Tips for Buying a Used Truck

As vehicle manufacturers face shortages of some of the key components of modern cars, used vehicles are becoming even more popular than they used to be. Some Piketon residents who used to buy new may be considering buying a used car. Others may be considering getting a used truck for the first time. Both of these drivers - and many others! - may be wondering: what should I look for when I buy a used truck?

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Buying A Used Vehicle

When you are looking to buy used cars, vans, or trucks, there are certain elements to consider that you would not have to consider with a new vehicle. After all, someone else would have owned the vehicle before you did.

Some factors to consider when looking at used trucks might be the age of the car, the mileage, whether there are any knicks or scuffs on the exterior that might have damaged the paint, if the interior of the vehicle seems to have been kept in good condition, whether the vehicle was ever in any sort of accident or has had any major repairs done, if car warranties still apply, and more

All of these considerations can be understandably nerve-wracking and draining to consider, which is why many dealerships try to fix as many problems as possible and give you all the information that they have about the vehicle before you buy. But there are still several things that are always recommended for those looking to buy a pre-owned vehicle.

One easy way to take stress off of this process is to find a reputable car dealership. Here at Hometown Ironton, we pride ourselves on transparency and customer service, and our used trucks are some of the best.

Some car dealerships have sneaky fees and shady practices. We’re not here to sneak in fees or sell you on a truck that you’re not interested in. Instead, we aim to make sure that we provide the best possible customer service to everyone who walks through our door. And when you walk back out, our goal is to have you drive away with the perfect vehicle for you.

Is A Pickup Truck For You?

A pickup truck can serve as a comfortable car to drive every day, be it to the office or to the park. You can take one on family road trips, haul groceries or new furniture, fill the bed with a year’s worth of gardening supplies, and more. Trucks stand up to any sort of weather, and a variety of terrains too, although most drivers feel most comfortable keeping all four tires on the pavement.

Since trucks are often built with durability in mind, used trucks tend to hold up better over time than other similar cars, vans, and SUVs. As long as their owner takes care of them, that is.

Whatever your needs, a pickup truck might just be the best option for you. But one of the first things you'll have to figure out when you're looking for a used truck is precisely what kind you want.

A good place to start is to ask what you'll use it for: if you need a new vehicle for the job site then a full-length bed is probably a must, while Huntington residents who want a truck for a daily driver may prefer to have a cabin that seats five.

Another important choice that you'll have to make is between diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles. Diesel is less common, but you may well run across it, especially if you're looking for a larger truck. Diesel is more efficient than gasoline, but it causes a lot of wear-and-tear. Diesel engines are, consequently, more expensive to maintain.

If you're looking at a diesel vehicle then you should check the coolant overflow reservoir for any oil or fuel. This is indicative of a number of problems, like a head gasket issue, that can be very costly to repair. You'll also want to examine the injector and turbocharger, if there is one, for any problems. You should certainly inspect gasoline engines as well, but they are more resilient than diesel ones.

Finally, you should look into the warranty on the vehicle. In some cases the manufacturer's warranty may still be in force; in other cases, you'll be looking at the warranty a dealer provides. Here at Hometown Ironton, we have a very strong warranty that includes two years of free routine maintenance and 24/7 roadside assistance!

Advantages

Generally speaking, there are a lot of things that used trucks can do that other vehicles simply cannot. For example, the bed of a truck can fit a lot of things that wouldn’t fit in a sedan or SUV. From a kayak to a laundry machine, the bed of a truck is hugely versatile, and there are plenty of things you can carry without worrying about whether it will fit or not. Depending on the configuration, trucks can even carry up to 3,500 lbs of stuff!

Additionally, trucks are some of the best options for towing. Even powerful full-sized and fully-equipped large SUVs lack the power to pull as much as a properly equipped truck. This doesn't mean, however, that a pickup truck is able to pull off the dealer’s lot and immediately haul a massive load, though.

Generally, when vehicles advertise their maximum towing capacity, it is generally referring to specially equipped models. The standard truck isn’t going to be able to tow as much as a commercial or advertisement might claim.

On top of hauling and towing, trucks are also great at handling rugged terrain, especially with features like 4WD setups and higher ground clearance. This can allow trucks to get to places that sedans would never be able to.

Another advantage is that trucks generally hold their value for a very long time, so if you look to resell in the future, you’re likely to get a better value for it than for a comparable SUV or sedan.

Disadvantages

While there are certainly a lot of benefits to a used pickup truck, it isn’t always the best choice for everyone. There can certainly be some drawbacks to the versatile vehicles.

First of all, pickup trucks are generally some of the largest vehicles on the road. It takes a lot of size to make all that power! This can make trucks hard to maneuver, especially in tight spaces. When it comes to parking, it can also be hard to find a spot big enough to park! Be prepared to park further out at the store so that you have plenty of space to get in and out of your vehicle without door dinging any unfortunate parking neighbors

Additionally, if you live in an urban area, the size of a truck can be a huge hindrance to daily driving, from lane changing to parking to making those sharp turns.

Furthermore, full-size trucks often have poor visibility and large blind-spots, both in front of the vehicle as well as on the sides and rear. If you have small children or pets that play outside, you’ll have to be very careful or else choose a vehicle that is lower to the ground with fewer blind spots.

All the power of a truck also takes a lot of fuel. Most trucks generally have larger gas tanks than cars or SUVs, and they definitely are not the most fuel efficient. This can mean that you find yourself at the gas station frequently, with a hefty bill to get the tank to full. With today’s gas prices, this can make the versatility of the truck seem not so worth it.

Lastly, as we mentioned before, used trucks can haul and tow a ton of stuff. This might mean that you have friends and family coming out of the woodwork asking you to help you move their furniture or whatnot! If you like your friends and family, though, this is a great way to hang out with them.

