Owner has been letting it sit for nearly a year, just now selling it.
Nice untuned unmolested truck, had a certified trans @150k, and injectors rebuilt @250k, new battery within the last year. currently @288k. Am I nuts for looking at a truck with this high mileage?
Looks to be some oil leaking from the valley down the bell housing, and has some bad wandering steering that I hope I can fix with a steering box adjustment or track bar bushings, but other than that it is really clean. Seller is asking 10k...
It also has a dead miss, its a fuel issue though. There is no skip when it cranks, no smoke when she runs, but there's definitely a dead cylinder. Seller is taking it to a diesel shop to get it diagnosed, and if he repairs it ill be getting it... at what cost though? I would hate to get it and be slapped in the face with a failed turbo or tranny, etc.

Now that the convoluted mess of text is out of the way, what should I look for when I go to look at this truck one more time before purchase? I plan on pulling the air tube from the airbox and checking for dusting, and checking the tranny fluid color... and toying with the idea of some SCA test strips... what do yall think?
Also does anyone have a typical timeline of failure items on this drivetrain?
TYIA

 

Was dickin around with the poll, didn't actually mean to post it, now I can't delete it lol

 

Welcome to the Forum.

Any receipts for the work?
‘Any Maintenance records?
Why did it sit for a year?
Build date on tires?
‘Stock air box?
Any signs of rodents under the hood or under the truck? a year is a long time!!
10K nope

 

tranny has receipts, injectors were done diy by the owner, said one nozzle and one "disc" had to be replaced
no maintenance records
sat for a year because he got a tacoma
tires are bald lol
Yeah stock air box, no k&n
no signs of rodents, and I looked at it for a good while while it ran.
"10k nope" you're saying its not worth 10k? Kelly blue book valued it at 8-11k so I'm not sure. Definitely gonna haggle him on it tho

 

Dead miss, diy injectors, almost 300k, fender flairs to hide rust. $5k max and that is being nice to the seller.
A certified trans with almost 150k on it now is certified likely to need replacing

Look more, you can find wayyy better for 10k

 

People charge an arm and an effin leg for diesels here in NE Kansas, having a PIA time finding one with decent mileage and a price to reflect said mileage. I'll see how far I can talk down this seller, but I would agree 10k was reaching.

 

‘Well, no maintenance records, who doesn’t keep maintenance records?
The transmission has 138K with no record of maintenance AFTER a rebuild.
Tires...bad news you have to replace, good news you can replace them with what you want.
Battery- only 1 replaced...chances are you’ll have to replace BOTH of them.
The lack of maintenance records, only 1 battery replaced, stock air box...I interpret this as an owner that uses the truck but doesn’t care enough to PROPERLY take care of it. Sitting for a year...was it started/driven at all??

Personally, knowing what I know now from my experience with my own truck, I would pass.

I might offer $5500 cash with the mindset that I’ll be spending $2K on tires, batteries, oil, transmission fluid, diff fluid, coolant flush, new air intake.
NOTE: If I bought it…I’d change the oil with a cheaper priced oil run it for 500 miles then change it again. When you change the oil Take an sample and send in for Analysis.

IF there was maintenance records that would change my perspective on the truck!

 

If you are not in a rush, keep searching. Good deals pop up. Are you willing to travel very far?
I can scan for ya at night while I am awake unable to sleep(at least I wont spend money on myself this way lol)
What are your criteria? Have to be crew cab?, bed length, 4r100 pr zf6?
You can pm me specifics

 

‘Yup, options here in Colorado too.

 

Wandering steering could also indicate ball joints and tie rods. With that mileage if it's never had bushings it could need them all, track bar, sway bars, drop links, etc.

Jack up front end and wiggle everything also checking front hub bearings.

 

$7500 tops.

 

I genuinely appreciate the offer
Can't send messages yet (too new) so I'll post here.
super/crew cab
HAS to be 4x4
7.3L PS preferred (v10 mileage sucks, 5.4 is gutless, other PS are POS)
I'd prefer a 6 speed from a reliability standpoint, but either tranny is OK
Bed length doesn't matter, just no crew cab long bed
Not keen on leaving the Missourri/Kansas/Nebraska area, and hesitant to drive far just to find a ****box that looked good in the pics.
Budget 11k out the door MAX

Methinks I should go again to look at this truck after he fixes the misfire and kick tires, see if I can offer him closer to 6k. Just texted him and asked about maintenance records, but he never mentioned them so i have my doubts.
Dissappointing, this one even had remote start! Lol

 

This truck is starting to look like a total bust...

 

The school of hard knocks are the ones we remember. Hopefully you don't have to learn the hard way. You better have a dang good foundation to start with when you get in to these things. I paid 10k for mine thinking I would have to sink about $800 in it. Well, about $11k later it's still got some quirks so I'm stuck with it for a while.

 

no kidding. Mine was MUCH worse and it drives great now. Just drove it 1000 miles this weekend and ran like a top. BUT I’ve almost paid for the truck twice now... 🤢.
wish I found this site sooner. Did lots of research before buying just not the right place...