Looking To Buy A Pickup Truck
When most people buy a truck, the primary purpose of the vehicle is for work. For this reason, potential buyers are usually interested in features like towing capacity and maximum weight as their primary selling points. Pickup trucks are ideal for oversized loads, as they offer the best overall capacity of any commercial vehicle type.
looking to buy a pickup truck
Since they are large, utilitarian vehicles, it makes sense that trucks consume a lot of gasoline. While certain truck models can offer up to 25 MPG or so on the highway, that level of economy dramatically declines as the size and capabilities of your truck increase. All in all, most trucks are not exactly vehicles that are known for their excellent fuel economy.
Most standard pickup trucks can only fit two or three passengers in the cabin, and accommodating three requires the use of the middle bench seat, which can be awkward. Furthermore, this front-seat-only arrangement makes it unsuitable if you need to transport young children.
Pickup trucks tend to be wider than most passenger vehicles, and as a result, have a relatively narrow turning radius. They can be tough to maneuver in tight spots or to fit into narrow parking spaces. Maneuverability is particularly challenging when driving a truck with a dual rear axle.
In a basic sense, pickup trucks are mostly for work, while SUVs are more for recreation. But you can make a great argument that they may be the better family vehicle of the two. Though they lack the overall power and towing capacity of a large pickup truck, they can still be used for transporting goods if needed and can even be used for towing.
While a large truck with a crew cab can seat five, that is about the lowest seating capacity you would see for an SUV. Compact SUVs, for example, may only offer seating for five. But most SUVs can seat at least seven or eight people. Carpool, anyone?
Though many trucks and SUVs have a similar rating for miles per gallon in the city, SUVs tend to get much better highway mileage on average. So unless you do most of your driving in parking lots, an SUV will almost invariably get superior fuel economy to a truck.
The decision around which type of vehicle you should buy lies in the needs of the potential buyer. The pros and cons listed above should provide a solid comparison and contrast to the benefits of both trucks and SUVs. At the end of the day, which features matter most to your everyday driving needs? If towing capacity and power are your primary needs, you may be inclined to purchase a truck. If increased seating capacity and fuel economy are what you need most, perhaps an SUV is your best choice.
Every 2023 Silverado comes with standard Chevy Safety Assist, a package of six advanced safety and driver assistance features designed to help give you added peace of mind every time you get in your truck.
But glossing over all those hiccups, the truck looked as silly as it did awesome. It was a bit small, but had a lot of charm. So I started talking with the trading company (a little outfit known as ChangLi that also supplies a few importers in the US).
The shipping process seemed to take forever. At first all went well, and a couple weeks after paying, my truck was headed to the port. It sat around for another couple weeks until it made it into a container and onto a boat, then six weeks later, the boat arrived in Miami. The only problem was that my truck was no longer on it. No one knew where it went and I spent several days calling the forwarding company, the logistics company, my customs broker, and the Chinese trading company. No one could explain it.
The cage it was shipped in was beaten to hell and back, but the truck was miraculously fine. There I unboxed the truck, a process for which I was glad to have charged up my angle grinder in advance. Ultimately the un-crating went decently well with only a few hiccups that I caught on video along with my first test rides (of course my dad and wife who were both on hand to watch the show unfold were quick to volunteer to test it out).
I was actually surprised by the fact that the truck was in such good condition after the long journey around the world. I guess preparing myself for a banged up truck helped keep my expectations low, and so I was shocked when the truck arrived nearly dent-free.
I also want to add some mounts on the hydraulic lifting bed so my parents can pickup their trash cans and drive them down their country road-like driveway all the way to the public road for trash pickup.
Washington, D.C. is considering a new law that would add a significant financial disincentive for owning and operating the large pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles that have become so popular in the United States in recent years.
The dependability and craftsmanship of the GMC trucks are being recognized, with the 2020 GMC Sierra earning the #1 spot for the Most Dependable Full-Size Truck After 3 Years of Ownership by J.D. Power.
Automakers sold almost 17.5 million new vehicles in the U.S. in 2015, and more than half of those were light-duty pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers. New pickups continue to be a hot commodity in 2016, with more than 600,000 sold in the first quarter.
