7 Important Considerations When Shopping for a Used Truck

Used truck sales make up a large portion of the overall used car market in America. Trucks, in general, are some of America’s best-selling vehicles, so there is a lot of product moving in and out of the market when it comes to used vehicles. And because there are so many used trucks on the market, it means it can sometimes seem overwhelming when it comes to what you should be looking for in a truck beyond price and availability. There is also the consideration of features, functionality, roles, travel accommodations, and space. That’s why if you’ve been truck shopping at a used car dealership but need a little help in narrowing down your focus on something worth your time, effort, and money, we can help you with a few tips on what to look for when it comes to important considerations when shopping for a used truck.

No. 1: Know the Truck’s Role

The biggest consideration when buying a used truck is the role you need it to fulfill. Are you looking for a daily driver? Are you looking for a work truck? Do you intend to buy something to upfit? Are you concerned about towing capabilities? How about hauling capabilities? Is this going to be a family truck or a solo truck? These questions are extremely important and will determine how you shop for your next truck.

Knowing the role of the truck you want will make it much easier to pick the right used truck to buy. For instance, it doesn’t make sense to shop for a heavy-duty truck if all you need is something to get you to and from college and maybe have some extra space for work or weekend projects. Just the same, you wouldn’t want to buy a compact truck if you intend to do a lot of heavy-duty towing and hauling. So map out what you want the truck for, and then from there, it will make it easy to start filtering the trucks by brand and features, or you can filter by price first and foremost and attempt to find a truck within your price range that fits the role you want.

No. 2: Midsize for Simple Tasks; Full-Size for Big Tasks

Once you figure out the role of the truck you want, you then have to decide if that role requires a midsize or a full-size truck. The difference between the two is that with a midsize truck, you can typically find used models for much lower prices than a full-size truck. However, the trade-off is that the midsize truck can’t haul as much and can’t trailer as much, and it also will have smaller powertrain displacements. On average, most midsize trucks, such as a used Ford Maverick, Ford Ranger GMC Canyon, or Chevy Colorado, will offer you inline 4-cylinder or V6 engines.

If you want higher-end power and performance, then a full-size pickup truck is the way to go. Light-duty full-size trucks can run anywhere between turbocharged 4-cylinders all the way up to supercharged V8 engines. Most full-size heavy-duty trucks also come standard with gas-powered V8s or diesel-powered V8s. So, if you want all of that extra output, you’re going to want a beefy full-size truck. But, if all you need is a good daily driver or family vehicle, and you’re more interested in some fuel-saving travel, then a midsize truck is good for simple enough tasks.

No. 3: Cab and Bed Sizes Determine Functionality

If you’re looking for a good work truck and you’re fine with just two or three seats, a basic bed, and something that you can reliably use to get you to and from your destination, then a regular cab is probably going to be your preferred choice among the available used trucks you’re interested in. However, if you’re looking to buy a used truck that you plan on using for the family, a double or crew cab is going to be something you should consider. This is because double and crew cab formats can seat between five and six passengers.

The other big consideration is bed sizes. Long beds are good if you do a lot of hauling around of large or long material, but short and standard beds are better if you plan on going with a 4×4. Another thing to consider is if you want a truck with a specialty tailgate, such as the Pro-Access Tailgate on the F-150, the Multi-Flex Tailgate on the Silverado, or the Multifunctional Tailgate on the Ram 1500. If you care about those extra tailgate features, then you’re going to need to stick with one of the major nameplates or truck brands that come with such functionality.

No. 4: The Right Bed Offers Upfitting Opportunities

Cargo beds are not one-size-fits-all. Some beds have different features, depending on if you need a bed for a certain kind of hauling. Some beds come with rail slides so you can outfit and upgrade them with upfitting, while others come with multiple tie-down cleats. Different nameplates, models, and trims come with different bed configurations, so beforehand, it’s essential to consider what you might plan on using the bed for.

