the trials of shopping for a used truck.

[vontar]

Don't want to go into many details, but I have been looking for a used Ford Sport Trac.

 

I have found several and had to shoot them down for various reasons.  So I decided finally to look in a higher price range and as expected started finding better ones to shop.

 

I found one, fairly close to home a few days ago.  Called and ask some important questions and decided I would go down to look at it.

 

I said, if you still have it Saturday, I will be down in the morning to see it.

 

I didn't want to call a head as I was hoping to start it up on the lot cold to see how it sounds and responds.  So I checked the online inventory, yup, still available.

 

I drive down, get there 30 minutes after they open.  Come to find out, they haven't sold it but the lot owner drove it some place this morning so in short it was not available to look at.

 

I was told, he drive it to an auction to look at buying more cars for the lot.

 

Couple things. I figure he took it to run though the auction as well.  Can't fault him for trying to sell it.

 

Talking to the lady, sounds like they might have been driving it a bit, but still not a deal breaker.  Sounds like they have faith in the truck to be out in it.  Not sure how much a dealer should drive one, but that is a different matter.

 

They ask if I would be willing to wait around a bit that he would be coming back about 11.  They would call me when he got back.

 

Against my better judgement, I hung out off site til about 11, then I went home.

 

 

I figured by 11, I didn't want to seem to eager and also my credit union would be closing by 12 so it would be 2 rushed to check it out to my standards and obtain the loan.

 

I figure, if he didn't sell it at the auction, they will call later.  I will say, well, if you still have it in a few day I might come back and look. 

 

 

It is a shame when you have been looking and then it isn't available to look at

[gun sane]

I believe I would have told them, "I'm sorry, I thought you were in business to sell vehicles, not run errands in them.  There's plenty of trucks for sale on the lot down the road.  See ya."

[vontar]

I know exactly what you are say.  I will say, finding one of these in my price range in good shape they are further in between.

I might be being 2 picky on what I want but that is how we are.

 

I did get a call back, and lets say, just over the phone, he was willing to negotiate on the price enough for me to drive back.

 

heck, even if I don't get it, I might be able to pick up more ammo.

[vontar]

OK, I went back, I went over that truck for an hour.

Yes, I even crawled under it.

 

I took it for a test drive and then checked under it again after I got it hot (well normal drive temp.)

 

I signed some papers on it and I need to visit my credit union Monday.

 

I will post more when I get it home.

[TripleDigitRide]

I learned two things when shopping for a used truck a few years ago. 

 

1) Trucks ain't cheap in Tennessee. 

2) People don't stay home anymore.

 

I was amazed at the number of 3-4 year old trucks with 200,000+ miles on them. I don't care if a truck is 6 months old, if it has 200,000 miles on it, it's not worth $10,000 or more.

[vontar]

I certainly got under 200,000.

 

It didn't appear to be recently been detailed but had been maintain clean along.  It had the Auto Butler sticker in the window.  I remember that service from when we brought my wifes car.

 

Recently, last week I sat down in one that reeked very strong of armorall.  I felt greasy getting out of it.

 

This truck, was quite, and had more power then the one I drove last week as well.  It just felt right.

I made a phone call with my head under the hood with it running. 

[hipower]

Best test...if you are satisfied with it, and it sounds like you went over and under it. Be happy with it.

[Shug]

Vontar, I know how you feel brother. I set my sights on a Sport Trac a while back. I couldn't find a decent one with 150,000 miles or under. Most had at least 180,000 or more and was ragged out. Those was priced over $8,000. So I gave up.

[vontar]

Vontar, I know how you feel brother. I set my sights on a Sport Trac a while back. I couldn't find a decent one with 150,000 miles or under. Most had at least 180,000 or more and was ragged out. Those was priced over $8,000. So I gave up.

 I found just under 140,000.

 

Not saying what I gave, but a good bit under blue book.  Blue book was 9,500.

