Truck Advice
 

Hey everyone!

So im looking at buying my first vehicle. I live more in the country so I want a truck. My grandpa owns an engine repair shop and knows quite bit about fixing things so he said he would help/teach me if I bought a truck that needed mechanical work.

So I found a cool truck. It has a 6in shock lift, 3in body lift and pretty big tires (docent say the size). This truck needs some engine work (no problem), some transition work (not sure how hard) and needs a paint job (never done one before). Its a 1998 and 160 thousand miles.
https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/c...411311145.html

So what does everyone think. Is this a good deal? Its a really cool truck but don't know how much transmission work it needs and never down a paint job. Good deal? how do you do a paint job?

Thanks

Show your Grandpa the pics first. He might have something else in mind for you.. :)

I wouldn't want a truck that was lifted and off-roaded to heck and back.

Ad expired. I'd stay away from it myself, just from the description you gave.

With those miles, it shouldn't need that much work.

Thanks for your responses. Jumbo, this truck came from Texas so I don't know if it was used off road and why don't you like lifted trucks?

Scooter, that is true, it shouldn't need that much work but at the same time, we know how to fix it.

Im split.

Keep responding and does anyone know how to do a paint job?

Most of the time if a truck is lifted it's so they can put big tires on and go mudding. Big expensive tires and wheels. Here are some of the other reasons I don't like lifted trucks. If it was still under warranty you just voided it. I don't like the way they look and how hard it is for some people to get in. My mom can barely get in my stock Silverado to go to the store and it sits fairly low. A lift kit increases the angle of the driveshafts and it makes them wear out faster. A body lift doesn't offer any performance advantages and can make it worse because of the higher center of gravity. They won't handle as good and are more likely to have a rollover accident. Suspension lift kits are expensive, and when you have to replace parts that's another added expense. The only reason I see to lift a truck is to put bigger tires on it. Big heavy tires will give you worse gas mileage, plus you'll need to upgrade your brakes to handle the extra weight. Both diffs need to be re-geared to a lower ratio if you want good performance off-roading with big tires. Plus your speedometer and odometer will both be off with big tires. My truck fits in a parking ramp downtown that I've used several times, but if it was lifted I would have to park somewhere else and walk. Walking in downtown Flint is something I try to avoid if at all possible. I could probably think of more reasons if those aren't enough.

If you're not worried about fixing it up, get a classic and restore it.

The truck you're looking at is a money pit. No matter how much or how little you put into it, you'll never get your money back.

Get you something like a decent bodied Ford F100. Way easier to work on too.

Jumbo, good point. I just like lifted trucks because they look really cool. You had a lot of good points and I'm sure it would be difficult to have a big truck in the city.

The only place in the city I couldn't go in a lifted truck would be the parking ramps downtown and at the hospitals. I think the drive up ATMs and fast food places would have enough clearance. But I would have to carry a ladder or stool so my mom could go out to eat or to the store.

It just doesn't make sense to me to lift one unless you like to play in the mud and have money to spare. I used to go off-road in a stock SUV and pickup but have hardly done it since I got my first ATV. I can tear up an ATV and get it fixed a lot cheaper than my truck, and I can still drive my truck while the ATV is being repaired.

I love my 2012 Ram Cummins. It has a 6" lift and 37" tires. It sits 7" tall to the top of the cab. At least once a week some tells me how nice it is. I have never had it off road. I'm an auto tech so I was able to recalibrate the speedo and put wedges in rear to correct the pinion angle. I put AMP Research steps on it that retract when the door is closed and come out when door is opened. Makes it easy for my wife to get in.
It is a gold color that is rare, and I need to drive something no one else has.