A pickup truck is an excellent choice if you want a day-to-day family hauler/tow vehicle at the same time. However, they can get quite expensive. If you want to save some money, buying a second-hand truck would be your best bet. While many Brentwood dealerships offer second-hand trucks for sale, looking for a good one requires some patience and determination. To make your search just a little bit easier, here are some things to look for when buying a used pickup truck.
Diesel Matter
While diesel pickups can definitely last a long time, the maintenance and repair costs are pretty expensive compared to gas engines. It pays to look them over closely before buying, especially if they have more than 60,000 miles. It’s best to check for leaks around injectors or from injector lines, or around the turbocharger. You also need to know the specifics of any previous repairs or engine repair work that’s been done on the vehicle.
Check for Signs of Overspray
Accidents can happen to anyone, even the owner of the truck you’re planning to buy. Check for any telltale signs that the vehicle has been through an accident or major repair. Try looking into places for a line of overspray that is a good indication that the truck has been in a collision. Where the fenders meet the hood is a good place to start—the same goes for the space between the bed and cab and the fender wells. If you’re lucky, the owner will tell you about the accident. Otherwise, it’s good to know where to look for those signs in case the owner isn’t too honest about what they’re selling.
Bed and Towing Hitch Integrity
Heavy use of the truck bed and towing hitch means that a truck has had a rough life. Look for signs of rust and corrosion on the truck bed, as well as heavy scratches and dings. They can give you an idea of how rough a life the truck had while in the hands of its owner. Any signs of recent repainting could mean that there is serious structural damage or flaws on the vehicle.
It’s also highly recommended to check the towing hitch if it looks heavily worn or scratched. Are the bolts attaching it to the frame a little warped? Look for any cracks surrounding the meal.
Examine the Oil Change Records
Checking out the entire maintenance history of the vehicle is a requirement if you’re buying used cars for sale, and the same goes for second-hand pickup trucks. But more than the maintenance history, you also need to examine the vehicle’s oil change records. If oil changes haven’t been performed consistently throughout the truck’s lifetime, it could indicate the potential for engine problems in the future. If you’re dealing with a truck owner with an incomplete oil change record or no record at all, you might want to think first before closing the deal. That could easily mean there was barely any maintenance done to the vehicle.
Conclusion
Those are just four of the most obvious things to look for when buying a used pickup truck. It pays to know what you’re looking for and where to look for them so you won’t get scammed by any sellers. It’s good to talk to the owner and gain insight into the truck’s history, but all the records and signs on the vehicle itself will never lie to you.
Looking for pre-owned cars and trucks in excellent working conditions? There’s only one place to go to for quality and affordable used cars for sale, and it’s none other than Lewis Motor Sales. We offer a stress-free car buying experience when dealing with us. Take a look at our collection of pre-owned cars and trucks by visiting our Brentwood dealership toda