Used Truck Buying 101: Everything You Need to Know

When you need to haul or tow items, a truck is the best way to go. The exposed bed of a pickup will always be able to haul more than the trunk of a car or cargo area of a SUV, and generally pickups are geared to tow more. Because of their durability, buying a new truck can be a costly investment, but if you live in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or Prairieville, you have options with a quality used truck from Premier Clearance Center.

Why Buy Used?

The obvious reason to buy a used truck is the lower sticker price, but pickups are built to last so they depreciate much slower than a sedan or SUV. Since the sticker price and perceived value is lower, that means your loan terms are more flexible, and you may have an easier time getting financing. Your insurance rates will be lower, sales tax is lower, monthly payments are smaller, and the term of the loan is shorter for most used vehicles.

Should I get a Used Truck?

With any truck, durability is a key feature. They can absorb more abuse and if properly maintained, they can last much longer than cars, SUVs or minivans. A truck also retains its value longer. Trucks, if properly equipped, are known for their off-road prowess. Nothing is better for hauling and towing than a truck because they are engineered for those tasks.

What to Consider with a Truck

Benefits of a Truck

• Hauling: An open truck bed can carry a wide variety of stuff up to 3500 pounds and that cargo area can be hosed out.

• Towing: Trucks are built to tow. Even an SUV with a V8 can’t tow as much as a truck when it is properly equipped for towing. Some well-equipped trucks can tow as much as 30,000 lbs.

• Off-roading: A truck equipped for off-roading with 4WD can take you to places where many SUVs with AWD can’t go. Plus, trucks equipped for off-roading typically have higher ground clearance, fording capability, and often higher quality suspensions.

• Resale value: Trucks are built to last and they retain value much longer. They can take a lot of abuse and still be strong.

Truck Considerations

• Size: trucks are big, even mid-size trucks are often as big as a three-row SUV. A full-size truck is often the largest vehicle on the road, and they can be tough to park and tricky to navigate through urban settings.

• Visibility: Trucks are big, and often high off the ground making it harder to see, creating longer blind spots in the front that are greater than most SUVs and sedans.

• Fuel consumption and economy: Trucks are big and powerful and that means they take a lot of fuel. Because of this they have bigger fuel tanks which means it takes more money to fill them up and they are the least fuel-efficient vehicle on the market.

• Ride Comfort: A truck’s suspension is tuned to handle a lot of punishment, especially over the rear axle. Remember it is designed to haul a ton of cargo in full-size trucks. This means that riding comfort won’t be as good as what you could have in a car or SUV. Fortunately, in recent years, advanced technology and engineering have helped trucks to have a more comfortable ride.

If you’re interested in buying a quality used pickup, contact us at Premier Clearance Center and check out our inventory of used trucks.