Where to Find the Most Durable Used Trucks for Sale

September 23, 2009

Learn how to search and ask the right quesitons in forums to find the most durable discount used trucks for sale.

Truck Plowing the Road

While there are many trucks for sale in the marketplace, not all trucks are created equal when it comes to durability and toughness. A dependable and durable truck will provide you with many more years of service versus a less reliable pickup truck known for breaking down or many repair problems.

Find out Which Trucks are Most Durable
Websites like Consumer Reports, Car and Driver, and Motor Trend all offer ratings and reviews on many popular used trucks. In addition, you will find test results compiled by these websites regarding the performance, reliability and safety of many popular pickup trucks.

On these websites you will find that American trucks are often held in high regard for their durability and toughness. While American trucks don't usually offer the best fuel economy, they are built to last and are popular when a tough work truck is needed.

Ask Truck Owners
Another great way to find out which pickup trucks are considered the most dependable and durable is to ask the owners of trucks themselves. The Internet allows you to connect with truck owners directly and ask questions about the dependability and quality of different makes and models of used trucks. Many popular car and truck websites have forums where website visitors can post questions about different types of vehicles and receive replies from people that are familiar with the make and model vehicle in question.

For example, if you want to find out how durable a Ford F-150 pickup is, you simply need to post questions about the particular year of F-150 you're interested in. Within a day or so, you will have replies to your question. Many times, replies are from actual owners of the vehicle and can offer you great insight into the dependability and reliability of the truck you are considering. You can use major search engines like Bing, Google and Yahoo to quickly find truck forums all over the Internet. To find them, simply enter search terms like "used truck forums" or "truck owner forums".

Search for Durable Trucks on Sale
Once you have determined which pickup trucks are the most durable and best meet your needs, you can begin searching for websites that offer the truck of your choice at low sale prices. For example, you can use CarsDirect to find low pricing on almost any used truck you can imagine. You can search for durable used trucks by make, year, model, price range and even search for trucks in a specific area. If you're not able to quickly find durable used trucks you're interested in, the friendly online staff at CarsDirect is more than happy to assist you in your search.

How to Find Discount Used Trucks for Sale

A buyer's budget, the age of the truck, and how many miles are on it play an important role in deciding which trucks to consider. While the price of a used truck can certainly be negotiated, it is rare that a seller will bring a significantly more expensive truck down to a lower price point.

A truck buyer's needs also play an important role in the decision-making process. A buyer that requires a truck for heavy towing or payload capacity can expect to spend more money than a buyer simply looking for a vehicle with a truck bed to carry the occasional couch or refrigerator. Buyers shopping for a discount used truck may have to make some compromises, but plenty of options exist that can provide the buyer with needed utility at an affordable price. Consider the following:

  • Look for trucks that are a bit older.While many people recommend buying a used vehicle that is only 2 or 3 years old, expanding your search to include trucks that are 6, 7, or even 8 years old can provide a wealth of options at lower prices. Older trucks may not have the latest features such as satellite radio or iPod connectivity, but they offer similar powertrains and towing capabilities for significantly less money. Additionally, many older trucks are just as reliable as brand new ones, since they were manufactured using similar technology
  • Consider trucks with higher mileage.First of all, many manufacturers have a solid reputation of reliability. A used Toyota Tundra with higher mileage may have many more years and miles of life simply because it's a Toyota. Secondly, if the truck is a late-model, high mileage may be attributable to highway driving. Highway miles are easier on a vehicle than stop-and-go traffic or heavy towing
  • Focus on trucks the dealer has had for a while.Dealers prefer to operate in a quick turn-around environment. Generally speaking, the longer a used truck sits on the lot, the lower its price becomes. A dealer who has stale inventory may be more willing to negotiate than a dealer who recently acquired a truck. This information is relatively easy to locate. On their websites, many dealers provide a free vehicle history report for each vehicle on their lot. This report will indicate when the dealer acquired the truck
  • Include private parties. It is common for a used truck being sold by a private party to be priced lower than a comparable truck at a dealership. Depending on the severity of the seller's circumstances, a private seller may be more willing to accept a discounted price for their truck than a dealer

To help ease concern about buying an older or higher mileage vehicle, extended warranties can be purchased for most used trucks. Depending on the coverage, these warranties may cover everything from the truck's powertrain to its air conditioning unit, and more. When it comes to finding the right truck at the right price, a little research can go a long way. Expanding a buyer's search to include the options above can help it go a little farther.

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