Exactly. You have zero idea of how a truck you bought for $6k was maintained nor what kind of life it led. Rolling the dice taking it on a long trip unless you go through the entire thing mechanically.
Considering a 2005 Tahoe Z71.
- Thread starter mnutz
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Exactly. You have zero idea of how a truck you bought for $6k was maintained nor what kind of life it led. Rolling the dice taking it on a long trip unless you go through the entire thing mechanically.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
I was being sarcastic, hence the dot dot dot dot at the end. Most Fords are decent vehicles, my brother has owned 2 Rangers and 2 f150's since high school and my parents have owned a few Fords, much better than Dodge. I'm usually a GM guy myself, but if Ford ever builds an awd EcoBoost Fusion Wagon you can bet I will buy my first Ford.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
I bought our Yukon from the original owners with a stack of receipts and knew exactly what we were getting, not the case for most people though, knowledge is certainly power when it comes to buying a used vehicle.
rayra
Expedition Leader
This is why you baseline all the maintenance items when you buy it, as I did with my '02 Sub bought 3yrs ago with 116k on it. I finally got around to the rest of the cooling system just recently, when I needed to replace a cracked radiator.
The transmission is always the key issue. And a person with a little mechanical aptitude can spot the signs of trouble, there.
Our '99 Tahoe was bought new, sold off with over 100k when we bought our '05 Tahoe. It's about to roll 200k mi, almost entirely highway miles and no sign of trans trouble (knocks on wood). Had the bottom end open not long ago on both it and my Sub to change pan gaskets, oil pickup o-rings and take a general look around and the Tahoe engine guts looked near-new.
I've been detailing a lot of the known and discovered mechanical foibles of these vehicles in my 'Hey Vortec Guys' topic here. I'm seconding the remarks about them being easy to work on, well engineered for doing so. Engine substructures don't impinge on each other, it's easy to pull apart and replace things. And these years parts for them are indeed abundant and very inexpensive. I just did a complete cooling system replacement - radiator, water pump, therm0stat/housing, upper & lower hoses - for barely $300 in OEM parts.
RikFlairWoo
Observer
I bought a 2004 Z71 in 2010 with 139k miles on it. 209k now and only replaced the transfer case encoder motor ring. Extremely common "Service 4WD" issue on these trucks. I would just go ahead and buy the entire encoder motor (easy install on the transfer case) and the 4x4 push button switch right when you get the truck and get it out of the way. Should be less than $200 in parts.
Good luck! These are awesome trucks.
Good luck! These are awesome trucks.
Apologies if you are offended, the ford thing was a joke... I am aware many of the people on here do turn wrenches. I still don't see how going to a newer vehicle would be better. Atleast in my local area you can grab gmt 800s for under $8k with decent miles on them. Cheapest GMT 900s at roughly 12k, while being a nicer body style (to some) are all high mileage units usually at that price point. You would have to go up to 18k to find a decent mileage unit
It is a very simple thing. Find vehicle you like, take for PPI to see what needs to be replaced soon, use that to negotiate price down. Too many people just go in and buy cars without inspections then find out the issues later on. When buying a car the ball is in your court. Spend the $150 PPI, you will most likely find some kind of issue with the vehicle... and that $150 will make its way back to you OR MORE... negotiate a cheaper price to reflect fixing those issues (include shop time as well... even if you DIY). Two most important things engine, transmission. Take it for a long test drive 20-30 minutes. Go on the highway, cruise through town to make sure it shifts good. Your PPI can include a compression test on the engine. My vote is also on the GMT 800 series 3/4 ton gas suburban or truck. Diesels are too expensive when they break (not that you were considering one)
It is a very simple thing. Find vehicle you like, take for PPI to see what needs to be replaced soon, use that to negotiate price down. Too many people just go in and buy cars without inspections then find out the issues later on. When buying a car the ball is in your court. Spend the $150 PPI, you will most likely find some kind of issue with the vehicle... and that $150 will make its way back to you OR MORE... negotiate a cheaper price to reflect fixing those issues (include shop time as well... even if you DIY). Two most important things engine, transmission. Take it for a long test drive 20-30 minutes. Go on the highway, cruise through town to make sure it shifts good. Your PPI can include a compression test on the engine. My vote is also on the GMT 800 series 3/4 ton gas suburban or truck. Diesels are too expensive when they break (not that you were considering one)