Used Truck Judging
101 “Insider” Version
Inspecting the
truck, get help and a creeper.
Just like back in
4-H and FFA, you want to learn how to separate the Grand Champion “Bull”
from the bum steer that someone is steering you toward when looking for
your best-used truck!! Refer to the first report on the “Insider Club”
home page, Report 1.0. A lot of good information there also related to
buying a used truck.
This is the report
that requires work. You are in charge. You are the customer. Find out
the facts about the trucks that are important to you.
Where I sold trucks last, if the customer had doubts about the condition
of a used truck, I would drive it in the shop where there was room and
get a creeper for the customer to roll under the truck and look for oil
leaks and old mud caked in the frame from extreme off road use.
Some used vehicles
tour auctions from around the country and come from the last hurricane,
tornado or flood area. It’s a smart thing to wonder about a truck that
has sand and mud stuck to the starter and where do you suppose the
seaweed wrapped around the U-joint came from? When I was an auto broker
with AAA Auto Club, some of the members we helped buy vehicles for,
would bring along a mobile mechanic to check out a used vehicle. That’s
a good idea, or take the used truck that you’ve narrowed down to a
trusted mechanic.
The mechanic will
have list of checks to know if the truck's drive train is sound along
the engines computers and sensors.
If you are an AAA member, they have a great service to certify mechanics
that you can trust.
Some dealers will
let you take the truck home. Then you can take your time looking under
and all over it. Take a large screwdriver or pry bar to pop off the
rear hubcap if you are looking at ¾ tons. You will need to see if the
truck has a full floating axle that sticks out on the Heavy Duties. GM
and Ford have some years with light duty ¾ tons, (F250, 2500) which are
½ tons with more wheel bolts and higher rear spring ratings. Now get
your creeper, flashlight, notepad and oil rag to have some fun on
test-drives. And take long test-drives. Forget the short route with only
right-hand turns that your salesperson was taught to take you on. It’s
your money, your time, and your fun!
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Shake rattle and
role. Does the truck vibrate excessively at idle? Does it shimmy at
highway speeds? Is it needing just tire balancing or bigger parts? Oil
slicks, I thought the oil went INSIDE the engine. Is oil dripping
from the transmission, engine, differential, power steering, transfer
case etc.? Are those same components wet with oil? Any thing else
leaking, gas, antifreeze, brake fluid? Any smoke from the exhaust? Is
it black, blue or white? Any holes in the bed? Are they from toolboxes
or a trailer hitch?
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Go on my website
and get the TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) on the truck you’re
looking at. It will show the recalls and what modifications are sent
to dealer service departments to fix known problems. Not all of it may
pertain to your truck.
If you’ve read
my website you know what I think about getting your truck loan and
warranty before you go shopping. Here are the links to refresh your
memory.
http://www.mrtruck.net/loans.htm http://www.mrtruck.net/warranties.htm
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Do a CarFax
report on the truck. Some dealers are doing this now for you. You’ll
want to know if the truck has a clean title or salvage title. Also
take the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number usually on the left base
of the windshield) to a dealer for the brand of truck you are looking
at and have the service department check the history with the brands
national database. Then you will know if there are any open recalls or
known problems. And
they can tell you if there is any remaining factory warranty left.
Don’t assume if the truck has less than 36,000 miles that there is
warranty left. Some factory buy-back lemons go to auction and back to
a car lot with low miles and no warranty.
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Find out the
rear axle ratio. Most trucks will have the axle code in the driver
doorframe or in the inside of the glove box door. There is usually a
tag on one of the differential bolts with the ratio info on it,
(another reason for bringing your own creeper.) When in doubt get the
service department to help you decode it. 3.55 rear axle ratio will
pull smaller trailers with a ½ ton. 3.73 is better for medium loads
and 4.10 does best for your biggest loads. 3.73-axle ratio is the only
way the GM Duramax diesel comes. With Ford you have to get a F350
dually for the 4.10 option. Dodge diesel can have 3.55 or 4.10 in 2002
and older, 3.73 or 4.10 in the 2003 model.
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Look under the
surprisingly new bedliner to see what the bed floor really looks like.
A lot of the time the new bedliner is to hide the holes from the
hitch. Dealers quite often try to hide evidence of any kind of
hitches. Some even take off the receiver hitches. I don’t worry if a
truck has a rear receiver especially if it was part of a factory tow
package. But a hole or holes in the bed where a fifth wheel or ball
was attached might be a truck to avoid unless it’s exceptional in
every other way. There is no way of knowing how big a trailer was
pulled with the truck. Most of the folks I know, who pull trailers,
usually pull a little too heavy. If the truck pulled a trailer that
was thousands of pounds over the capacity, (like I would) it can
strain the drive train and give you premature transmission, clutch,
U-joint and axle replacement.
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If you’re
looking at an automatic transmission, be sure to look for an external
tranny cooler. No I’m not talking about the lines that go through the
radiator, but a separate cooler in front of the radiator. If you are
sure the truck didn’t pull a trailer in a previous life, then you can
ad an external tranny cooler if the rest of the truck checks out.
