the front cover, then there is the whole shebang! and just becase the motor was rebuilt doesn't mean the turbo, ps pump etc is new

 

Buy Pete all the way! MedicineMan is right his 20 year old and my 20 year old Pete are worth as much as a 02 freight shaker. I have driven many freightshakers and the quailty or resale is not there. I bought my 1989 Pete 379 for $13k and put about $6k at a local mechanic shop right back into it and it is still a good darn truck.

Check air bags for cracks or dry rotting, wheels for leaky wheel seals, rear ends for cracks. Basically look it over real well, and if you are buying from a dealer I would make them do a DOT inspection on it, it cost me $80 and my shop. I pretty much knew I was going to have to put money in my truck when I bought it.

 

On another note when you buy your truck get it serviced and have them change all the fluids in the diffs, trans, and engine oil and do a DOT inspection before you haul any load, that is what I did. This way you know what is bad before you roll across that scale and get screwed and pay big fines and possibly a wrecker to pull you to a shop. I am by far no DIESEL mechanic and there was plenty of things wrong with the truck that I had no idea was wrong.

 

MM, what do you say about International Eagles...93, 94, 9900? I was about to get an FLD120, but have changed my mind just based on your opinion as your experience is clear on this.

 

Mostly good advice so far.

Carfax may give you a report as truck records do get included even though they don't target them specifically (you can see how many reports there are before you buy the service. Just be aware that everytime the vehicle is registered/renewed, etc., that's a report). All the trucks I looked at did have reports and I eliminated one due to the information from Carfax.

In addition to getting a report from the truck manufacturer, get one from the engine manufacturer as well. They will be able to tell you of any warranty repairs and other history on the engine separate from the truck manufacturer. Part of the reason I eliminated the aforementioned truck was that Carfax indicated an accident and Detroit had an in-service date on the engine three weeks after that. Freightliner only showed the original in-service date for the truck.

As already mentioned, have a dyno along with a general mechanical and chassis inspections. A bit of extra work at this stage will likely save you a lot of money and heartache later on.

 

When i bought my truck what i really wanted was a 379, I ran across this W9 and i could faintly see the company name on the side and also the drivers name. I called that company and the driver still worked there and they gave me his cell number. This guy was more than helpful, he had been the only driver since the truck was new and knew the history. A friend of mine ran the numbers and verified his his claims. Other than dealerships most of the used trucks are bought at auction and very little is known about them. A truck from a o/o is about your best bet. Alot of company trucks change drivers more often than they change their underwear and some slipseat their trucks, which in my opinion is the worst of all and typically easy to spot.

 

Truck values are thru a website or name called "blackbook". Some thing like that. Cost is $4.

If you search for blackbook on this site you will probably find the link.