How Many Miles is Too Many?

I'd be more concerned with miles and age

 

Depends, I would not be afraid to buy 1.3 million pre egr engine, but I would be afraid on buying 600k dpf engine, because its just starting to break down.

 

If you had x-ray vision it would be easy. To say a 1.3mil pre-egr motor is fine is like saying 3 week old dead skunk won't upset your stomach if you eat it. ANY mechanical device (i.e. moving parts) is subject to wear. Some things wear faster than others. Some things have had better maintenance. I personally would not buy a truck with over 700k miles unless there had been a lot of things done to it, but that is just my preference.

 

I bought mine from a repo lot with 1.3 mil on it, 15 yrs old and still goin strong.
Had to seal up the cam followers recently and did the overhead, my mileage increased to the high 7's now. Currently has 1.6 mil on it now, replaced main bearings a couple years ago & 1 turbo-that's about it. No inframe yet.

 

Each situation should stand on it's own merits. Million mile truck with 100,000 miles on an overhaul is different than a 700,000 mile truck that has never had anything done to it. Check it with a scan gauge and get history from rigdig. Also a 200,000 mile truck from the oilfields would probably never interest me. It also depends what application the truck is planning to be used once you buy it.

 

I just spent $35,000 putting in a new drive train in a 2001 truck. Out of frame, rebuilt 13 speed, radiator, power divider, rear ends. She's good to go for at least 700,000 more miles.

Big expense, but the RISK of having to repeat it is very low. With an emissions engine, there is a substantial risk that you get to pay for the same repair multiple times, plus down time. And you still depreciate at a fairly significant rate.

The costs may be similar, but the risk is lower with pre-egr engines.

 

What kind of truck/motor?

 

Oil sample and dyno it. and a good Inspection overall can go a long way in making a good decision.

 

Miles don't really matter. What matters is what's been done to the truck. For most equipment that's on truck lots these day maintenence has been minimal regardless of the miles. Fleets minimally maintain them then dump them before they go over 500,000 miles. 700,000 miles is generally when they become a money pit. I know that one is true because I bought a 750,000 mile truck as a newbie.

Now my truck has 1,300,000 and it's actually the kind of truck you would definitely want to buy if you could find one like it. I wouldn't trade it for any if the latest junk in truck paper even if they paid me to do it. It has 1 year left out of 4 on an unlimited miles warranty from CAT covering anything that breaks in the motor. Only has 200,000 miles on the rebuild they did.

Lots of new and rebuilt components have been replaced as needed before they broke. Very reliable truck. Still has plenty of life left in it onward to 2,000,000 miles here we go. Not for sale. You need to find an old fart ready to retire with a truck like mine. Someone with a stack of receipts. Not someone broke looking to get out, that would be a red flag.