Used Trucks for Sale: Five Tips for Spotting a Lemon

Looking at used trucks for sale is a great opportunity for business.  Whether you’re looking at becoming an owner operator or you need a used truck for your business, there are many reasons to look into making this type of investment.  The only problem is that looking at used trucks for sale does take some knowledge of the vehicles in order to make a wise decision.  It isn’t exactly like buying a used car, but there are five things you can look at that will help you pick out the good used trucks for sale from all the lemons.

• Analyze the truck’s oil. Commercial trucks should have their oil analyzed regularly, so ask to see the truck’s log of oil checks.  This will give you an idea of whether the truck has been maintained and also if there are any signs of contamination in the oil.  You only want to consider used trucks for sale that have a record of having been taken care of.
• Look at the service records. Good used trucks for sale will also have well-maintained service records that will indicate that they have been taken care of.  You can look at the repair history of the vehicle to see if it has any patterns of issues.  All used trucks for sale should have a repair history, so be wary of one that does not.
• Have a trained commercial truck mechanic look it over. Unless you’re in the business of used trucks, you probably don’t know much about their engines, even if you know a decent amount about car engines.  Have a commercial mechanic look at all the major parts and ensure that they are in good working order.
• Look for rust, especially structural rust. With commercial trucks, there are two kinds of rust.  Structural rust is not something that can be fixed easily, and surface rust certainly doesn’t look good.
• Examine the suspension. Another major part of the truck is the suspension, so it’s important to check it out and make sure not only that it’s in good working order, but also that the parts are easy to get when it’s time for a fix.  The worst thing is having a truck that needs to stay off the road because you’ve got to way two weeks for a part to come in.