{"id":3401,"date":"2019-12-06T09:52:07","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T22:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/?p=3401"},"modified":"2019-12-18T13:52:28","modified_gmt":"2019-12-18T02:52:28","slug":"how-to-buy-used-trucks-the-six-tips-that-will-get-you-the-right-vehicle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truckdealers.com.au\/editorial\/how-to-buy-used-trucks-the-six-tips-that-will-get-you-the-right-vehicle\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Buy Used Trucks \u2013 The Six Tips That Will Get You the Right Vehicle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Use these tips to figure out what you need to check before you spend your cash on a used truck.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Buying a used truck comes with so many more complications than buying one that\u2019s brand new.<\/p>\n

The vehicle\u2019s already been on the road, perhaps for several years by the time you see it. That means it\u2019s undergone a bunch of wear and tear that you have to watch out for.<\/p>\n

Failure the spot this stuff could lead to you overpaying on a used truck or vehicle.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what happened to this forum participant\u2019s unfortunate sister\u2026<\/p>\n

The buyer wanted to get her hands on a used Jeep. She went to a dealer because she assumed she could trust a truck from an official source. She even had a mechanic give the vehicle a quick once over and it came back with a clean bill of health.<\/i><\/p>\n

Nearly $12,000 changed hands\u2026<\/i><\/p>\n

And within two weeks, the vehicle started presenting problems. The oil pressure seemed low and the engine started having trouble.<\/i><\/p>\n

A trip to a different mechanic resulted in the verdict that the engine was basically shot.<\/i><\/p>\n

Now, the buyer needs to spend thousands of dollars to repair and replace the engine.<\/i><\/p>\n

The key thing to remember when you buy used trucks is that it\u2019s a buyer-beware situation. The onus is on you to check everything about the item you are attempting to buy.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where these tips come in.<\/p>\n

These are the things you need to keep in mind when you\u2019re attempting to add a used truck to your garage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip #1 \u2013 Review the Maintenance History<\/span><\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve got your eye on a truck and it\u2019s drawing you in. The cab chassis is in great condition and it\u2019s even a turbo-diesel model. You can already see yourself driving it away from the dealer and spending hours on the road with it.<\/p>\n

But you need to take all of that emotion out of the equation. You have to be clinical when you\u2019re buying used trucks if you want to avoid the situation that our buyer from earlier experienced.<\/p>\n

First of all, you should always review the truck\u2019s maintenance history. You want to see that the previous owners maintained it to the correct standard and that it\u2019s had no major problems.<\/p>\n

If you do see signs of a major issue, you have to quiz the seller to find out what it was and what they did to fix it. In an ideal situation, the truck will still be under its factory warranty.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip #2 \u2013 Find Out Why it\u2019s Getting Sold<\/span><\/h3>\n

The seller\u2019s motivation is a key piece of information when you\u2019re buying used trucks. You need to find out why they\u2019re selling before you think about handing over any money.<\/p>\n

In most cases, the seller probably just wants to buy an upgrade. For example, they may want to go from medium duty models to heavy-duty ones. This usually means that the vehicle won\u2019t have any issues.<\/p>\n

However, you have a reason to feel concerned if the seller won\u2019t tell you why they\u2019re selling. This is a red flag because it suggests that there\u2019s a problem with the truck that they don\u2019t want to tell you about.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip #3 \u2013 Check for Signs of Rust<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is a pretty basic tip, but it\u2019s also one that many buyers don\u2019t carry out fully. Or, you may not know what rust looks like when it hasn\u2019t yet broken through the paint.<\/p>\n

Look for any raised or knobbly areas of paint on the vehicle. It\u2019s possible that there\u2019s rust growing underneath the paint that\u2019ll be costly to take care of later on.<\/p>\n

Check the whole exterior, paying particular attention to wheel arches and other hard-to-reach areas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip #4 \u2013 Find a Reliable Parts Supplier<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is a particularly important tip if you\u2019re buying an older used truck.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible that the parts you might need for repairs aren\u2019t on the market anymore. If the model\u2019s gone through several upgrades, you might find it tough to get working parts.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why you need to find a reliable parts supplier before you buy.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want to be in a situation where the truck starts experiencing issues and you can\u2019t find what you need to repair it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip #5 \u2013 Always Look Underneath the Truck<\/span><\/h3>\n

Great bodywork may hide the absolute horror show that\u2019s happening on the truck\u2019s undercarriage. That means it\u2019s crucial that you get underneath the truck to check for signs of wear or damage.<\/p>\n

There are a few things to look out for here:<\/p>\n