If you need a truck, you need a truck. Some folks need a truck for work, some to cart around equipment or gear, and some because they have a camper or trailer they like to use on weekends. Regardless the reason, buying a used pick-up truck requires a different perspective to properly assess the vehicle before buying.
There are many questions that need to be addressed when buying a truck that don’t necessarily apply to buying a used car. For instance, “Was it driven off-road?” wouldn’t make sense to ask a person selling a Chevy Impala or Nissan Sentra. But with a truck, you’ll want to ask questions like these:
Was it used for work? Is it a 4-wheel drive truck? If so, does it have manual locking hubs or auto hubs? What factory parts does it still have? Has it been lifted? Was it a frame lift or a suspension lift?
Further, when checking the condition of the truck, there are some other special areas of concern, according to a veteran auto inspector.
“With work trucks, you have to pay special attention to wear and tear on tie rods, bushings, lower control arms and ball joints,” said William Owen, technician for AiM Mobile Inspections . “These are parts that take of the brunt of the wear and tear a truck goes through in its life. You want to be sure they’re in good shape.”
One more area to inspect that’s especially important for truck buyers is the tires. Due to their size and construction, truck tires typically cost far more than passenger car tires. A buyer needs to be sure the tires have significant tread life remaining, otherwise they’ll be stuck with a $1,000 (or more) bill for new tires soon after buying that used truck.
Trucks have more capabilities than most vehicles, and as a result, car shoppers need to look at a few more areas before making that purchase. But as with buying any used car – doing your homework with a vehicle history report, an inspection and knowing what to look for – can save you a lot of money and or frustration when you buy that used truck.