It's been a frustrating couple weeks that has led to an evolution of what we're searching for... with LOTS of idiotic sellers in the process.
I've learned that (no offense) there is ZERO point in trying to buy a vehicle in western part of North Carolina. Private seller, dealer, doesn't matter - overpriced steaming piles with lying dirt bag sellers.
When the search started we were thinking of picking up 2 cheaper vehicles ($5k range each) to fit separate needs. So, from a truck end number one was a r3500 cclb with a utility body and cap on the back. Lots of pics, told it ran great, told the body and cabinets would keep everything dry, was told it needed nothing, ready to go... whelp, after a 6 hr trip guess what we found: 4 of 6 were bald dry rotted tires, one with irregular wear to near failure; utility body rotted to where everything was filling with water (it was raining that day); rear doors to back seat had NO hardware, couldn't lock them since it was all missing; front end was sloppy/loose with blown shocks; one gas tank disconnected and missing parts. Seller tried telling me a/c didn't blow cold but just needed freon - it was a factory non-ac truck without the extra vents and no a/c anywhere. I could keep going but nerp, that's it. As I listed the defects out the seller acted with no surprise and checked none of it himself, some even saying yeah, he knew it... and I'm thinming, why you hide it and not tell me? He offered $200 discount because of it all. I left.
Next up was a gmt400 series k3500 rclb. Guy swore up and down it ran and drove perfect, didn't need a thing anywhere. Was another no rust truck. Well, not so much. This one had by date code 15 year old tires with cracks so big I'm not sure how they held air. Closer to a racing slick than tire, many spots were perfectly smooth. Looked underneath, and, aside from a heavy fluid leak, BOTH cv boots were torn, and one had been slinging material all over the wheelwell so failure had to be pretty imminent. As im seeing this the owner kept telling me everything on it was perfect and needed no work. Wipers didn't work, and, it may have been no ROT, but, it had rust all over including having tries to put grey primer over spots on a green truck. When I found it was unsafe to drive, as in those cvs and tires were a death trap waiting to happen, I asked if because all of that made it unsafe (let alone not perfect needing no work) he was firm on the price... I was told yup, he wouldn't take one dollar less. He also didn't look at anything I listed, and showed no surprise about the blown cv joints for example. I turned around and left without another word.
Strike 3 was an unscheduled stop at a roadside post we saw driving home and was a car. Spraybomb repaint, had new tires but rear seat was bent from being pulled forward ala towing/junkyard seeking to get into trunk. 3rd brake light was broken in the trunk and just removed from window rather than having fixed. There was no, ZERO exhaust. It ended at the cat converter with nothing behind. The dealer salesperson told me it didn't matter there was no exhaust because NC didn't have emissions so you could drive it like that... *sigh*
So, things have evolved since then. For the past two weeks I've been looking for a more expensive suv or truck that fits both needs.
I'd like something I trust the wife to drive me home from all these outpatient surgical procedures I've been having every 3-6 weeks since early spring that doesn't have the harsh ride of the sports cars (zl1/mustang/mustang gt/slk) that she is allowed to use. Some of the rides are 35 or 40 minutes and quite painful at times. (No survivor/sentimental gbody or classic trucks for her
) Originally I wanted to buy a late riviera, caddy coupe, or a gbody of no attachment for the purpose, something that floats and has a padded seat - that was the other half of the pair with a work truck she could also drive.
So, now I think Ive settled on an 03-06 suburban 2500 or yukon xl 2500 with the 496 as the ideal. No POS 6.0 trucks need apply as it needs to haul 4x4 square body trucks cross country eventually... I hope to recover at some point where I CAN do that stuff, so, whatever I do buy I'd like to be there ready and waiting for me to use... someday... I try to keep positive. Anyways, based on what Im finding out there I'm also even thinking of maybe expanding the search to a dmax cclb sierra (not a fan of the 'cat eye' silverados) but I've never owned a diesel and like the 496 simplicity.
After a couple weeks of failed searches the current crop of candidates are:
1) an earlier than desired 2001 suburban lt 4x4 2500 with the 8.1. It has a ton of miles at 246k but supposedly works great and just uses the normal quart of oil every 5k. Not much rust but needs front seats due to leather wear, can see headliner separatiom near windshield, some carpet stain, and not sure what else but I'm sure plenty... Price is more than right asking 4k.
2) is an 05 LT suburban 2500 with the 8.1. Interior is nearly mint everywhere. Only 90k miles. Original owners, BUT, is a Chicago truck. Paint bubbling at hood, behind tires, on rear rockers under back doors. Supposed to have great and regularly done maintenance. Asking is still cheap at 8k.
3) is a 05 sierra cclb duramax/Allison with 190k. Some minor dents/dings, one tear on drivers leather bucket, clean but not perfect interior. Was worked but not 3rd wheel and bed isn't real beat up inside box. Original owner and highest priced of the bunch at 10.5k.
I'd kinda rather the suv because of the ability to fold the seats flat and have a large enclosed/weather tight transport that we could sleep in the back of. I also never owned a diesel so wonder if interwebz reading teaches me enough to make the informed purchase. At the same time, all these 15-18yr old suv's with 250, 290, 300k miles asking 10k or 15k are on crack. Or at least to me, I wonder wtf and who pays that much for it if I can buy a lower mileage dmax 4x4 truck for the same or less money...
I'd buy something literally anywhere in the usa for a sub/yukon... plenty of 4x4 under 200K dmax truck around 9 to 10k local though as a backup.
