Don’t Buy Any Truck Until You See This!

If you are planning to buy a truck someday, please take time to read this article. A lot of people get caught by flashy pictures abd smooth sales talk without asking questions. One of my friend regreted their truck purchases, as they rushed into it. A truck isn't about the outside looks, it's about what it can do for your work and daily life. You really needed to consider some factors before you buy. Whether you'll use it for towing, carrying, or getting around, you'll need to be very careful in choosing one.

The Suspension Test That Reveals the Truth

When checking a truck, the most important part that you need to see is the suspension. You'll be fascinated to the touchscreen or leather seats, and other features. But what you really need to look at is the suspension, as it will give you problems in the future. Worse part is it can make towing or hauling risky because the truck won't handle heavy loads. You don't need a special tools or an expert to help you with this, you can check it by yourself. And if you will follow these steps it will help you a lot to avoid such issues.

These are some of the steps you'll need to do in checking the truck. You can stand at the front area of the truck and push down the bumber a little harder to make it bounce. Then watch out to what will happen as a good suspension will let the truck bounce once or twice. But if it keeps bouncing like a pogo stick, it will give you a clue that the shocks or struts may be damaged. Me, myself ignore this test on a second hand truck that looked perfect. However, after two months I replaced the whole suspension system for over $1,200. That's serves a great lesson for me to check everything before shipping it.

Also, take the truck for a test drive on a rough road. Listen for unussual noises, like clunks, rattles, or creaks. Those are red flags and can cause you trouble in a later time. Pay attention on how the truck feels when you hit small bumps. If every crack in the pavement feels like a pothole, the suspensioy needs a repair.

If the back of the truck goes down too much when you put weight in it, the springs might be weak. A truck should stay level, whether it’s empty or full.

Taking a few minutes to do this step and test will surely save you a lot of money of the repairs and maintenance. And make sure that it is not only looks good on the outside, but can do a real life job.

What the Paint Can Tell You About the Truck’s Past

The paint or the color of the truck migth seem the least important thing to consider when buying one. But it will actually reveal the true secrets behind the story of the trucks. For example, signs of accident, rust, or quick cover up to hide the bigger problem. I learned this from my friend's experience, as he bought a second hand truck. On the outside it looked fresh and clean, but under the surface, it had a repaired frame from an accident. He noticed it late as he can see that there are unusual paint differences.

Start by standing at an angle and looking down the side of the truck, letting light hit it right. This helps you spots waves in the body, which could mean body filler was used to cover up past dents or repairs. Smooth factory paint shouldn’t have these uneven spots. Run your hand along the surface. Rough patches or raised areas can also be signs of bodywork.

Check if the color looks the same on every panel. If the door looks a little off compared to the fender, it might have been replaced or repainted after damage. Pay extra attention near the wheels, the bottom of the doors, and the truck bed. Those are common spots for hidden rust. A quick fix with cheap paint can hide rust for a while, but it will not last longer.

Also, pop the hood and check the paint on the inside edges. If the paint there is a different shade from the outside, the truck may have been in a front-end crash. The same goes for door jambs and the inside of the tailgate.

With these steps it can help you avoid buying a truck with a hidden past that’s been made to look brand new.

Our Expert Shows You Live

One of the best way to learn what to look for when buying a truck is to see it in real life. That’s why I spent an afternoon with my mechanic friend, Jason, who’s been checking trucks for over 20 years. I asked him to walk me through a real truck inspection to show exactly what buyers should do before making a deal. Watching him in action opened my eyes to things I would missed if I'll do it on my own.

Jason started checking the suspension, like I mentioned earlier. He leaned on the front bumper, gave it a hard push. The truck bounced once and settled right down. “That’s what you want to see,” he said. “If it keeps bouncing, walk away or plan on new shocks.” Next, he ran his hand along the side of the truck under good light. He showed me tiny ripples in the door that I never noticed. “This truck had some body filler work here,” he pointed out. “Not a deal-breaker if it’s done well, but you gotta know.”

Under the hood, Jason checked the inner fender paint and found a slight color mismatch. “Probably front-end damage in the past. Could’ve been repaired right, but it’s worth asking the seller or checking the history report.” He also grabbed the frame rail inside the wheel well and looked for rust or fresh undercoating. “If the undercoating looks too new, they might be hiding frame rot.”

On the test drive, Jason noticed the truck pulling to the right. “Could be alignment, or worse, bent suspension from an accident,” he said. It was a simple ride but told a big story.

Seeing an expert do this in person made everything real. These checks aren't hard, but knowing where to look makes all the difference.