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Don’t forget to
use dealer math on figuring out how old the truck is. Instead of 2002
the current year, minus the year of the truck you’re looking at, 2000
equals 2 years. Dealer math goes something like this, model year
2003-2002-2001-2000 = 4 years old. Vehicles do a weird thing in the
fall when the new model comes out. The used trucks all get a year
older in September instead of January. Remember that, because book
value will go down on your used trade in, so don’t forget to remind
your opponent that the truck they are trying to sell you lost some
value too. With 0% interest on new trucks, like last fall and this
summer and fall, more trade-ins are flooding the used auto lots.
Expect more selection and lower prices on trucks this fall. The price
you get for your trade-in will certainly be lower. It works both ways
don’t forget to remind the salesperson of that.
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You’ve been told
this for years, but it’s still true. Sell your trade yourself for the
most money. And it’s easier to know where you are in the deal if
you’re Colorado your sales tax is figured on the difference between
your trade and what you are buying, except on a lease. Don’t forget to
take your trade-in just working with the numbers on one truck, not a
truck and a trade-in. In times your tax area and ad that to what you
are getting for your trade or asking for your trade if you sell it
yourself to see the whole picture.
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If you look at a
diesel, don't forget to call the brand service department with the VIN
again. The gas engine and truck has a 36,000 mile or 36 month factory
warranty. The diesel by itself will have 5 year or 100,000 mile
warranty. On a diesel it's important to have the mechanic check the
radiator fluid and maybe have it tested for metal and oil. And the
other side, check the oil and see if any water in it. With diesels
it's important that the radiator fluid had a conditioner added at the
right service interval. If the radiator fluid gets bad it can pit the
sleeves and water jacket called cavitation.
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If the VIN
checks out and the service records show the truck is clean, bring your
creeper and roll underneath and look for abnormalities in the frame
and look for evidence of being used off-road a lot. You know, the
caked in clay inside the frame channel and bent steel brake lines and
rusted shocks. Make sure the differentials, transfer case, engine and
transmission aren't leaking. If you have remaining factory warranty,
what you find will be fixed, but if there are a lot of things wrong it
will cost you too much time. Check the gaskets around the driver’s
door, the threshold, the carpet and the pedals to see if the wear
matches the miles on the odometer. Check the paint for over spray by
the door hinges, hood hinges and where the fenders meet the liner. The
fenders should match other body parts alignment and gap. Try each gear
including reverse with the brake on to see how fast it engages each
gear and how much play, (roll) it has. If it moves too much before you
fill the axle move, you could have wear in the pinion gear or
u-joints. If you hear too much noise in the tranny when you engage,
then there is another problem. Once again if the truck has factory
warranty, all these things can be fixed and you have peace of mind, I
just don't want to see you with chronic problems. The mechanic can
check how the tranny engages. And the normal stuff, seeing what comes
out of the exhaust, water, oil or carbon monoxide. Checkout the 4x4,
if a shift on the fly, engage the button or dial, put in 4x4 hi with
the hubs in auto or lock and do the circle to see if it hops. This is what you
want. Then stop the truck and put in 4x4 lo and drive slower in a
circle. And if manual 4x4 do the same with the floor lever and the
hubs engaged. Some 4x4 trucks have solid front hubs like a front wheel
drive car, so they are always on and you just engage the transfer case
with a lever or switch.
Your Online
Pickup
Truck,
SUV &
Trailer
Resource Magazine. |
Internet, the great Equalizer
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You’ll be
surprised at how many local auto dealers have ads in
www.autotrader.com. I was surprised at many folks traveled over
200 miles to buy a used truck from me that found me on Auto Trader. If
nothing else it’s a great research tool to see what other folks and
dealers are asking for trucks like what you’re looking for. Also read
my reports on online buying services and how to use them to your
advantage,
http://www.mrtruck.net/quote.htm.
A good
place to look for good prices and research are
CarsDirect and
Autoweb. Using all of these online free services will help you
narrow down the best price of trucks you looking at. On the research
section of the “Insider Club” home page is more details on narrowing
down prices using the Internet. If you want to meet your opponent in
person, the best place to deal with is the fleet or Internet
department. Those salespeople usually get paid on everything, like
holdback, finance, dealer handling, warranties and aftermarket
accessories, so they don’t have to hold as much gross profit on each
deal. And they usually deal in volume sales and no-nonsense customers
like business owners. So the BS is optional! The normal run-around in
the retail auto business is why I left the dealer retail and went to
be an auto broker for AAA Auto Club. I came back to retail 3 years
later, to catch up on bills. I was ticked to be able to sell in the
Internet department of the last dealership I worked for my last 2 ½
years as a salesman. It was like being an auto broker again, making
folks the right kind of deal and none of the “puppy dog shuffle,” of
running back and forth to a manager to get the next “best offer.” When
you are a retail salesperson, you are kept in the dark and are told
what to say with little input or control. The Internet gives you, the
customer control, don’t give it up!
