Low mileage 2009 Pickup. Worth buying?

[Food Scientist]

I've been shopping for deals on pickups to replace my old one and found at an online government auction a 2009 GMC 3500 with 11k miles that a fire station owns. Current bid with buyers premium would put it at roughly $27k.

It has a 6 L gas engine, 4x4, service bed, extended cab, cloth interior and KBB says it's worth around $29k.

It's more than I wanted to spend but with such low mileage it would last me a long time but on the other hand it's already 13 years old and I've been able to find a 2017 F-250 with 90k miles for $26k that is a crew cab and has the aluminum body which will resist corrosion better.

Assuming the price doesn't balloon in the next 18 hrs before the auction ends what is your opinion on whether to buy the truck? On one hand it's really low miles which I like but on the other hand it's not late model by any means and with a potential economic downturn do I sit tight and wait for a deal on a newer vehicle?

 

[Chris142]

How many hours on it?

 

[Food Scientist]

How many hours on it?

Not sure. The description doesn't say anything and no pictures of instrument cluster with hours displayed.

 

[blufeb95]

Low mileage creampuffs are a myth

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Who's selling? Gage or DeSoto?

 

[oldhp]

Who's selling? Gage or DeSoto?

Only us old fellers will get this.

 

[clinebarger]

You have a need for a Service Bed?

 

[CKN]

Low mileage creampuffs are a myth

The deals are few and far in between. Either this has a load of hours or will get bid up crazy before auction end. That's the way it is these days. I do know where there is a 500,000 mile Toyota for sale however-

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Why is this truck being sold in the first place? Fire departments usually keep vehicles for far longer than that. As you can see from the mileage, most fire vehicles have low mileage for the years. Also, often volunteer or small-locality departments get first dibs on such vehicles when they do get sold, and the public doesn't get a chance.

I'm a little suspicious. Maybe this truck has some (undisclosed) major problem. Or maybe, since it's online, there's some scam involved.

 

[dlundblad]

I say yes.

You should be able to sell the bed and find a normal one.

My boss did this with a 1997 3500. 15,000 miles. Under the hood, in the cab etc. looks factory new.

 

[Food Scientist]

No need for the service bed unless I could tow a gooseneck. The lockable storage space is handy for storing chains, straps, etc. If it won't work with gooseneck then either a regular bed or if it was a cab and chassis truck originally then a flatbed.

 

[Food Scientist]

Why is this truck being sold in the first place? Fire departments usually keep vehicles for far longer than that. As you can see from the mileage, most fire vehicles have low mileage for the years. Also, often volunteer or small-locality departments get first dibs on such vehicles when they do get sold, and the public doesn't get a chance.

I'm a little suspicious. Maybe this truck has some (undisclosed) major problem. Or maybe, since it's online, there's some scam involved.

Good feedback. I don't know why it's getting sold but I've seen other low mileage vehicles for sale (and low hours) from other municipalities.

One possiblity is I saw a city in Ohio selling their vehicles a little early because they were getting federal money to reduce carbon emissions.

 

[Tdog02]

Selling a 2009 municipal/county vehicle means its been timed out of service. We just retired my 2010 F150 work truck with only 76,000 on the odo.

A fire truck is generally garaged so it should be in good condition. Mechanically, they fix things as they break. Not much in the way of preventative maintenance but generally serviced versus overly neglected. If you need the service bed then you are way ahead, if not then you will be hauling a lot of weight for no reason. You might be able to sell it and recoup a little of the crazy prices today's trucks are bringing.

 

[64bawagon]

Hours.......... many fire service vehicles end up idling for long periods of time. If it was any kind of a deal some other municipality would have scooped it up. Aside from the fact that it has been heavily modified and the wiring is no doubt a mess.

 

[jeepman3071]

Why is this truck being sold in the first place? Fire departments usually keep vehicles for far longer than that. As you can see from the mileage, most fire vehicles have low mileage for the years. Also, often volunteer or small-locality departments get first dibs on such vehicles when they do get sold, and the public doesn't get a chance.

I'm a little suspicious. Maybe this truck has some (undisclosed) major problem. Or maybe, since it's online, there's some scam involved.

Not necessarily. It 100% depends on the municipality and the funding it has for how long they keep vehicles.

 

[Kira]

You need a 3/4 ton truck?
+1 on the extra 'work' the service bed will entail.

 

[bullwinkle]

I've been shopping for deals on pickups to replace my old one and found at an online government auction a 2009 GMC 3500 with 11k miles that a fire station owns. Current bid with buyers premium would put it at roughly $27k.

It has a 6 L gas engine, 4x4, service bed, extended cab, cloth interior and KBB says it's worth around $29k.

It's more than I wanted to spend but with such low mileage it would last me a long time but on the other hand it's already 13 years old and I've been able to find a 2017 F-250 with 90k miles for $26k that is a crew cab and has the aluminum body which will resist corrosion better.

Assuming the price doesn't balloon in the next 18 hrs before the auction ends what is your opinion on whether to buy the truck? On one hand it's really low miles which I like but on the other hand it's not late model by any means and with a potential economic downturn do I sit tight and wait for a deal on a newer vehicle?

Ouch-this is the reason I bought my 2011 Express 3500-same drive train (except no 4WD), a lot more miles, but 1/4 the price! $27K (plus sales tax, etc.) Is a pretty good chunk of change for a 13 year old truck.

 

[Food Scientist]

You need a 3/4 ton truck?
+1 on the extra 'work' the service bed will entail.

I do. I have a gooseneck and some equipment that is 7500 lbs. Also getting into the hay/cattle business and moving equipment and hay around is way easier with a 3/4 or 1 ton.

 

[Food Scientist]

Thanks for everyone's reply. I'll most likely pass, a quick search on Autotrader found never vehicles with less than 25k miles for under $20k. More than anything I just wanted some opinions and based on the feedback this isn't the right truck for me. Plus with more new pickups being delivered prices are only going to come down.

 

[Hermann]

Only us old fellers will get this.

Probably Chet