If you don’t plan on using your truck for upfitting, then having deck rails or rail slides on the bed isn’t a necessity. If you do want to move cargo with your truck and want to secure it properly, having a truck with an ample amount of tie-down cleats will make it easy to secure cargo in the bed. If that is important to you, shop for a truck with a bed with proper utility clamps or railing to secure the haul.

No. 5: Hitch Compatible for Towing

Shopping at a used truck dealer for a full-size truck has a lot of ins and outs because of how much functionality they have. Some of the functionality can even be understated unless you specifically look for those features in that truck. A good example of this is the ability to trailer with a 5th-wheel hitch or a gooseneck attachment. Don’t just assume every used full-size truck you eye for purchase will have the capability for 5-wheel or gooseneck hitch attachments.

That’s why it’s important to consider if that’s something you are planning on doing with your truck. Maybe you move around livestock, trailer around a large camper for weekend vacations, or haul some small off-road vehicles off to the dirt mounds for some recreational fun? If you need a trailer, a camper, or a flatbed that can be hitched to the truck, a 5th-wheel or gooseneck hitch is the way to go. However, you need to make sure that the truck is compatible with those hitch types, as not every truck bed has the accessibility or functionality for that kind of trailering. So, if you’re shopping for a pickup truck and you’re thinking about making full use of the truck’s trailering capabilities, make sure the bed is designed to install a 5th-wheel or gooseneck hitch before you purchase it. Otherwise, you will have to go through some difficult modification processes to get those hitch types installed.

No. 6: Lifted and Off-Road Used Trucks

Some of the most popular trucks on the market are trucks designed to really indulge and engage in the rugged capabilities trucks offer when it comes to traversal. One popular feature that a lot of people love about pickup trucks is lift kits. Some trucks have trims that automatically come with lift kits, but others do not. However, if you’re interested in a lifted truck but not in adding spacers or modifying the suspension of the truck, you can shop for pre-lifted trucks. For Ford, Toyota, GM, and Ram, their off-road truck models typically come with factory lifts between one and two inches. There are also aftermarket kits so that you can add between two and six inches to the truck’s lift.

Lifted trucks generally perform better off-road as they can avoid getting stuck in the mud or trapped in uneven terrain. However, just lifting the truck may not be enough to make it off-road compatible. If you’re considering shopping for a used pickup from a used car dealership and want something that is off-road capable, you may have to focus on off-road specific trims, such as the Ford Raptor, the Ford Tremor, the Toyota TRD Pro, GMC AT4, or GMC AT4X. This isn’t to say that you can’t make non-off-road trims off-road capable, but you will need to make sure the truck is configured in four-wheel drive if you want the best traction and stability control when venturing off-road and that the truck’s shocks can be upgraded along with the wheels and tires for off-road traversal. If you aren’t keen on turning your used truck into an off-road project, though, it’s just easier to shop for an off-road capable trim that comes pre-equipped with everything you need to venture off the road.

No. 7: Trims Can Determine Customization

In the same way that there are off-road trims for trucks that enable you to engage in things like rock crawling, mudding, or trail runs, there are also trims that focus on specific driving disciplines, such as towing and trailering or hauling cargo. Beyond the basic utility trims, there are also trims designed around daily driving, luxury comfort, and even customization. Considering what you’re using your truck for and how long you plan to keep it should determine the trim you opt to buy.

If you’re more interested in trucks for sale because you’d like to find one for simple for daily driving, then there is no reason to go wild with searching used truck inventory for something unique. However, if you are thinking about personalizing the truck to your own tastes, then it might be wise to find a trim with scalability. In other words, a mid-tier trim is known for allowing drivers to modify things like the suspension and tires or alter the performance thanks to the powertrain configuration. A good example is, if you value gas mileage, then a used hybrid truck might be a good option, but if you plan on upgrading the performance, then it can be difficult to do so with a hybrid, which is why a gas-powered truck might be the better option. Or if you plan on using your truck for more than just daily driving and commutes, such as camping, drag racing, or overlanding, then opting for a luxury trim may not be wise, and it would probably be best to go with a trim that you can modify for both daily driving and special travel occasions.