Determine What Type Of Truck You Want

When shopping for a used pickup truck, it’s important to know what you want before you head over to the dealership. After all, you don’t want to waste your time going to a dealership and browsing their selection only to find out they don’t have anything that you want.

Additionally, having a good idea about all of the different types of truck can be helpful for making a decision about what truck will best suit your needs.

Size

There are generally three different sizes of truck: compact, midsize, and full-size.

Compact Truck

Compact trucks do their best to take the best of truck ownership and leave out the drawbacks. They might not be able to tow or haul as much as their full size counterparts, but many buyers don’t need to be able to tow or haul thousands of pounds of equipment or materials. But for situations like navigating traffic or small spaces, a compact truck is much more suited than a full-sided one.

Small trucks used to be more common than they currently are in the U.S. market, but as some drivers showed a preference for bigger and more powerful trucks, automakers increased the size and power. Nowadays, the compact truck is making a comeback for those who want the versatility of a truck but don’t need the most powerful one on the market.

Midsize Truck

Where compact trucks are not as easy to find in the used car market because of their diminished popularity for a long time, midsize trucks are a lot more common. They are a little more challenging to handle in tight spaces.

These models are still smaller than the full-size pickup trucks, but pack more of a punch than the compact trucks. They can still haul quite a bit and can tow well, without the massive bulk of the larger trucks.

Full-Size Trucks

For almost ten years, America’s top three best-selling vehicles have been full-size pickups: the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ram 1500. While these are certainly the largest style of truck, they appeal to a lot of drivers since they have the most capabilities, can carry the largest payloads, and can haul the most tow weight. These are also generally the most heavy duty trucks.

Price

When considering buying a used vehicle, especially a truck, it is important to consider the cost of such a purchase.

Pickup trucks retain their value really well, especially when they are properly cared for. This can make buying one expensive even when buying used. In fact, even used pickup trucks can still cost you tens of thousands of dollars. If that’s out of your budget, you might consider picking a less expensive vehicle.

If you think a vehicle is priced too high, check the value of it online and see if you can negotiate a better price with the dealer. But be prepared, negotiation isn’t going to turn a $30,000 truck into a $20,000 one.

Fuel Economy

Another thing to keep in mind as you search is the fuel economy. Take a look at the original EPA estimates for fuel economy and make sure the cost of gas isn’t going to break your budget. As a truck ages, the fuel economy can lower, but with some minor maintenance and tweaks, your usage can be much closer to the EPA estimate. A new oxygen sensor and a timing tuneup can mean less money spent at the pump.

Bed

With two main configurations of bed - short and long - make sure you’re looking at the kinds of trucks with the bed you want. The short bed is plenty for most drivers, plus it's easier to handle since they run smaller. But if you find yourself a regular hauler of a lot of equipment or materials, the long-bet option might be worth it.

Generally, short beds measure around 5 to 6.5 feet long. Long beds, on the other hand, can reach up to 8 feet, which is long enough to safely carry 4-by-8 drywall without damaging it.

Cabin Type

There are three main types of cabins in trucks, which include standard cabs, extended cabs, and crew cabs.

A standard cab is a two-door with a two-seat cabin.

An extended cab also comes with two doors but includes four seats. Generally, the front seats slide forward to allow access to the back seats, just like in sports coupes.

A crew cab offers four doors, generally with seating for three in the back. If you regularly carry more than one other person, this is the most comfortable, but also generally the priciest.

Towing and Payload Capacity

The main thing to remember here is that the number you see advertised for the payload limit or tow limit is generally the highest that the advertised truck can possibly haul, and that’s only when equipped with specific engines or features. The reality of buying a used truck is that your tow or haul limit will most likely not come up to that number.

Remember, too, that you and any other people or supplies in the cab count as part of the payload. Many truck drivers do not take this into consideration and overload their trucks, which can cause issues with the frame and the truck’s suspension. If you’re worried that a used truck might have been overloaded, a mechanic can tell you if either of these show weakness due to overhauling.

Inspect The Vehicle

As with any used vehicle, it’s good advice to take your used pickup truck to get checked out by a mechanic before you make your purchase, and this advice holds even more true for used trucks. If you do nothing else, make sure a third-party mechanic inspects the vehicle before you buy.

You can also check the service records and the vehicle history report as well, but this should not be done instead of taking it to a mechanic, but rather in addition to.

Other things mechanics should check the condition of include:

Air conditioning

Alternator

Axles, including checking for the presence of towing enhancements

Brake systems

Emissions, including the state of the catalytic converter — an expensive replacement on many trucks

Engine

Frame, looking for signs of misuse or overloading

Fuel injection system

Fuel pump

Radiator

Steering system, including checking the quality of any modifications

Suspension

Transmission

Water pump

Take It For A Test Drive

If a used pickup truck has passed your visual inspection then the best thing to do is to drive it. Take the truck out for a spin and make sure that the brakes work well, that it accelerates smoothly, and that there aren't any issues popping up on the dash. As you drive you should make sure to pay attention to any signs that the vehicle pulls to one side, which could indicate issues with the suspension or alignment.

If you're buying a vehicle that you intend to take off-road then you should probably do so during the test drive, if possible! This way you can make sure that any 4x4 functionality the vehicle has is in proper working order, and that it can generally handle whatever you want to throw at it.

Buy A Used Truck at Hometown Ironton

Hometown Ironton is the Wheelersburg area's premier used vehicle dealer! We offer all makes and models, all at great prices. If you’re looking into buying a used truck from a dealership, Hometown Ironton is your place to go.

If you’re interested in one of our vehicles, stop by to take it out for a test drive or give us a call to answer any of your questions. We look forward to seeing you at our Ironton, OH dealership soon!

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