Inspection checklist
Bookmark this page and take it to the truck. Your ticks stay on this device, and you can print a copy.
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Frame and crossmembers
The frame carries everything. A truck with a bent or badly repaired frame may never drive right, and it is expensive to fix.
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Engine history and ECM report
The odometer only tells part of the story. The engine’s computer keeps its own record of how the truck has been used.
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Service records
Good records are one of the best signs of how a truck was treated. A seller who kept them usually has less to hide.
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Tires and brakes
These are the first things you will pay for after the sale, and the wear on them tells you a lot about the rest of the truck.
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Emissions system: DPF, DEF and EGR
On a modern diesel, emissions repairs can be some of the most expensive on the truck. Most trucks from 2007 on have a diesel particulate filter (DPF), and most from 2010 on use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
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Title and liens
A great truck with bad paperwork is a problem you can’t drive away from. Check this before any money changes hands.
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This is general guidance for shopping. Rules and equipment vary by truck and by state, so talk to a qualified diesel mechanic about the specific truck.
Buying from out of state
Buying a truck far from home is normal in this business. John sells more outside a 100 to 200 mile radius than he does close to home.
- Ask where the truck is
- Every inquiry comes to John first, and he connects you with the dealer that has the truck. Find out where it is sitting before you make travel plans.
- Fly in and drive it home
- If the truck is near Davenport, Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) is about 20 minutes away. Davenport sits on Interstate 80, which runs from San Francisco to New Jersey, about 2,900 miles.
- Can’t make the trip?
- Tell John where the truck needs to go, and he can talk through getting it home.
- Do your homework first
- Ask for the ECM report, the records and the title details before you leave. If you can, line up a diesel shop near the truck.
Truck types and tools
Box trucksLocal delivery and moving
Day cabsRegional routes and daily runs
SleepersLong-haul work
Dump trucksConstruction and heavy hauling
Truck images illustrate each category.
Common questions
What is the most important thing to check on a used commercial truck?
Start with the frame and the title. Most other problems can be repaired for a price, but a damaged frame or a bad title can make a truck not worth buying at all.
What is an ECM report?
It is a download from the truck’s engine control module. Depending on the engine, it can show engine hours, idle time, fault codes and hard-braking events. A diesel shop with the right software can pull it.
Should I pay for an independent inspection?
If you can, yes. A diesel shop that has no stake in the sale will look at the truck differently than the seller does.
How many miles is too many on a used semi?
There is no single number. Maintenance, idle hours, the kind of work the truck has done and the condition of the frame and engine matter more than the odometer alone.
Can I buy a truck from out of state?
Yes. John sells more outside a 100 to 200 mile radius than he does close to home, and he brokers trucks nationwide. Talk to him about where the truck is and how to get it home.
What about financing, or getting the truck home?
Tell John if financing is part of your plan, and he can talk through getting the truck home. Ask him what is possible on the specific truck.
