k i don't wanna just walk right into the dealer ship and say give me that one right thier i want to know as much as i can about it. this is what i hae come up with so far for quetions.

1. What is the condition of the truck?
2. How much tred is left on the wheels?
3. Is their any rust?
4. Is it a short box or long box?
5. Does it have any kind of a rise? And if so how much?
6. Can I take it for a test drive over night to finalize my decision? And if I say I don’t like it what happens from their?
7. are they high way km’s, city or town?


any one got any other good ones that could help me?

^ if you need to ask most of those questions, you better bring your dad or something.....


I usually ask what they know about previous owners, and the KMs is a good one if they know...


Look the whole thing over... get underneath the thing and make sure its solid... a fridge magnet will reaveal bondo under the paint....

Edit: MAKE SURE YOU ASK ABOUT THE WARRANTEE

I cant see myself buying any more used vehicles off a lot... If I was you Id be looking in the tri-ad or something... you will probably find a much better deal.....

But, you get no warrantee and you usually cant trade your old vehicle in to the person you are buying from....

[ February 11, 2005, 08:26 AM: Message edited by: Haunz ]

well i was thinking taking the truck for a day and then bring it to a local mechanic and getting him to do an inspection. that way i know the truck is in good running condition

i have no idea what im doing. the sale's guy is just starting to confuse me now. so im going to bring my mom along.

Does your mom know about trucks? If she doesn't then she may not be much help.

They'll usually let you bring it to an independent mechanic, so take that opportunity if it's available.

Do you have an uncle or buddy that is knowledgeable about vehicles?

To give you an idea.. I was looking at an older mustang a while ago. (67?.. 68?.. I forget) and it LOOKED good from the outside.

Fortunately I brought my uncle with me who gave it a good looking over and found a few major problems. The biggest one being a cracked frame. So we walked. [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

If you like the truck and think it's in good shape, tell them that you want your mechanic to look at it. They should let you take it to your mechanic and if they don't, you probably don't want to deal with these people anyways, nor would you want that truck. When they are not hiding anything, why wouldn't they let your mechanic look at it? ;)

Good luck with it though.

You can also ask what work has been done to it, meaning new alternator? new waterpump? new whatever. Make sure to check the shocks/struts, brakes, tires, check for holes in the floor, radiator fluid level, check all of the fluid levels if you can.

Ask them about the exhaust system, I am not sure if you have an emmissions test but here in Ontario we do, so that is a big deal.

Is the car going to be certified and stuff when you get it? If not, make sure you find out what it will need to be certified.

Hope that helps a bit,
Craig G

ya my mom knows a crap load of stuf fabout vehicles. my family is very knolegeable about this kinda of stuff. i just going to need a second opionion because this is just my second vehicle.

[ February 11, 2005, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: chevy truck guy ]

be sure the vehicle has or will pass inspection and emissions.

Be sure the vehicle has had a, clear, lien search completed.

Ask about previous accidents and what, if any, previous maintenance has been done. Ie...regular oil changes, tune ups...

Is it a 4x4? IFS? What shape are the CV boots in?

Remember..you can usually bargain with the dealers!!! so bring your bargaining hat.

Dude, your going to get taken if you ask easy to answer questions like: "are the kilometers highway or city?" There always going to say highway, besides, how would the sales person know? I used to work at a dealership. Honestly man, get the truck mechanically insepected by a *third* party dealership. If it passes, and there are minimal (uncostly and easy to fix) problems, get that dealerships estimate (from a used car sales manager) on how much you should pay for it. I've seen so many people get taken. Play it smart. Get it inspected, A qualified Ford/Gm etc technicial (THAT WORKS AT A DEALERSHIP) can give you great advise. Its worth the $150 or whatever it'll cost you

