I was involved in the purchase of a $12,000 pickup truck for a family member this week. Anyone who is aware of what is going on, knows that $12,000 really doesn't get you a whole lot in a pickup anymore. The market for unmolested, but affordable pickups is really tight here in the Midwest. When you find one, you must move quickly. Since I knew the previous owner of this vehicle very well, an older guy who had driven it since new, I zero'd in on this one and bought it. Buying this truck wasn't a "want", it was a "need", and knowing the PO was a huge bonus. The PO only traded it in because he simply had a "want" for a newer one... LOL... a 2019 Silverado LTZ.
I had already spoken to the PO about the truck. If he had any known reason for me not to pursue buying this truck, he would have bluntly told me that I wasn't interested in it, and it would have ended it right there. He is the type of guy who takes pride in his trucks. He drove it up to Wisconsin to get a set of new truck "take off" rims and tires put on it right before the pandemic, just to freshen it up a bit. It needed new tires anyway, and the clearcoat was starting to fail on the old rims. No bueno for a guy like him.
Because I knew the PO and the truck (I rode in it 3 days before he traded it in), I bought it over the phone in 15 minutes. No test drive, nothing. Not needed. Truck is 75 miles away from me. Had to be one of the salesman's quickest and easiest sales ever. All he had to do was answer the phone.
Since the dealership had just taken it in on trade just a few days earlier, they hadn't even had a chance to run it through their shop. I got the standard spiel from the salesman... 200 point inspection, then the 'Quick Lane', then detail it... blah blah blah. I really wasn't paying attention. The PO was aware that it was in need of front brake pads and rotors. OK, that's something that I can easily do myself with less than $150 in parts, but I dropped a hint to the salesman that it would be nice if they could take care of that when it was in their shop being checked over, since I already knew about it. Why not? My expectations were an oil change, a wash, a vaccuum out, a set of license plate frames... and a brake job if I was lucky enough.
Got a call from the salesman at the dealership yesterday afternoon, and here is what they are doing before we take delivery: A front brake job... yep, the mechanic agreed. Great, I'm happy. Then he continued... In addition, they are replacing the upper control arms (plus an alignment), and a power steering pump (seepage). Then, after they're done with it in the shop, it will go to their Quick Lane service center, where they will rotate the tires, change the oil and filter, check the air filter and load test the battery... all of the more routine stuff, and they'll take care of whatever is needed there. After that, it will go to the detail shop for a full detail. (which it barely needs).
I'm a bit shocked that there is a dealer out there who is doing so much on an 12 year old "as-is" vehicle before delivery... well aware that it is already sold. It is a dealership in a small town (less than 5,000), which makes it somewhat less surprising. But still, it appears that there might just be a few decent dealerships left out there...
I took the picture below, after the PO had put the new wheels and tires put on it. I know it doesn't look like the paint on the two doors match, but that is 100% high quality GM Fort Wayne factory paint, right there. LOL.
I had already spoken to the PO about the truck. If he had any known reason for me not to pursue buying this truck, he would have bluntly told me that I wasn't interested in it, and it would have ended it right there. He is the type of guy who takes pride in his trucks. He drove it up to Wisconsin to get a set of new truck "take off" rims and tires put on it right before the pandemic, just to freshen it up a bit. It needed new tires anyway, and the clearcoat was starting to fail on the old rims. No bueno for a guy like him.
Because I knew the PO and the truck (I rode in it 3 days before he traded it in), I bought it over the phone in 15 minutes. No test drive, nothing. Not needed. Truck is 75 miles away from me. Had to be one of the salesman's quickest and easiest sales ever. All he had to do was answer the phone.
Since the dealership had just taken it in on trade just a few days earlier, they hadn't even had a chance to run it through their shop. I got the standard spiel from the salesman... 200 point inspection, then the 'Quick Lane', then detail it... blah blah blah. I really wasn't paying attention. The PO was aware that it was in need of front brake pads and rotors. OK, that's something that I can easily do myself with less than $150 in parts, but I dropped a hint to the salesman that it would be nice if they could take care of that when it was in their shop being checked over, since I already knew about it. Why not? My expectations were an oil change, a wash, a vaccuum out, a set of license plate frames... and a brake job if I was lucky enough.
Got a call from the salesman at the dealership yesterday afternoon, and here is what they are doing before we take delivery: A front brake job... yep, the mechanic agreed. Great, I'm happy. Then he continued... In addition, they are replacing the upper control arms (plus an alignment), and a power steering pump (seepage). Then, after they're done with it in the shop, it will go to their Quick Lane service center, where they will rotate the tires, change the oil and filter, check the air filter and load test the battery... all of the more routine stuff, and they'll take care of whatever is needed there. After that, it will go to the detail shop for a full detail. (which it barely needs).
I'm a bit shocked that there is a dealer out there who is doing so much on an 12 year old "as-is" vehicle before delivery... well aware that it is already sold. It is a dealership in a small town (less than 5,000), which makes it somewhat less surprising. But still, it appears that there might just be a few decent dealerships left out there...
I took the picture below, after the PO had put the new wheels and tires put on it. I know it doesn't look like the paint on the two doors match, but that is 100% high quality GM Fort Wayne factory paint, right there. LOL.
Last edited: