im looking at a 96 cummins its got 230,000 on it what should i be looking for started good didnt see any leaks engine looked brand new. started right up and has exhaust thats it.
its an auto power windows locks power drivers seat but wont go forward it seems to jamb.
its got a roof rack/ headache rack. so it was a work truck.
its at a used lot for 6500 which seems like alot for the miles. what would be a good price?

 

any blow by? you say no oil leaks? hows tire tread, brakes, ball joints? paint? interior? that price is a steep price for a stock 96 unless its mint condition

 

The engine looking brand new at a lot only means they steam cleaned it or degreased it...could be to hide any leaks. If it was well taken care of then 230,000 isnt all that bad but while the engine will run for many more miles everything else has a shorter life. Ball joints, wheel bearings, hub assemblies, lift pump, injectors, etc. you can soak an easy 2000+ in replacement parts if those things werent replaced. I would offer 3500 and go from there.

 

check blow by,see if dowel pin has been fixed,if trans been rebuilt,hows body?

 

I would keep looking

 

I paid 6700 for my truck you can look in my picks I bought it with 212000 K with an autotranny. Its was in great shape a few cosmetic thing like a key scratch on the driver side. Take a pice of cardboard and leve it under the engine wile it running. Look at your ball joints get under neath the truck and yank and twist the drive shafts feel for play and popping noises and you can also check when you drive it slam the throttel for a sec and lec go and listen for clicks or pops when you let off and look for rust. Espically look at your tack bar make sure its in good shape. if you have bad parts it $120 a side for ball joints. and 150 or 300 for tie rod ends, and 200-400 for a track bar. So you can be looking at $590 to 1000k just in parts if yu have to rebuild the front end. Was the steering tight or losse? if it was loose and sloppy you need a front end. The KDP dosent mean a damn thing to dealers they wont work with you because of that at least not for me. Ask if they ever done valve lash to the truck, and if the Injection pump ever been replaced and look at you brakes at least the front. it 20 bucks for the cheapest pads for one axel and 45 bucks a piece for the cheapest rotors. thats my two cents. Now before someones say I paid to much for my truck, no I didnt the previous owner owned it for 8 years and he was meticulous in keeping the truck in great running condition. He has kept a maintaice log since he owned it and even has every god damn fill up. I also got out of paying 600 bucks in guages. I LOVE MY CUMMINS!!!! Plus you have to about fight to the death for a cummins where I live. Good thing I got to the guy first and he didnt bother talkin to anyone else lucky me!