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The greatest
weapon a salesperson has against you is your own emotions. Separate
your excitement of a new to you truck. Salespeople are trained to ask
about and use your “Hot Buttons.” Think of the truck as a chunk of
metal and plastic, just like the salesperson does. Your opponent will
use some logic to justify the emotional decisions they are pushing.
Usually you will always find another great deal, so don’t get in a
hurry. Make an educated, logical, wise economical decision. You can
get all excited on the way home in your new to you truck and keep your
kids college fund in your bank.
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One way to look at buying a truck new or used
is your future needs. Find the salesperson and dealership you trust
and build a relationship. There are some good ones out there. I did
discover if the dealership names itself “Friendly Motors” run. The
month I got out of the business, my oldest son rolled his truck and we
had to go truck shopping. I had forgotten how hard it was. We started
out going dealer to dealer, reading the paper, looking on the Internet
and I just tagged along as dumb ole dad playing with my granddaughter.
After my son and daughter-in-law got tired of the search and after
changing their mind several times on which vehicle would work for
them, they felt like most folks car shopping, frustrated! I got on
the cell phone and called one of the veteran salespeople I bought from
and trusted as an auto broker. I told him what they wanted and then we
went and picked it up. Of course I have the advantage, knowing the
dealer cost of vehicles and who to trust. But the point I was trying
to make to my kids was, you’re going to buy a lot of vehicles over
your lifetime. Find the salesperson and dealer you trust and build a
relationship and send them your friends. You still need to do price
research to keep everyone honest, and let me help you sort which truck
is your best choice, but in the same areas of the country used
and especially new, cost all the dealers very close to the same. I
would think a positive relationship with a salesperson and dealer you
trust would take some of the stress out of something you will do over
and over again.
Used diesels and
transmissions
Dodge Cummins lead
the way for almost a decade with longevity; GM 5.7L, 6.2L and 6.5L lead
the tail end with lack of longevity. Now in 2003, trucks are very
competitive. There are still differences but you now have several good
choices on a diesel truck Auto transmissions in diesels in the past was
an expensive lesson. The problem wasn’t so much the tranny but diesels
are hard on drive trains. With pulling maximum capacity loads I don’t
recommend the Dodge diesel with an automatic transmission yet. With
Fords only after the new model Super Duties in the 99 model and the new
4R100 auto tranny. With GM the years I recommend auto trannies with
diesels starting with the 2001 model year behind the new Allison 1000
auto tranny. An auto transmission multiplies the torque from the engine
through the torque converter. It's easier to manage your speed in reverse
with an auto tranny, even though in a 4x4 you can put the transfer case
in low range to help a manual transmission slow down. With the modern
trucks and hydraulic clutches you can't tell the free play left on the
pedal to check wear, but you can judge if the pedal backs almost all the
way out before engaging. The farther out the clutch comes the more wear
it has. The original factory warranty if still in effect will generally
cover an automatic transmission repair, but rarely do warranties cover
clutches.
I most cases I
recommend to get at least a heavy-duty ¾ ton truck, (Dodge 2500, GM 2500
HD, Ford F250) this will give you the capacity to control your trailer
and give you room for growth if you decide to move up to a bigger
trailer. Trucks can last a long time, I keep mine a while and like to be
versatile with choices. If you are looking at a gas engine, there are
very little differences in price between ½ tons and HD ¾ tons and you
get more choices with transmissions and axle ratio’s. HD ¾ ton trucks
have a full floating axle with twice as many bearings in the rear axle
and are designed to be loaded all the time with heavier springs, frames,
shocks, tire ratings, etc. Even the way they ride has changed
dramatically in the last 5 years. In the old days, a ¾ ton truck rode
like a basketball and needed some weight in the bed to ride better. With
used trucks you got to be careful with light duty ¾ tons because they
are ½ tons with more wheel bolts and it’s not easy to tell them apart.
If you want a diesel, then there are more factors to decide and which
transmission. Trucks can be confusing and most people end up asking
their truck salesperson these important questions, and that salesperson
more than likely will not know because they just started selling
yesterday or last week and if they don’t just make something up to tell
you, then they will “TO” turn you over to a manager you will smoothly
tell you anything you want to hear. Very few managers in the auto
business know anything about trucks, they just know how to smile and
manipulate you with, “what can I do to earn your business today” and
“sure that truck will pull your trailer, my brother-in-law pulls his
with that exact truck.” Read at least 90 pages of my website and you
will know more than 90 percent of the auto salespeople you run into. Let
knowledge be your first defense.
I suggest you get
an owners manual after you buy your truck, to know what the recommended
service schedules are.
Helm is a good place to order you manual. It’s where dealers order
theirs. There is so much to say about buying a used truck that I will
keep adding to this report. So check back and watch for the “Revised” on
the end of the report. Good Deal’n. Kent
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1999-2002 H. Kent Sundling and MrTruck.net. All rights reserved
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