Tips on buying a used truck PART Two

May 6th, 2010

Here are pctures of a truck sold by ERG in Dec. 2009 and written off by the Insurance company one week later. This truck has been repaired and is now for sale in Brampton at what would appear to be a great price unless you do your home work, Customers are being told it had a little hood damage when asking about any accident damage, Sometimes the better deal is just a BAD deal

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Part One In A Series Of Truck Buying Tips

March 30th, 2010

There are almost as many places to buy a used truck as there are used trucks for sale!

Private Sales,

This could be a great option if you know the person selling the truck. If you do not know them, You may be subject to several issues like a truck with liens on it that someone will be repossessing some time in the future, even though you paid the seller. Will a private seller disclose all he knows about the truck, possibly not as he is looking at a one time sale. Is it certified, if not it is a sure sign to walk as it is going to be expensive.
The biggest issue with a private sale purchase is the financing. This is the first place to start as it is usually the deal breaker since very few equipment lenders or finance companies will finance a private sale for most or all of the reasons above.

Auctions,

This could be the deal of a life time or a nightmare. Why is it there? I talked to a guy one time that sent his truck to auction since he had just done an engine repair himself. (J.B. weld on the crack in the block) That could be the nightmare deal.

Unregistered truck dealer,

This is the new breed of dealers out there with no OMVIC Dealer Licence or licenced sales people, like “Flip This House”. A few cosmetic repairs and flip it out to an unsuspecting customer.

OMVIC (Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Counsel) registered dealer.

This is another option as this type of dealer has made an investment and commitment to the industry by having a legal conforming place of business, by going through an extensive application process and becoming a registered dealer with registered staff. These dealers, although not all are perfect are ruled with a code of ethics by OMVIC and are subject to inspections to ensure ongoing compliance with the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA). Also a disciplinary process is used to enforce compliance with code of ethics. For info, see  www.omvic.ca  Typically a registered dealer is not in business for a one time quick sale but relies on good business practices and satisfied customers for the future.

Part Two- Truck Buying Tips

Questions to Ask.

Where did the truck come from-owner op, fleet truck, repo, auction. They should be able to give you an honest answer. You may also want to ask what the truck did as some jobs are very hard on equipmnet. Is the truck certified and E-tested, if not then WHY! If it is certified what is the inspection process, are the wheels pulled to check brakes and measure drums or do they just try to look through that tiny inspection hole. Do they check the A/C as this can also be very expensive later. Don’t overlook the small things.

Owner operators vs fleet trucks.

There is a misconception that owner operator trucks are better maintained but that is not always the case as a good fleet is on a regular maintenance program where an owner operator may put off a service until his next pay or later. Some fleet trucks are very basic but still serve a purpose. For some, other fleets have very nice equipment that may be just as good or better than an owner operators truck. Do your homework and buy from someone you feel comfortable with and trust.

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Maintaining Your Semi Truck – Part FOUR

March 7th, 2010

• We hope you are finding our Tips useful, if so please let us know and we will we will keep them coming.

• Tire Pressure. Nothing ruins a tire ( virgin or recap ) faster than low air pressure. This causes heat build up and tire blow outs. Invest in a tire pressure gauge , kicking a tire will tell you if its flat  BUT it is hard to tell with the end of a boot if its low by 27 pounds.

• Too Much Grease. It’s hard to believe there could be such a thing, but with power greasers it happens fast. Too much grease to a release bearing and the clutch with eventually start to get greased. Over greasing the steering box is hard on the sector shaft seal.

• Wash And Wax. It may sound like a no brainer, but washing your truck will keep it in better shape longer. Washing it in the winter months may seem like a waste of time and money but that’s what it is the most important to get salt and sand off of and out of the frame rails. P.S.  A wax job in the summer sure preserves the paint!

• Alignments. Alignments are cheap compared to replacing worn out tires. If you have not had one for a while you won’t believe the difference it will make.

• What Is A Top Set? Another very neglected area of maintenance. A top set is in simple terms a tune up. Again inexpensive but critical for fuel economy and performance. Very seldom are any parts required.

• More Tips To Come!    Have a Great day , From your Friends at ERG

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