Used Truck Buying Guide

by: Mark Abrahams


Here are some of the most important questions I think a potential buyer should ask his sales person before they buy their truck. By asking these questions to me, or someone else you will save yourself time and possibly a lot of money. I would welcome these questions , and I will answer them accurately and sincerely.

1. Does the truck have any type of warranty?

2. What kind of inspection process do you have on the trucks coming in to your inventory? Comments: The company normally will have an inspection procedure they do when the truck first arrives. Inquire about this.

3. Who owned the truck before you acquired it?

4. Can I take the truck and have it inspected before I purchase it? Comments: It is always a good idea to have another pair of eyes look at the trucks before you purchase the truck.

5. What are the exact specifications of the truck? Comments: We are all human and we all make mistakes. The salesman should double check the trucks and make sure the specifications are correct to meet your needs. Double check the horse power rating, rear end ratios, and transmission models. They will have a great affect on the performance of the truck and your fuel economy.

6. Does the truck have any wreck damage? Comments: Have the salesman look for items like non factory rivets, frame straightness, and other body shop repairs. A salesman with a lot of experience will have a good eye for these type of problems.

7. How many miles are on the truck? Comments: Odometers break unfortunately, but a nice thing about the newer electronic engines is that we can read the internal computers if it is a Detroit engine or a Cummins engine. Have the salesman double check this for you if possible.

8. What should I look for before test driving the truck? Comments: Do a walk around the truck looking at brakes, tires, wreck damage, engine leaks, analyze if the wheel base is correct, look for suspension wear, and overall appearance, take a look at the oil and water for contamination.

9. What should I look for during a test drive? Comments: Use all of your senses the best you can. Are there any vibrations? Does the engine sound right? What does the exhaust smoke look like, and is it the correct color after the engine has warmed up.? How does the transmission and clutch feel?

10. What do I look for after the test drive? Comments: Check the truck for leaks, check the engine for having too much compression, do another walk around to see if you see any other problems that you missed the first time. Comments: It is always good to know if the truck has belonged to a company that took good care of it.

P.S. I hope that you have found the truck buying guide helpful.


About The Author

Mark Abrahams
http://www.used-trucks-central.org