Used truck with high mileage

[IronJack]

Hey guys and gals,

Been browsing the forum and there's alot of knowledgable people here, so I'm hoping you can give me a word of advice.

I want a truck; I'm looking at GMC or Chevy Silverados from 1999-2008, and my budget is $9,000. Obviously I won't be getting a NEW car for that money. The ones I looked at on Auto Trader that are within my budget, but they all have between 200,000 and 250,000 kilometers on it.

I'd also like to mention what I'll be using it for: Max 3 years of use, mostly short trips around a city, some towing. As in, I don't mind if it's rusted out or if it limps past 3 years; I'm looking for a truck for now, not a truck for my grandkids.

SO what do you think about the sense in buying a truck for the money I'm talking about but with the miles that are on it?

Some of these trucks are fleet maintained, one is a private sale, and one is from a GM auction with full maintenence records. Is it dumb to be buying such a high mileage truck?

Thanks for your time,
Cheers
Craig

[Allen]

The concepts not bad, as you would probably loose $9K in depreciation the miunte you drive a new one off the lot.. The issue will be what it costs to keep a high millage truck running over the 3 years.. Barrie is our resident GM expert and from what I have seen him say about the GM trucks they are quite reliable... wait and see what he has to say..

[IronJack]

Thanks very much, Allen!

My dad has been a loyal GM driver for years, and I've seen many of his trucks creep up over 200,000 but he's traded them. Sadly, anything above my pre-stated budget is out of the question as the bank won't even look at you for a loan without $35,000/year income.

I look forward to hearing from Barry.

Cheers
Craig

[PJungnitsch]

I bought a ten year old Ford F150 (straight six/auto) off a buddy back in 1991 and drove it for ten years for work before I sold it. It was in that 200,000 range when I bought it, and other than the rad and the heater core (known issues, change ahead of time and issue is gone) and a bit of brake work, hardly did anything to it.

I grew up with a 1979 F150 on the farm bought new that ran to 400,000 plus on it's original 302 V8. The light duty gearbox it came with exploded like a grenade early on so we replaced it with a junker gearbox that ran forever.

Current truck is a Mazda B2000, bought at 230,000, now twenty years old and just breaking 400,000, never overhauled, same clutch it came from the factory with.

So it certainly can be done. I'm sure Chev's are just as good. Probably depends a bit on the exact engine/tranny (the Ford 300 straight 6 and the 302 V8 were known to be solid) a lot on the operator/maintenance, and if any towing is done. I drove my Ford briefly a year after I sold it and it was a totally different truck, they had been towing with it and were not good operators so it was going downhill fast.

[Arthur Dent]

I'd want to see some maintaince records and have an idea on what the use was.

[articsteve]

A vehicle is the sum of it's parts.  Look for vehicles with new parts.  Consequently, the highest mileage vehicle could be the best bet.

AVOID trucks with anything more than a class 3 hitch.

[IronJack]

I'd want to see some maintaince records and have an idea on what the use was.

Yes, maintenence records are most certainly preferred. Fleet maintained--Would that mean regular oil changes and the like? One guy said one of the trucks had 'preventative maintenence"--Not entirely sure what is meant by that.

A vehicle is the sum of it's parts.  Look for vehicles with new parts.  Consequently, the highest mileage vehicle could be the best bet.

AVOID trucks with anything more than a class 3 hitch.

Any idea on what 'new' parts I'd typically be looking for? As in, new alternator? New belts? Whats the best way to determine 'new' on an engine or transmission?

And, how does one tell a truck has a Class 3 hitch?

No doubt these are questions I could ask the dealer, but the most consistent advice I've gotten from asking elsewhere is "DON'T TRUST THE DEALER!"

Sorry for all the Q's and thanks for the tips! Keep 'em coming!

Cheers
Craig

[Cord]

Is it dumb to be buying such a high mileage truck?

If that's all you can afford and you need a truck, what choice do you have?

[IronJack]

Is it dumb to be buying such a high mileage truck?

If that's all you can afford and you need a truck, what choice do you have?

One other, but one I'd like to avoid: I can ask the parents to co-sign a loan. But, to me, this is not really a good option. Sure, it might allow me to get a 'better' truck, but I'd have to pay more for the insurance and I'd be under the jackboot of the Bank for who knows how long, and if I screw up a payment or my situation changes financially it'll be my parents on the hook, and I don't want that.

If I'm going to buy a used truck, and the engine or tranny is going to blow, I'd rather that happen on a truck I own free and clear then on a truck I won't own for 4 years.

Cheers
Craig

[Trainman]

And, how does one tell a truck has a Class 3 hitch?

This link might help:  http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-size.aspx

[airbalancer]

You will be lucky to get a anything new then '00 for $9gs
Are you looking for an extended cab , 4x4 , V8 or V6?

How about a smaller truck
http://www.trader.ca/powerpage/details.aspx?vlotid=1357079&adid=6143684

[IronJack]

This link might help:  (Can't repost link due to forum restrictions)

Thanks very much!

You will be lucky to get a anything new then '00 for $9gs
Are you looking for an extended cab , 4x4 , V8 or V6?

How about a smaller truck
(Can't re-post link due to forum restrictions)

Extended cab, 2WD, engine size doesn't matter.

I want to use it as a runabout during the year, with the odd 5-person road trip around Southern Ontario/Northern NY, and to be able to move stuff easily for a month or two (I live in a Uni residence; many of my friends need a truck around that time so it would be used for moving them as well)--Hence, a smaller truck just wouldn't likley cut it.