And by the way, if a vehicle has rust, you can get lots taken off the price tag as a result, like 30% or so. Rust lowers a vehicle value lots, since its a problem almost everybody hates to have on their cars. Of course take it for a long test drive to see how tight everything is on it. IF the sales people say no,... you know they are hiding something big. IF the truck is loose, or you just dont like it, move on man. Theres lots out there. If you cant find a good truck out there, dont be afraid to travel. Theres TONS of good deals to be had in big cities. My buddy just picked up a really nice low-rider Ford Ranger, all done up, nice stereo and all this other stuff For $3000, not bad for a '94 in awesome shape, with low kilometers... you know? If you have to travel 3 hours to find a really good deal on a truck you really like, no biggie, you'll be owning it for a LONG time, and its a big investment really. Thats what I'd do. but thats just my $0.02 worth

Hoooo boy throw away your questions...please

1. What is the condition of the truck? There is only one answer you will get "great"

2. How much tred is left on the wheels? You can look at the tires and see for yourself

3. Is their any rust? You can look at the body/ undercarriage and see for yourself

4. Is it a short box or long box? You can look at the truck and see for yourself

5. Does it have any kind of a rise? And if so how much? This is a good question and are their any other modifications from stock I should know about

6. Can I take it for a test drive over night to finalize my decision? And if I say I don’t like it what happens from their? You walk... they call you back and sweeten the deal

7. are they high way km’s, city or town? They will only say highway mile (or the could tell the truth "I don’t know")

I would ask to see the maintenance records (that should make the seller uncomfortable)
I would lift the hood and look for evidence of recent maintenance (what did they fix to try and sell the vehicle)
I would NOT talk about financing or trade in vehicles to the sales person it is none of his business till you want to buy.
The sales person will make nicey-nice and ask a lot of personal questions like "where do you work?" "How much do you have to put down" they are canvassing you to see if you are ready to buy and how much they can get from you and if they can make money financing to you... YOU should redirect to the discussion you want (talk about trucks and what you NEED and what you WANT) the sales event should be about you not the sales persons needs.

If you get the big push to buy a vehicle you are not sure you want and they say "what do I have to do to get you to buy this vehicle today?" it is time to get out of there...

Remember this line "It seems like a nice vehicle, but I need to comparison shop, oh and by the way can I take the truck to a certified mechanic to verify its condition?" That should scare the living crap out of them unless it is a reputable dealership.

[ February 11, 2005, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: JohnVroom ]

First question: Is it a Chevy or GMC?

If the answer is Yes, walk away. [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

by the way, if its older then 1995, it may have rust on it. tap with your finger knuckle on the baseboard at the bottom of the doors (called the rockerpanels) and feel for a kind of muffled "thump" as if you are taping something solid. That means (probably) there is body filler there to cover up rust. It should sound like a thin reverberating light "ding" like sound, that you'd hear if you were to tap the truck tailgate. If the engine bay was recently washed, that can possibly mean there was work done, or they are trying to hid a fluid leak somewhere. Like I say man, get it inspected, it'll save you tons of money and trouble down the road. Unless your parents are mechanics, it wont do you much good to find out the little things about the truck.

A phenominal mechanic taught me this. If the truck/car has a oil fill cap that sits on a tapet/valve cover of the engine, unscrew it, and stick you finger into the hole, and try to dig out any crud from directly beside the opening. If you can, that means that the oil wasn't changed regularily, and therefore is a pretty accurate and (quick) way of telling how well a vehicle was maintained.

My 1984 Chevy s10 had over 700K kilometers on it when I sold it, and it still ran great, wasn't loose at all to drive, started and drove like a truck with only 150K. God I wish I didn't sell it. Im having a very very hard time re-locating it again, all I know, is that its somewhere in Canmore. GRRRR, man I really really want that thing back, it was such a cute little truck, never once did it EVER break down on me, just a starter went, that was it.

how fast will it go
can i do a burn out with it

ok so my quetions were a little stupid. it's just with all the vehicles im looking at i can't go out and see them, because they are located in anouther city. the trucks that im looking at are out of town one's so i can't physically look at them. the dealership here in town don't get to many used half decent 4X4's

ask them to e-mail or fax several good quality pics to you including a couple of the undercarriage, engine compartment and interior

if it looks good in the pics go from there

ask if service records are available and if they are offering any type of warrenty

and most definatly have a mechanic you trust inspect it if your serious about buying it ............

