We are buying a 2017 F350 with the 6.7 diesel near Houston, TX. Is there any way to get this vehicle inspected before we buy? The carfax on this vehicle shows no maintenance. So either the previous owner did preventative maintenance himself, or he didn't do it. The vehicle looks like new in cosmetic condition, so it appears the previous owner took good care of it. However, that doesn't mean he changed the oil and filters regularly. I'm new to diesel engines, this is my first one. What do I need to look for when I take this vehicle for a test drive?

Yes, you can have the truck sent to a local Ford dealer (or any other place you choose) for a presale inspection. In fact, I did that several years ago myself when I bought a 2010 F450 from a big used car dealer near Galveston. The inspection found several things that needed attention, and I used that information for leverage in the sale. But, (there’s always a “but”) the owner of the truck may want you to put down a deposit to take it off the lot, and if the inspection makes you back out of the sale you could lose the deposit. If the owner is an individual rather than a dealer, he may not even ask for a deposit. I would ask for one, if it was my truck.In my case since I wasn’t local, I wasn’t going to fly down without having the truck inspected first. It all worked out ok. I kept the truck for 3-4 years, and used it as a trade in on my current truck. :):)

I'm quite sure Carfax doesn't report regular maintenance.

spud1957 wrote:I'm quite sure Carfax doesn't report regular maintenance.If maintenance is done at a reporting dealer, it will show up on Carfax. Not all dealers/shops report to Carfax though.

My BIL purchased a truck in Arizona from a individual and had him take pictures of undercarriage, under hood, interior, body panels. He rolled the dice and purchased a plane ticket to inspect it himself. He purchased the truck there and drove it back to Texas.

“So either the previous owner did preventative maintenance himself, or he didn't do it.”Without a handwritten maintenance notebook...he didn’t do it.

2017 F350 6.7. Inspection? | Good Sam Community

sayoung
Explorer
Feb 20, 2020
NRALIFR wrote:
klr650goldwing wrote:
We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.

The truck I bough near Galveston looked like that. Like the previous owner had hauled bricks or cinderblocks in the rear half of the bed with no mat or bed liner. Not much paint left behind the wheel wells. No dents though.

Got it Rhino lined and it looked like new.

:):)

Get a spray bedliner. You can even get them in colors to match .
NRALIFR
Explorer
Feb 20, 2020
klr650goldwing wrote:
We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.

The truck I bough near Galveston looked like that. Like the previous owner had hauled bricks or cinderblocks in the rear half of the bed with no mat or bed liner. Not much paint left behind the wheel wells. No dents though.

Got it Rhino lined and it looked like new.

:):)
blofgren
Explorer
Feb 20, 2020
klr650goldwing wrote:
We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.

Congrats! I wish you many happy miles with it! :B
FlatBroke
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2020
I’m at a loss of how they can inspect anything in the drive train with out a partial tear down. Sounds expensive to me.
buc1980
Explorer
Feb 19, 2020
klr650goldwing wrote:
We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.
You don't say what trim it is.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Feb 19, 2020
Congrats on your new truck. I’m sure it will provide years of good service.
klr650goldwing
Explorer
Feb 19, 2020
We bought the truck yesterday and drove it 200 miles home. The inside of the box shows signs of wear, but the rest of the truck looks and operates like new. At this point we are real happy with the truck. Thanks for your help with the purchase decision making.
blofgren
Explorer
Feb 17, 2020
Weldon wrote:
Who would buy a truck like that new and not take care of it? It retailed around $60000. new.

Lots of people........drive it for a couple of years and trade it in and save a lot of money on maintenance. Plus dealers have mobile detailers come in to cream puff vehicles so that they look like new even though they came in rough. Just my opinion, but I wouldn’t buy it with no idea on how it was maintained. It would be far from the first vehicle traded in with that mileage with the factory engine oil in it.....
klr650goldwing
Explorer
Feb 16, 2020
I agree with Weldon only I think the original price was over 70K. All the more reason it seems illogical that the previous owner would pay a high price, take excellent cosmetic care of the vehicle and neglect the maintenance on the engine and drive train. Tomorrow, I will implement Dave's idea and try to contact the previous owner. I am feeling much better about this in part due to all of you. Thank you.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Feb 16, 2020
I do all my own maint. I don't keep records. I know when I do everything.
Diesels go at least 7k miles between oil changes. The only things it should've gotten in 60k miles is oil and filter, fuel filters, air filters and maybe brake fluid and trans.
Good luck on the purchase.

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