How To Choose The Right Used Pickup Truck

Although purchasing a brand new truck is exciting, trucks, along with all vehicles, depreciate so much in value their first year that the "new car, or truck, smell" can cost thousands of dollars. By carefully considering a used truck purchase as an alternative, a truck owner can save thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

A truck's history

To get a good deal on a used truck, you need to know its history--something, unfortunately, some unscrupulous truck sellers attempt to hide. Although that fact may not make a difference, not knowing a vehicle was in a massive accident or that its frame was damaged can cost money in the long run. Thankfully, Carfax and several other services can track the VIN of any used car or truck and tell you the vehicle's history for a very reasonable price. Although ordering one for every truck you casually consider is not advisable due to the cumulative cost factor, paying a relatively small amount to learn a truck's history before final purchase is well worth the investment.

Always get a Carfax or any other reliable company's vehicle history report.

Think of the utility

When choosing a pickup, think carefully about the tasks you may perform with it. Many buyers imagine hauling large loads, but in reality, most truck owners rarely use the extra space. If that is the case, purchase a small pickup truck that can help you save on fuel economy. Then, when you need to haul large loads, rent a full-size truck for a day for a small fee.

Although you might imagine hauling large loads, consider whether you plan to haul them often enough to offset the extra fuel expense inherent in the use of a large truck for every day commutes.

Check the transmission

More than any part of the truck, when it comes to heavy loads, the greatest pressure falls on the transmission. When test driving a truck, listen to the transmission. If you hear it slip, stall or stick, and the truck is only few years old, alarm bells should go off. If you still want to buy it, insist that a trained mechanic you trust checks the vehicle out first or seek your ideal used vehicle elsewhere.

Few vehicles are more useful than a pickup truck, and by carefully considering the purchase of a used one, you can save thousands of dollars and give yourself a very useful vehicle for hauling freight or conveying passengers.

If you hear the transmission slip, stall or stick alarm bells should go off