Anyone have thoughts?
I've learned that (no offense) there is ZERO point in trying to buy a vehicle in western part of North Carolina. Private seller, dealer, doesn't matter - overpriced steaming piles with lying dirt bag sellers.
When the search started we were thinking of picking up 2 cheaper vehicles ($5k range each) to fit separate needs. So, from a truck end number one was a r3500 cclb with a utility body and cap on the back. Lots of pics, told it ran great, told the body and cabinets would keep everything dry, was told it needed nothing, ready to go... whelp, after a 6 hr trip guess what we found: 4 of 6 were bald dry rotted tires, one with irregular wear to near failure; utility body rotted to where everything was filling with water (it was raining that day); rear doors to back seat had NO hardware, couldn't lock them since it was all missing; front end was sloppy/loose with blown shocks; one gas tank disconnected and missing parts. Seller tried telling me a/c didn't blow cold but just needed freon - it was a factory non-ac truck without the extra vents and no a/c anywhere. I could keep going but nerp, that's it. As I listed the defects out the seller acted with no surprise and checked none of it himself, some even saying yeah, he knew it... and I'm thinming, why you hide it and not tell me? He offered $200 discount because of it all. I left.
Next up was a gmt400 series k3500 rclb. Guy swore up and down it ran and drove perfect, didn't need a thing anywhere. Was another no rust truck. Well, not so much. This one had by date code 15 year old tires with cracks so big I'm not sure how they held air. Closer to a racing slick than tire, many spots were perfectly smooth. Looked underneath, and, aside from a heavy fluid leak, BOTH cv boots were torn, and one had been slinging material all over the wheelwell so failure had to be pretty imminent. As im seeing this the owner kept telling me everything on it was perfect and needed no work. Wipers didn't work, and, it may have been no ROT, but, it had rust all over including having tries to put grey primer over spots on a green truck. When I found it was unsafe to drive, as in those cvs and tires were a death trap waiting to happen, I asked if because all of that made it unsafe (let alone not perfect needing no work) he was firm on the price... I was told yup, he wouldn't take one dollar less. He also didn't look at anything I listed, and showed no surprise about the blown cv joints for example. I turned around and left without another word.
Strike 3 was an unscheduled stop at a roadside post we saw driving home and was a car. Spraybomb repaint, had new tires but rear seat was bent from being pulled forward ala towing/junkyard seeking to get into trunk. 3rd brake light was broken in the trunk and just removed from window rather than having fixed. There was no, ZERO exhaust. It ended at the cat converter with nothing behind. The dealer salesperson told me it didn't matter there was no exhaust because NC didn't have emissions so you could drive it like that... *sigh*
So, things have evolved since then. For the past two weeks I've been looking for a more expensive suv or truck that fits both needs.
I'd like something I trust the wife to drive me home from all these outpatient surgical procedures I've been having every 3-6 weeks since early spring that doesn't have the harsh ride of the sports cars (zl1/mustang/mustang gt/slk) that she is allowed to use. Some of the rides are 35 or 40 minutes and quite painful at times. (No survivor/sentimental gbody or classic trucks for her
) Originally I wanted to buy a late riviera, caddy coupe, or a gbody of no attachment for the purpose, something that floats and has a padded seat - that was the other half of the pair with a work truck she could also drive.So, now I think Ive settled on an 03-06 suburban 2500 or yukon xl 2500 with the 496 as the ideal. No POS 6.0 trucks need apply as it needs to haul 4x4 square body trucks cross country eventually... I hope to recover at some point where I CAN do that stuff, so, whatever I do buy I'd like to be there ready and waiting for me to use... someday... I try to keep positive. Anyways, based on what Im finding out there I'm also even thinking of maybe expanding the search to a dmax cclb sierra (not a fan of the 'cat eye' silverados) but I've never owned a diesel and like the 496 simplicity.
After a couple weeks of failed searches the current crop of candidates are:
1) an earlier than desired 2001 suburban lt 4x4 2500 with the 8.1. It has a ton of miles at 246k but supposedly works great and just uses the normal quart of oil every 5k. Not much rust but needs front seats due to leather wear, can see headliner separatiom near windshield, some carpet stain, and not sure what else but I'm sure plenty... Price is more than right asking 4k.
2) is an 05 LT suburban 2500 with the 8.1. Interior is nearly mint everywhere. Only 90k miles. Original owners, BUT, is a Chicago truck. Paint bubbling at hood, behind tires, on rear rockers under back doors. Supposed to have great and regularly done maintenance. Asking is still cheap at 8k.
3) is a 05 sierra cclb duramax/Allison with 190k. Some minor dents/dings, one tear on drivers leather bucket, clean but not perfect interior. Was worked but not 3rd wheel and bed isn't real beat up inside box. Original owner and highest priced of the bunch at 10.5k.
I'd kinda rather the suv because of the ability to fold the seats flat and have a large enclosed/weather tight transport that we could sleep in the back of. I also never owned a diesel so wonder if interwebz reading teaches me enough to make the informed purchase. At the same time, all these 15-18yr old suv's with 250, 290, 300k miles asking 10k or 15k are on crack. Or at least to me, I wonder wtf and who pays that much for it if I can buy a lower mileage dmax 4x4 truck for the same or less money...
I'd buy something literally anywhere in the usa for a sub/yukon... plenty of 4x4 under 200K dmax truck around 9 to 10k local though as a backup.
Anyone have thoughts?
