What things someone should check before buying a used truck?

i'm glad you think a "gear" is a minor problem, but what to do if one (or two) are completely ground-away.....???

not unless it's been fully cooked and just barley adjusted so that you can drive it away.....

always expect some noises, but what do you define as "strange"........??

best to stay away from more than 500,000 miles unles you got money saved up for some major repairs, like that transmission/clutch you think are "minor" problems

make sure all the tires have about the same thread depth, no sidewall cracks/splits, and that the wheels aren't badly rusted

if the A/C doesn't work, expect major repairs beyond a simple re-charge of the system. if the cabin looks torn, ripped, duct taped, forget the whole deal, its been abused.

EVERYTHING...............then have a DOT inspection done as well.


think of it this way, look at a used truck like you were buying a used car...............you wouldn't just put down your cash and not check it all out, right....?????

 

Don't buy a truck without real provable maintenance records. Don't buy a truck without a full warranty on the whole driveline from engine back. Don't buy one that is 500.000 miles on it unless you have money saved for motor repair,trans,rearends,clutch etc. Have oil analzed and the ph checked on the cooling system fluid. if either are not right on,I would not buy that truck. You want tires and brakes to be better than 50%,unless you want to spend money right away on that truck.Don't buy a truck unless you have a written working contract that you know others have made it,again real prove and figures.If you buy thru a reputable dealer like freightliner,mack,western star,kw,pete etc and get your best deal from them,study the warranty,make sure it covers all you need,sometimes when you are new to trucking,the extended warranty you can buy is a helpful tool for you.check out all the little things like ac,controls in sleeper and in cab,the heater works in both sleeper and cab, thge wiring isn't corroded or crushed and the coolant lines are all in new or good condition,I have seen many a driver burn up a motor when heater hoses etc.let go all of a sudden,if they are looking stretched or puffy,replace them. The dealer will ussually fix the little things for you to sell the truck,this is the time to mention it,also check wipers and intermittant switches. Best of luck to you. If you go for a private deal,have dealer check vin number thru their data system,you don't want to buy a stolen truck or one that has liens on it,get a title search done. It's hard to beat the dealers deals in the long run,unless you really know that person or that truck and where it came from and was serviced properly,it can turn into a real nightmare if you are not careful. best of luck to you.