I like new diesels; used diesels can mean a hefty repair bill. If you are a mechanic, buy anything you want. But for instance, injectors on a GM Duramax can cost thousands after the warranty runs out. Usually after 130,000 miles, injectors can go. Diesel transmissions can be an unbelievable expense. New diesel trucks generally have a five year 100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. Gas trucks may only have a three year 36,000 mile warranty. Diesel mechanics charge more per hour. Oil changes cost more. We cover the rest of the story in Chapter 7.
If you are looking at a gas engine, there are very little differences in price between half-tons and HD three-quarter tons, but you get more choices with transmissions and axle ratio’s in HD three-quarter ton trucks. HD three-quarter ton trucks have a full floating axle, with twice as many bearings in the rear axle, and are designed to be loaded all the time with heavier springs, frames, shocks, tire ratings, etc. Even the way they ride has changed dramatically in the last five years. In the old days, a three-quarter ton truck rode like a basketball and needed some weight in the bed to ride better.
With used trucks, be careful with the light-duty three-quarter tons, because there are half-tons with more wheel bolts, and it’s not easy to tell them apart. If you want a diesel, then there are more factors to consider. Trucks can be confusing, and most people end up asking their truck salesperson important questions. Often the salesperson does not know the answers because they just started selling yesterday or last week. So they just make something up and “TO” (turn you over to a manager who will smoothly tell you anything you want to hear).
Very few managers in the auto business know anything about trucks; they just know how to smile and manipulate you with, “What can I do to earn your business today?” and, “Sure that truck will pull your trailer, my brother-in-law pulls his with that exact truck.”
I suggest you get an owner’s manual after you buy your used truck to know what the recommended service schedules are. Helm is a good place to order your manual. It’s where dealers order theirs.
Truck Brands
When it comes to recommending the best truck, everyone has their opinion and few of us humans let facts get in our way. When I was growing up, my dad had a model 92 Massey combine and my uncle had a John Deere model 95. And of course we thought the Massey had to be the best combine around. Then a funny thing happened. I ended up helping my uncle harvest wheat one summer. I couldn’t believe how easy the John Deere was to grease and work on. Everything you worked on was on the outside where you could get to it. The Massey had everything buried on the inside. Since you always have to work on combines, I was impressed. But you know, I never could convince my dad to buy a John Deere! That’s how trucks are. If your grandpa has a Dodge truck, your dad, your brother and your cousins all have Dodge trucks, not much chance you’ll buy a Ford. This is why Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan have so much trouble capturing market share. Brand loyalty is a powerful force. We become brand-blind.
Truck brands keep improving, and if you get the latest model (after their first year), you will like it much better than your old model. Do yourself a favor: when you need a truck, look at all the brands. I did an article for Turbo Diesel Register magazine. They are the big Dodge/Ram diesel magazine. My assignment was to write an article on “why you don’t want to buy a Dodge Diesel truck.” The editor wanted readers to look at options and not be brand-blind.
I like competition in diesel trucks and it’s closer than it has ever been, with GM and Ford improving their diesels and Dodge improving its body and transmission. So all three are very close; actually, the closest these brands have ever been. Ram Heavy-duty just passed GM in sales numbers on diesels after GM passed Ram a few years ago with the Duramax. But Ford, which has out-sold Dodge and GM diesels combined for over a decade, is still #1 in sales by a wide margin. This means you find more used Ford trucks. If you think you need the best truck every other year, get a two year lease and keep switching brands.
We cover more on this in Chapter 7, but it’s important when deciding between used and new trucks. I’ve updated the time it takes to pay for a diesel engine option with fuel savings from 80,000 miles to 150,000 miles. Calculate how long it takes to pay for the extra $8,000 to $11,000 for the diesel option with fuel savings. It’s easy to get addicted to the power of a diesel. If you tow large trailers or keep a truck forever, the diesel option makes sense. But if you trade trucks every three years and don’t need the capacity, you may not have paid for the extra cost of a diesel engine, special transmission, more expensive oil changes, and fuel filter changes, from the extra fuel savings of the diesel option.
A used diesel not maintained properly and over-trailered beyond its factory weight ratings can be an expensive time bomb. Diesel mechanics charge more than gas engine mechanics per hour. Engines, radiators, alternators, starters, batteries, etc., all cost more in diesel trucks. But a used diesel truck with a pedigree from a one-owner, pulling moderate trailer weights and with service receipts is worth a premium. Some truck owners use the high setting on power chips and micro turners, which works them hard to have most of the goody used up. That’s how most of my trucks were when I was done. I stripped them down to the frame and sold them by the pound. Trucks can last several decades, and so can the wrong choice.
Comparing Trucks
I believe in long test drives and several of them. Used salespeople will try to have you to turn right four times to get you back to the dealership fast; “right turn Clyde” if you remember Clint Eastwood’s Every Which Way But Loose. Always remember it’s your money and you are in control. If the salesperson doesn’t want to accept those terms, then I use a borrowed phrase from Amway: “Some will, some won’t, so what, next!”
Always remember to get your money first. You can always take zero percent interest from the manufacture financing when available, but be prepared with your own options. Before you get talked into the dealer extended warranties, do your own research. Sometimes your credit union or insurance companies have better warranties. Keep checking back on the latest rebates, recalls and interest rates, which can change each month. There are crash tests from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/. And also at https://www.fueleconomy.gov. is a nice VIN lookup section and information on EPA mileage for trucks that are 8500 GVWR and lower.
One way to look at buying a truck new or used is to consider your future needs. The month I got out of the business, my oldest son rolled his truck and we had to go truck shopping. I had forgotten how hard it was. We started out going dealer to dealer, reading the paper, looking on the Internet, and I just tagged along as dumb ol’ dad playing with my granddaughter. After my son and daughter-in-law got tired of it, and after changing their minds several times on which vehicle they wanted, they asked for help. I got on the cell phone and called one of the veteran salespeople I bought from and trusted as a broker. I told him what I needed and then we went and picked it up.
Of course I have the advantage, knowing the dealer cost of vehicles and who to trust. But the point I was trying to make to my kids was: you’re going to buy a lot of vehicles over your lifetime. Find the salesperson and dealer you trust, build a relationship and send them your friends. You still need to do price research to keep everyone honest. It’s natural for a salesperson on commission to want to make more money. I would think a positive relationship with a dealer you trust would take some of the stress out of something you will do often for the rest of your life.
We are all trying to feed our families, and I don’t expect people to work for free. But that’s just me: the older I get the more I can see both sides of any argument.
Should you buy your truck from a new dealer or a used dealer?
There are several great