I don't know what you are looking at getting but if you want a tough truck you can beat on all the time with no problems i recomend an 87 or older chev/Gmc truck, they're built like tanks .........the 88 and up ifs ones kinda suck IMO, too low, too expensive to lift, too easy to break

oh yeah and you plan on a lift and bigger tires, like 33's or 35's I'd get a 3/4 ton as the bigger axles handle the abuse better

I got a question for you....why do you need a truck?

Bring someone with you thats not afraid to crawl under the truck...even at the dealership. how quickly u wanna buy? good tactic is going to the dealership and recording what vehicles they have that are kinda overprices...and then after a year you offer 1/5 what there asking and they take it......worked well for me BIG TIME!

get a compression test done on the truck...if your really interested get an inspection done...but not from a dealer....ask for previous vehicle history....stuff like that.

Sure, then the sell it a little before then, you'll really be kicking yourself. I've tried to do that, then they sold the drop top mustang cobra about two weeks before I was about to place another offer on it. GRRRRRRRRR :mad: :mad:

If you cant see the truck or AT LEAST pictures of it, dont buy it. your taking a HUGE gamble. how do you know the truck is not all worn out and a heap of bondo'd up trash? You just dont. Dont bother, unless you have an honest friend that knows what hes doing, to look at it on your behalf.

As far as checking for bondo.....take a small magnet with you and touch it to the regular trouble spots. Cab corners, fender lips etc...

If the magnet doesn't stick or barely sticks you probably have a lot of bondo in that area.

Check to be sure the body seams line up and check the frame on modified vehicles.

Does it have NAWS?
Will I get chicks?
Can I have it for fifty bucks?

and why do i wanna buy a truck? two words "country town". you need something to do, ya can't just go and drink and party all the time. you gotta go off roading the other part of the time to. and i talked to the sales guy he said he would ship a truck here for me to look at when they foind one that's just right for me, even if i don't buy that truck. the dealership in this town also is very reputable becuase it is one of only 3 and it's the largest. so it has to be trusted.
ok so ask about a warrenty.
use magnet to find bondo!!
bring some one whos knows what the heck thier doing.
bring to a mechaninc if i find the one i like.
rust can equal big discount$$$
ask to maintenance records
lift hood to try and find work done to it

You got sick of cow tipping? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

ya the cows just werent tipping with my car.

Here are some more things to add to your list.


1 - Check the oil - if it is BLACK or watery, its a bad sign.

2 - Pull a spark plug out, if there is ANY oil on it walk away.

3 - Check the transmission fluid (with the truck running). Is it nice and 'clear' pink or orange? Does it smell like 'burning'? If it smells like its been 'burnt', walk away.

4 - run the engine for a while, look around the rocked/valve covers for 'sweating'...not a really awful thing but not good (oil or other leaking out of the engine, burning off, etc)

5 - pull up the carpet and floor mats under the drivers foot area, try to put your fist THROUGH the floor. That is the first area to really rust through on most trucks floors. Bad floors = no sale.

6 - look through the service records (assuming they have them) for any of the 4x4 maintenance. If at all possible check the gear oil in BOTH differentials (or tell the mechanic you take it to to do so). If you blow a transfer case (you did say it was a 4x4) you'll be paying quite a pretty bit for a new one.


7 - walk around in the bed. feel for weak spots or look for rust. Look from underneath, especially the 'cab corners' (front corners of the bed) if they are rusted be wary of more rust.

8 Try ALL electrical things. Like windshield wipers, lights, blinkers, etc.

9 Run the heater (and/or AC) for a while. If the heater smells weird at all, ask why, its not usual. It should NEVER fog up the windows, either. Usually it will smell a BIT like a hair dryer on older cars, but any moist heat is bad.

10 MOST IMPORTANTLY - be an ass. If the dealer or person selling does not answer your questions to your satisfaction or will not let you check things (IE pulling up the carpet) then leave rigth away.

You are buying this ting, not trying to make him happy. Be tough about the vehicle condition, dont get 'sold',


Good luck...and honestly, bring someone with you. Even if its an uncle or something....