Are you in the market for a used heavy-duty truck in Texas? It’s an excellent way to get a whole lot of truck at a price that is far more affordable than a new truck would cost. However, it also requires a bit more knowledge and time. You don’t want to buy the first truck you see. You want to be sure you aren’t spending money on something that won’t last down the road.
So how do you do that?
One way to handle this is by buying from someone you already know and trust. Chances are good that a friend isn’t going to sell you on something that’s going to fall apart. However, it’s not impossible that something is wrong with it anyway.
Because of that, we’ve compiled the things you should look at when buying a used heavy-duty truck in Texas:
Check the history of the engine in the truck. Find out what kind of problems were common with this type of engine and what causes them.
Make sure to check all sorts of things. Look at the suspension, rear ends, wiring, drive train, and the transmission. Leave nothing unchecked, because that will be what turns out has problems.
Get oil samples taken from the transmission, engine, and rear ends analyzed or ask if this has been done in the past.
Take a look at the tires. Measure the depth of the tread. Determine if the tires will last a while or are likely to need replacing soon.
Consider the parts that haven’t been replaced that may need it in the near future. This might mean the rear ends or transmission.
Ask about who has maintained the truck mechanically in the past. Ask for paperwork showing servicing.
Find out how often the oil was changed by the previous owner.
Request that you have a copy of all maintenance records, so you can look over them for inconsistencies.
Look at scheduled maintenance and make sure you know the engine history. You want to know if the truck is close to the end of its life or will need expensive repairs right away.