At the same time, there's a big demand for used pickups, both gas and diesel. The used pickup truck market is estimated by some experts to be three times bigger than the new-truck market. Those who can't afford to buy a new pickup, or who like to take advantage of depreciation, are always searching for a good deal on a used pickup.
When shopping for a used pickup, don't be blinded by the bells and whistles, nice paint and attractive price. Be smart and thorough in your decision making, and be sure to see the truck in person and do your own inspection.
To compile our top recommendations for buying a used pickup, we talked with used-car dealers, wholesale vehicle buyers, auto repair mechanics and other dealership experts to find out what they look for when buying a used pickup (with a special thank you for advice going out to Guaranty Chevrolet of Junction City, Oregon). Then we added a couple of our own tips garnered from first-hand experience. In no particular order, here's what you need to keep in mind when buying a used pickup:
Diesel pickups are far more expensive to maintain and repair than gas models, so it pays to look them over closely before buying, especially if they have more than 60,000 miles. Check a diesel pickup's coolant overflow reservoir for any signs of fuel or oil in the coolant or under the coolant cap. Contaminated coolant is a sure sign of oil cooler, exhaust gas recirculation cooler or head gasket issues, which can cost a load of dough to repair. Also, check for leaks around injectors or from injector lines, or around the turbocharger; if you see problems or previous repairs, be cautious. Finally, if engine repair work has been done, get the specifics on when and who did the work. Follow up with the shop that did the work to find out more details.
Are the drivetrain and smog system components still under warranty? Check the mileage against the truck's drivetrain and the federal emission warranty, which covers some pickups for as long as eight years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is of particular concern for higher-mileage (125,000 miles or more) diesel pickups, where out-of-warranty engine, computer and transmission repairs can be more likely and costlier. That's where a used truck from a dealer has benefits as some offer a limited warranty after their mechanics have given the truck a detailed inspection and pre-sale service.
Some diesel owners are notorious for removing the diesel particulate filter, muffler, EGR cooler, and blocking or removing the EGR valve for more power. Yes, these "deletes" add power, but removing them is against federal smog laws. Many states/counties require those parts to be replaced before a pickup can be sold or licensed. Replacing deleted exhaust/smog components can cost thousands of dollars. If the diesel truck you are eyeing is missing any of these components, make sure the owner includes the deleted smog-related parts in the deal.
As with any vehicle, you want to take the truck on a test drive. Accelerate hard, give the brakes a workout, and get the engine and transmission up to operating temperatures. A 20-minute drive should be enough time to reveal any readily apparent drivetrain, steering and/or suspension issues. Does the truck wander? Is there play in the steering wheel? Does it brake straight and strong? Are there any quirks in acceleration? Does the transmission shift smoothly through the gears? Try manually shifting the automatic. Do you see exhaust smoke during hard accelerations or when you lift off the throttle and the truck slows? Pay close attention to your gut feelings.
After the test drive, check underneath for signs of fluid leaks. Leaks under the engine may indicate a serious issue in a front main seal, water pump or failing gasket. Also check the rear of the transmission, transfer case (if a four-wheel drive) and axle housings for oil leaks. Pay close attention to the backside of the wheels for signs of oil coming from bad brake lines and axle bearings. The seller may have pressure washed underneath prior to you seeing the truck, but leaks of concern will usually show up after the test drive when fluids and lubricants are up to operating temps.
One of the best indicators that a used pickup is everything the seller claims is if it has a detailed logbook or service record and receipts of performed work. Oil and filter changes at regular intervals in accordance with the owner's manual, receipts showing any/all work done, and any other dated records can be a good indication the seller isn't trying to hide anything. It also indicates the engine and transmission should have a longer life than a pickup whose owner let routine maintenance lapse for long periods of time.
It's always good to do a background check on any used vehicle you are interested in buying. Carfax.com and VincheckPro.com are two sources that offer such services. Keep in mind that these services are only as good as the sources feeding them the information. If a pickup has been in an accident, for example, and the owner or the shop doing the repair work didn't report it to an insurance company, that repair work will not show up. It's also advisable on a later-model used truck to check the vehicle identification number to see if there are any outstanding recalls that need addressing. Go to safercar.gov to find out. 041b061a72