Red Flags To Look For When Shopping for a Used Pickup
Posted on September 14 2021
Red Flags To Look For When Shopping for a Used Pickup
Becoming acquainted with a used pickup is not too different from becoming acquainted with a person. Although people may make a pleasant first impression, small ticks or idiosyncrasies will eventually reveal them as less than perfect. By maintaining a critical eye for the red flags to look for when shopping for a used pickup, shoppers can protect themselves from difficult problems ahead.
Overly Stiff or Overly Relaxed Suspension
By design, pickups drive with some rigidity. But if the suspension of a truck feels too tight or too wobbly, it may have issues. Pay special attention to turns as you consider this. You can test the suspension with a bounce test. Just rock the truck back and forth several times, then stop and watch. If it continues to bounce, its suspension is likely bad.
Damage to the Frame
Pickup trucks experience a great deal of wear when people utilize them for hauling, towing, or off-roading. A mechanic must inspect a used pickup’s frame for signs of damage before you purchase it. Some of the most important red flags to look for when shopping for a used pickup are damaged or bent frames. These can lead to massive long-term issues.
Too Much Rust
You can tell the previous owner didn’t properly maintain or store a truck by looking at the amount of rust on its body. Excessive rust is an unfixable problem, and it’s clear evidence of an irreversibly deteriorating truck. Even if you give the vehicle to a body shop to repair the rust, it won’t retain its structural integrity.
A Stinky Cabin
When a seller lists a truck for sale, they typically take the time to clean out its interior. Often, that entails using air fresheners to mask cigarette smoke or any other unpleasant odors. When you shop around for used trucks, pay close attention to the odors in the cabin. Close all the doors and windows, and give your nose a few minutes to sit with whatever smells you may find.
Obtaining the right pickup truck can be an extremely frustrating experience. You may find at the end of the search that there is no “perfect truck.” You’ll need to make alterations so that a truck is ready for your needs. Luckily, if your used Chevy needs a few tweaks to get into shape, you can always explore Chevy Duramax aftermarket parts.