Lessons Learned When Buying Used

[sdeeter19555]

After reading the threads on this forum, I wouldn't buy a used truck...

 

;)

 

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[KARNUT]

I had a conversation with one of my kids the other day about buying a used car. I told her for a DD buy new or CPO. I explained when you can buy a new car for under 15K a CPO for less there's no reason to take a chance on used when your money is tight. A second vehicle or toy used is fine. Nothing worse than having one car that breaks down.

[diyer2]

Personal choice buying used. I have never had a bad one. I would rather look for a clean used for months than take the deprecation hit on a new one.

Just got back from a trip to the mountains,went to our second home to check things out. Left at 6 am, drove freeway and county roads up, 50 - 80 mph. Back roads back down to town, twisty mountain roads, 30- 60 mph.

Smooth as butter, 4 wheel to get in driveway.

 

57 k miles on it, bought with 41 k miles Nov. 2015. Remainder of drive train warranty until mid 2018 or 100 k miles.

 

[Colossus]

My biggest concern when buying a nice used truck is the potential for it to have been modded & seen a programmer to improve performance, which means a good potential for early transmission/drive train failure. ESPECIALLY among the diesels. Right now, scanning the computer to see when the latest software/access was made generally isn't on the to do list of a per-purchase vehicle inspection.

[Pinnacle]

So let me get this right. You had the brakes done because they were bad and that was the only thing wrong with the truck?

 

The fact you paid 600$ for a brake job that takes an hour to do both sides and $250 for the parts is unbelievable, if you were closer Id help ya out.

[sdeeter19555]

My biggest concern when buying a nice used truck is the potential for it to have been modded & seen a programmer to improve performance, which means a good potential for early transmission/drive train failure. ESPECIALLY among the diesels. Right now, scanning the computer to see when the latest software/access was made generally isn't on the to do list of a per-purchase vehicle inspection.

And this is why I would NEVER buy a used diesel pickup...personal choice.

 

I've read countless horror stories of guys buying used Dodge Cummins' that were "dusted" from running K&N filters, had CP3 and electronic issues from programmers and/or spliced boxes, all sorts of trans issues, toasted turbos, damaged injectors, yada, yada, yada. I was on the diesel forums for many years, and it wasn't uncommon for someone to post about buying a new truck then adding something like a Smarty, installing the 230hp tune with no other mods, running the living snot out of it for 20k miles, then pulling the program and trading it at the first sign of a problem...and the poor sucker that bought that used truck got screwed.

 

And it's not just diesels, look at the gassers that have programmers on them. And then read about what some are trying to tow...

 

It's personally too risky for me to buy used...especially trucks.

 

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[Colossus]

Running a K&N or CAI won't cause damage unless you over oil the damn thing. Which is what most people do that cause problems with the MAF. Otherwise I agree 100%

[sdeeter19555]

 

 

Running a K&N or CAI won't cause damage unless you over oil the damn thing.

 

K&N filters were notorious for passing dirt, they were originally intended for race cars that were periodically rebuilt. So dirt ingestion wasn't a concern.

 

I had an early one in my 95 Cummins, you could wipe dirt out of the intake...that was a new out of the box filter, it was in less than 5k miles before I shot it down the road. I've never ran an aftermarket filter since.

 

K&N has since changed its media...the original stuff was thin and had visible holes in the media...it was more a screen.

 

Doesn't apply anymore, just some history...

 

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