 

2X4

 

I resist saying 2X4.  I want to call them 4X4, but then that now days gets confused with all wheel drive.

 

Either way, I have 2, 4h, 4l in my mind, that is how I define a 4x4.

[hipower]

Congrats on finding one you liked. These age pretty god little trucks.

[Superman]

Good deal. I have been looking at these lately to.

[vontar]

Good deal. I have been looking at these lately to.

 Depending on your budget, expect to be at least 8 to 10 to find a good one.

 

I have looked at several in the 5k range and I considered them to be about 3k.

 

Now if your budget is much higher, there are some very nice ones to be had.

 

I have been surfing autotrader for about a year looking for what I wanted.

Edited January 12, 2014 by vontar

[TripleDigitRide]

Three years ago, It took me a good three months of searching to find my current truck. 

 

I knew I wanted a full size truck with a V-8, extended cab, automatic, tow package, power windows and lock, A/C, less than 100,000 miles, and not a penny over $8,000 cash. 

 

This is when I quickly realized people never stayed home. I can't tell you how many trucks I looked at (even 3-4 year old trucks) 150K-200K+ miles on them. I also realized that cash wasn't king when buying a used truck. It wasn't easy to find someone who was willing to negotiate on the price.

 

I finally found a 2002 Ford F150 with everything I was looking for, except the dealer wanted $9200. It had only 90,000 miles on it, so I decided to check it out. After some haggling, we agreed on $8300 out the door. I went $300 over budget, but after three months, it was a small price to pay. 

Edited January 12, 2014 by TripleDigitRide

[bersaguy]

Being a mechanic for over 35 years there was one thing I did notice as newer cars and trucks came out. It seemed that miles were put on cars and trucks much faster than in years past. I decided one day to put it to a small test. Now this was not science by any case of imagination but just a simple test with 6 different vehicles. 3 cars and 3 pick up trucks. One weekend a couple buddies with a few friends and their vehicles and we got together and went to an old airport that was closed and we took a tape measure which took a lot of time but only way to be accurate. We marked off an accurate 1 mile stretch of 5,280 feet. Then each of us drove the vehicles around until each speedometer was at zero at starting point of the 1 mile beginning line. We drove each vehicle the 1 miles stretch 1 time. Only 2 vehicles actually read 1 mile exactly and passed the test. the other 4 vehicles turned 1 mile with anywhere from 100 to 300 feet prior to reaching the 1 mile mark. Now that may not be a scientific test but it does prove that most automobiles and trucks can and do rack up more miles on speedometers  than are actually on them. Now if you figure that most folks do drive more that means that their vehicles are going to add on more false miles in reality then are truly on them. I don't know if this if for the fuel mileage stats most companies like to brag about or if it is designed to get folks to trade more often. Don't know but I do know that most speedometers are inaccurate in how many miles are really on most vehicles...............jmho.   For those of you that may be interested in the vehicles that passed the test..........1 was 2009 Toyota Tundra 4x4 regular cab and the other was a 2010  Nissan Maxima 4 door sedan. Both with automatic transmissions.  The other 4 vehicles were all  American that failed.   Thought it was an interesting way to spend a nice Saturday.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I drive everywhere I feel like driving, and the 3 year and 2 months old Jeep wrangler has about 9000 miles on the odometer. Edited January 12, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[hipower]

:stunned: Dang, Lester, I drive more than that a year!

 

Just joking of course, but I've slowed down my road excursions as well. I last bought in May of 2011, and have 22,600 miles as of yesterday.

 

It wasn't uncommon for me to do 1000 miles a week for a long while.

