Hey guys just want some quick input for a buddy of mine looking for a 06 to 07 5.9. He and I have found a bunch of nice trucks, however he(and I for future reference) is juggling the idea of buying a truck with mods, ie.. LIFT, programmer, exhaust, ex... So I just wanted to know what you guys think. I know an intake and exhaust (if that’s all the prior owner really did) can't be a negative, but what about a programmer that they had possibly removed, you'll never know it was there correct?? I remember hearing that you could have a dealer look at the ECU and see if it left mapping or something of that nature, but idk? Now a lift is another story. IMO a lift, no matter how high isn't great for a truck. It causes extra stress on suspension components ex... However they look badass and I guess if he wants one he'll have to get over the fact that he will go through suspension parts more than the next guy. Now I'm a little skeptical about buying a truck from a dealer with mods because you can't get a clear pic of the truck through all the grease they throw on them! So buy private? That way you can see the dirt and possible oil leaks ex...?? So to get to the bottom of it do yall think that he should go stock or bombed to save a little cash in the long run? Personally I would like to see my truck progress as I add my parts in my own way to a virgin truck, however he could save a little cash on the flip side. So let me know what yall think!! Hope this rambling made some sense to a few of you!!

 

Gotta look at the overall condition of the truck and have an idea if this truck will work for the buyer. A truck is a tool. Want nice tools? Gonna spend nice money to get them. Can he afford this one or does he need a cheaper one? Are the mods on the truck what he would want? Were they done correctly or just thrown on? Has the truck been abused or just used? I'm with you, I want to see my truck progress as I work on it but some folks would just as soon buy them already installed. I've bought both ways, private sale and dealers. I prefer a dealer just because of the service I can get. I don't know if a dealer can read an ECM to see if it has been reflashed or had a programmer on it or not. Have to get one of those computer types to know that one.

 

x2 on above post. If its EXACTLY what he's looking for, I'd say spend a little extra but save in the long run to get what he wants. Also, like said above, if the parts, especially lift, are just thrown on, I wouldn't get it. Try to find out who installed the parts, and their rep. A lot of places do just throw **** on, espcially if the previous owner was on a budget. The nice thing about a stock rig is you know it was stock when you started, you know what changes were made, where, and how.
However, if there's something like what he wants for a prime price, it might be worth it for added upkeep.
Run the numbers, figure it out. And figure out who did the work, and if the parts have a good reputation.

 

In my opinion, i would get a truck that is stock. you never know how the previous owner used it. some people hot rod the **** out of these trucks and then just trade them in when they know they won't last much longer. i just bought my truck in june and it was all stock, except for the exhaust.

 

On the upside, the seller can never get the price he paid for items back out of them, so you get a great deal on them. Downside, how hard did he push the truck? Did he install them properly? Is he telling you everything there is to know? There are many questions that linger in ones mind when making a decision like this.
As said above, if it is exactly what you are looking for, it's a good deal. I bought my truck with the EJWA already installed, it was one of the performance mods I was looking for.
Best of luck!

 

i like to buy stock cause i like to build my things myself and if u buy with performance mods you almost gotta asume the truck was pushed at least a little bit...is your buddy handy when it comes to putting stuff like this in or is he gonna need to take it somewhere to get it done cause that def. cost alot. i mean it pretty much all just comes down to what does he want to do and how much work is he willing to do?