The exact things that go wrong on specific machines — and what we look at to catch them before you buy. 29 guides and growing.
Great trucks, but the 3.5 EcoBoost has two signature issues and the automatics can shudder. The engine choice drives everything you check.
ChevroletThe AFM-equipped 5.3 and 6.2 are the headline risk — lifter collapse and oil consumption. The 8-speed can shudder. Engine internals are the whole game here.
GMCMechanically the Silverado's twin — the AFM V8s collapse lifters and burn oil, and the 8-speed shudders. Same checks, dressier trim.
RamComfortable and capable, but the Hemi tick, broken manifold bolts, and air suspension are the recurring bills. The ZF 8-speed is a bright spot.
ToyotaFamously durable and famously resold high — but frame rust on older trucks and the 2016+ transmission's manners are the real inspection points.
ToyotaThe 5.7 is a tank with minor leaks and an air-pump quirk; the 2022+ twin-turbo is a different animal with its own engine concern. Identify which you're buying.
NissanTough and simple, but one failure can total the truck: the radiator leaking coolant into the transmission. Check the trans fluid first, always.
NissanThe gas 5.6 is a solid sleeper; the Titan XD's discontinued 5.0 Cummins diesel is a parts-and-emissions risk. The badge hides two very different trucks.
Chevrolet / GMCStrong HD diesels backed by the bulletproof Allison — but the 2011–2016 LML carries the catastrophic CP4 fuel pump. The 2017+ L5P fixed it.
FordA capable midsize with the 2.3 EcoBoost and 10-speed. Watch for the oil-pan leak and transmission manners; light-duty by full-size standards.
Chevrolet / GMCMidsize twins with a gas V6 or the 2.8 Duramax diesel. Timing-chain wear on the V6 and diesel emissions are the watch items.
JeepA Wrangler with a bed — which means the 'death wobble' and Pentastar leaks come along too. The optional EcoDiesel adds emissions risk.
HondaA car-like unibody pickup — comfortable and reliable, but the VCM oil habit and early 9-speed manners carry over. No frame means collision history matters more.
RamThe 6.7 Cummins is a strong engine, but emissions tampering, front-end wobble, and exhaust leaks are the real story. Tuned trucks need extra caution.
FordA strong diesel overall, but the CP4 fuel pump is the headline risk, and the early trucks had turbo and cooling issues. Fuel-system failure can be catastrophic.
FordThe infamous one. Untouched 6.0s are a gamble — head gaskets, EGR and oil coolers, and FICM define it. A properly 'bulletproofed' truck is a different conversation.
FordTwin-turbo torque with thirsty habits — radiators crack, regens dilute the oil, and tuned trucks crack pistons. Short production run, real quirks.
FordThe legend. Mechanically tough and emissions-free, so condition and age beat any model-year worry — but watch the CPS, cold-start, and turbo pedestal.
Dodge / RamThe diesel people chase. Which version matters enormously — 12V dowel pin, 24V VP44 and the '53' block crack, then the strong common-rail. Transmission and front end are the soft spots.
Chevrolet / GMCThe classic Duramax era behind the bulletproof Allison. The variant is everything — LB7 injectors, LLY overheating, the prized LBZ, then the LMM's emissions.
RamA torquey, efficient half-ton diesel — but EGR coolers, oil coolers, and a tangled emissions-recall history make service records essential.
A workhorse excavator where the money is in the undercarriage, hydraulics, and final drives. Hours mean little next to measured wear.
KomatsuKomatsu's volume excavator — same priorities as any 20-tonne machine: undercarriage, hydraulic pump health, and final drives, verified by measurement.
CaterpillarA heavy wheel loader where the transmission, articulation joint, axles, and very expensive tires carry the cost. Loose center-pin play is a major red flag.
BobcatA popular compact excavator where rubber-track life, hydraulic drift, and the house-swivel are the cost centers. Rental units hide hard hours.
CaterpillarA best-selling CTL where the undercarriage and final drives are the whole game — they wear fast and cost big. Rental hours are often brutal.
John DeereA versatile backhoe where pin-and-bushing wear, transmission, and hydraulics carry the cost. Loose joints are the clearest sign of a hard life.
CaseThe other backhoe staple — same logic as the Deere 310: pins and bushings, the power-shuttle transmission, and hydraulics tell the truth about its life.