[No_0ne]

Being a mechanic for over 35 years there was one thing I did notice as newer cars and trucks came out. It seemed that miles were put on cars and trucks much faster than in years past. I decided one day to put it to a small test. Now this was not science by any case of imagination but just a simple test with 6 different vehicles. 3 cars and 3 pick up trucks. One weekend a couple buddies with a few friends and their vehicles and we got together and went to an old airport that was closed and we took a tape measure which took a lot of time but only way to be accurate. We marked off an accurate 1 mile stretch of 5,280 feet. Then each of us drove the vehicles around until each speedometer was at zero at starting point of the 1 mile beginning line. We drove each vehicle the 1 miles stretch 1 time. Only 2 vehicles actually read 1 mile exactly and passed the test. the other 4 vehicles turned 1 mile with anywhere from 100 to 300 feet prior to reaching the 1 mile mark. Now that may not be a scientific test but it does prove that most automobiles and trucks can and do rack up more miles on speedometers  than are actually on them. Now if you figure that most folks do drive more that means that their vehicles are going to add on more false miles in reality then are truly on them. I don't know if this if for the fuel mileage stats most companies like to brag about or if it is designed to get folks to trade more often. Don't know but I do know that most speedometers are inaccurate in how many miles are really on most vehicles...............jmho.   For those of you that may be interested in the vehicles that passed the test..........1 was 2009 Toyota Tundra 4x4 regular cab and the other was a 2010  Nissan Maxima 4 door sedan. Both with automatic transmissions.  The other 4 vehicles were all  American that failed.   Thought it was an interesting way to spend a nice Saturday.

 

Good info, but it may reflect more on the differences in tire circumference between brands more so than speedometer inaccuracies.  Even tires of the same rated sizes will vary some between brands, and tire wear will obviously affect circumference as well.  A tire with a smaller circumference will travel slightly less at a specific number of revolutions which will in turn make the speedometer and odometer run a little faster than one with tires precisely calibrated to the vehicle when new.  Speedometer calibration is done in a specific rpm range, to reflect the range that most people drive in, usually something close to highway speeds,  Lower (or higher) speeds won't necessarily indicate correctly, although they are required to remain within certain limits through all legal speeds.  Most testing is usually done over a "flying" distance at speed, using radar, a test done from a dead stop will tend to be less accurate, as you correctly pointed out in your post.  Assuming your test was accurate, the variances of 100-300 ft./mile would account for between 1800-5600 miles less than indicated, over a 100k mile total.

[vontar]

Hey, the truck i am giving up is 24 years old and only has 110,000 miles.

I have owned it for the last 9 years or so, and only put 40,000 on it.

[dralarms]

Heck, I've got a 2006 ram with 201300 miles on it and I've put all but the first 12, 000.

[nightrunner]

As a society we have to drive more than we used to for work.

My suburban has around 180k on it. My last truck had over 200k on it. Vehicles are made to last longer than they used to.

[hipower]

My 88 Chevy shortbed has 199,600 on it. It ain't the miles...it's the age. Body looks pretty good, but mechanically it's getting pretty worn out. To be right, this little truck really needs a frame off build. New suspension all around, disc brakes on all corners, motor, all bushings. Basically...I'd love to have her rebuilt from the frame up. Cab interior redone, new dash and update the instrument panel.

 

That's getting pretty close to a new truck price though

[Trekbike]

As a society we have to drive more than we used to for work.

Yep. My commute puts 17,500 miles per year on my car just to get back and forth to work.

[TSprint1]

I've had several dealers tell me that Texas is the absolute best place to buy a used truck and Tennessee is absolutely the best place to sell one.  I know that the number of trucks on the road in Texas is astounding but don't know why they would be more expensive here.

[Superman]

 Depending on your budget, expect to be at least 8 to 10 to find a good one.

 

I have looked at several in the 5k range and I considered them to be about 3k.

 

Now if your budget is much higher, there are some very nice ones to be had.

 

I have been surfing autotrader for about a year looking for what I wanted.

Yeah, thats what I'm seeing. So I will likely end up with something older, cause I'm to cheap.lol

[vontar]

I remember back in the late 80's people would say, they don't make them like they used it and stuff like that.

 

back then 100,000 was allot of miles.  Now that is just broke in if halfway taken care of.