Thanks!
Cheers
Craig

[Trainman]

This link might help:  (Can't repost link due to forum restrictions)

Thanks very much!

You will be lucky to get a anything new then '00 for $9gs
Are you looking for an extended cab , 4x4 , V8 or V6?

How about a smaller truck
(Can't re-post link due to forum restrictions)

Extended cab, 2WD, engine size doesn't matter.

I want to use it as a runabout during the year, with the odd 5-person road trip around Southern Ontario/Northern NY, and to be able to move stuff easily for a month or two (I live in a Uni residence; many of my friends need a truck around that time so it would be used for moving them as well)--Hence, a smaller truck just wouldn't likley cut it.

Thanks!
Cheers
Craig

What are your rates going to be?   

[articsteve]

Go to the auto trader on line and look for a private sale 1/2 ton.  You are in a good location for supply.  Don't take this the wrong way like so many here do, but you know nothing about vehicles.  You will be ripe for slaughter at a dealer.  Dealer units at or about $9000. are extremely dubious.  You'd really need to know your sh*t.  Buy private.  Most ppl can tell when they meet an honest person/seller.  Find one of those and go from there.  Many ppl just want their vehicle gone and are willing to be quite reasonable.   Only buy vehicles with safety certificates.

Example:

8 cyl., 4.6L Triton, auto., 4 dr., A/C cold, CD player, runs great, will certify, 121,000 km. $7,900   GTA.

 

[IronJack]

What are your rates going to be?  

Great minds think alike--$75.00 flat rate, moving from a Uni residence into storage for 2 weeks then off to the clients house. Working out the liability insurance this week!

Go to the auto trader on line and look for a private sale 1/2 ton.  You are in a good location for supply.  Don't take this the wrong way like so many here do, but you know nothing about vehicles.  You will be ripe for slaughter at a dealer.  Dealer units at or about $9000. are extremely dubious.  You'd really need to know your sh*t.  Buy private.  Most ppl can tell when they meet an honest person/seller.  Find one of those and go from there.  Many ppl just want their vehicle gone and are willing to be quite reasonable.   Only buy vehicles with safety certificates.

Example:

8 cyl., 4.6L Triton, auto., 4 dr., A/C cold, CD player, runs great, will certify, 121,000 km. $7,900   GTA.

 

Not taken the wrong way at all--I know nothing about vehicles, and I hear this weird sound every time I talk to a dealer...kind of like the sound a knife makes when you rub it on a stone... The only thing that attracted me to a dealer was that some of them offer 'warranties'--whatever good they are!

Thanks for pointing out that Ford--I've heard bad things about 00-04 fords regarding their drive train, but I'll have to learn a bit more.

Cheers
Craig

[Trainman]

"Thanks for pointing out that Ford--I've heard bad things about 00-04 fords regarding their drive train, but I'll have to learn a bit more."

The PU in the picture looks more like a 96, 97 or 98.

I had the 4x4 versions of the Fords, a 96 and 98 (leased) with no major issues (but not big kms either), the biggest problem seemed to be the bigger motor (5.2 l if I remember right).  Those you may want to avoid but the 4.6 is OK.

Lots of those Fords around as well as the GM/Chevy twins.  You should do OK with any of those.  Stay away from the Dodges of the era, of all the trucks in my employers fleet in the late 90's/early 00's they had the worst long term reliability.

[IronJack]

Okay, here's one for opinions:

(Can't post a link due to forum restrictions)--Autotrader.ca, region to Winnipeg, search for Chevrolet trucks priced under 10,000 dollars with unlimited mileage, restrict year to 2000-2001. It's a blue one for $6,900 dollars.

I know I was told to stay away from dealers, and that makes sense, just casting this out there to hear what you folks think.

So, from what I can garner from the guy, this was a Manitoba Resources park truck. Given that it's a 2WD, I'm inclined to think it wasn't used for off-road much (odds are occasionally, but I would think if they were going to buy a bush truck they'd buy a 4x4).

The pros:

- It's exactly the truck I want for the price I'm looking at.
- It's got a warranty from the seller
- Trucks of a similar vintage are up to 320,000 KMS.
- If allowing for 27,000KM/Year (an average I got from a survey I read) with what is an 8 year old truck, means that it SHOULD have over 200,000 KMS, so the mileage isn't unreasonably high

The cons:
-Dealer
-Has the exact same truck listed under "DJ Cruz" for 7900 dollars = smells fishy.

Thoughts?

And, for those who are wondering why I'm looking in Winnipeg when I live in guelph: I work in Northern Ontario for the summer and Winnipeg is actually the nearest major center to where I grew up, so I can get a truck either from Winnipeg (No salt!) or from Toronto area.

Cheers
Craig

[Cord]

What's DJ Cruz?

[IronJack]

The name of the dealership  Strikes me that someone could have spent more time paying attention in "how not to name your dealership in a sketchy manner 101"!

Cheers
Craig

[articsteve]

Thanks for pointing out that Ford--I've heard bad things about 00-04 fords regarding their drive train, but I'll have to learn a bit more.

Each manufacturer has winner and loser power train configurations, except Toyota of course,    so no need to classify everything as one.  Google and research each vehicle separately.  For example, the 4.6 Ford motor had one bad part, but it was resolved at a certain date.  Research is critical.

As for an ex government 4x2 1/2 ton; who knows.    Probably didn't tow anything which is the good news.  Maintenance will be minimal.  Warranty will be useless.