1995 Sierra Advise.

[Vaccaro]

I'm in the market for a used truck found one about three hours from my house. It's a 95 2500 4WD, 454, SLT with leather seats. pictures below. The trans was rebuilt a while ago but the truck has 240K miles. From the pictures and the owners description it looks like a good deal. Other issues are cracked windshield, abs brake light on, a/c does not work.

Asking $2700 said he's open to price.

The wind shield ($300) Abs (most likely a sensor) - I'm handy no big deal, the owners states that the engine does not burn oil and has been well maintained.

I just have a hard time getting over the amount of mileage on the engine, is this something I should fear?

Thanks for your input

 

[Smoky02]

I wouldn't be afaid of that truck for the money, at least from what I can tell from looking at your pics. Looks like it has been well taken care of.

What's in for trans and rear end? These are two you should really look at as I see a trailer hitch in the picture.

How big a trailer has it pulled, for what distance, mountains or flat?

 

[happy 2011]

well my 2 cents goes like this
95 tk so it's= 12 years old
it has 240 k miles = how many free miles are left- not many
a big block that does not use oil = that would be the frist one i ever saw
Reman tranny = who did the tranny and how long ago
what other work does it need = money pit

The nada is only at clean retail 4800 and a tk with 240k never sells for retail so then you shoot for clean trade in (the seller not the buyer) so really 2700 is all the money plain and simple.

look at it this way you buy it the motor goes away now you have a tk worth nothing. thats a gamble.

But if you buy it right (to me right would be 1500 or less) then you would have room to repair the tk when it breaks. Lets say it like it is! It's not going to be a matter if it breaks but WHEN it breaks becaues we know it's going to.

But again this is my 2 cents good luck

 

[Vaccaro]

Thank you both, very sound advise. I'll bring my brass balls and your Nada value argument when I go to haggle.

 

[Vaccaro]

I guess I'm an official member of the forum now.

I bought the truck, I was amazingly clean and rust free. To the extent where the inside of the wheel well of the pick up bed were clean. and not power washed clean either. the brake lines showed a bit of corrosion, but that minor. All the body-mounts were clean, firm show no signs of cracking. Trans fluid a nice red, the oil looked smelled okay. There was a small amount of oil around the pan and cross member, that could be from the oil cooler lines which two new one came with the truck. I drove it 160 miles home with no real issues the steering wheel seems to have some play, could be an idler or pitman arm. (should have really noticed that on the test drive). The truck shifts great, passing gear is strong. As far as the engine, I don't know why with it's age but aside a bit of smoke when first started. It purred. My wife was be hind me on the highway when I went into passing gear, with NO smoke whatsoever.

AND check this out, the truck still air tight, if the windows are up it's still hard to close the door, when they are down the shut smooth as silk.

SO I paid $2500, and it had 3/4 tank of gas!

I guess I'm writing this to help convince myself that I made a good choice. time will tell,


Thanks for listening.

If you were wondering about my K20 that fell off a cliff here the info. A co-worker parked the truck without the parking brake and I guess it was not completely in gear, no the next afternoon, around 1pm it slowly rolled backwards, off a high embankment. The photo is take from the where the truck was parked. I still am sick about it. The frame bent from the shock mounts the truck still drives well and holds a full load. I went as far a to buy a new frame, but time and budget are more than I want to commit, for the truck. Four years ago I did the body work, two doors etc and paint and it's starting to rust again.