The exact things that go wrong on specific machines — and what we look at to catch them before you buy. 67 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.
CaterpillarA 36-tonne production excavator where undercarriage, main hydraulics, and final drives dwarf every other cost. Measure, don't eyeball.
CaterpillarA popular compact excavator. Track life, hydraulic drift, and the house swivel are the cost centers, and rental units hide hard hours.
John DeereDeere's big-class excavator — same priorities as any 35-tonne machine: undercarriage, hydraulics, and final drives, verified by measurement and samples.
KubotaA top-selling compact excavator. Reliable, but rubber-track life and hydraulic drift still decide the price — and rental hours run hard.
TakeuchiTakeuchi built its name on compact excavators. Strong machines — but tracks, hydraulics, and the swivel still tell the real story.
VolvoA 22-tonne Volvo excavator — undercarriage, hydraulics, and finals lead, with the D-series engine and emissions worth a careful look.
HitachiHitachi excavators are prized for hydraulics — but undercarriage and finals still set the price, and the pumps deserve a real cycle-time test.
BobcatA best-selling wheeled skid steer where the hydrostatic drive, chaincase, and Bob-Tach reveal a hard rental life.
BobcatA high-flow CTL workhorse where the undercarriage and final drives are the dominant cost — and they wear fast under hard use.
CaterpillarA capable wheeled skid steer where the hydrostatic drive, chaincase, and hydraulics tell the truth about its hours.
CaterpillarA popular CTL where undercarriage and final drives dominate cost. Rubber-track life is the first thing to measure.
John DeereDeere's high-capacity CTL — undercarriage and finals lead the cost, with EH controls and aux hydraulics to verify for attachment work.
KubotaA strong-selling CTL with a good reputation — but the undercarriage and final drives still wear fast and decide the price.
Toyota's benchmark lift truck — reliable, but mast, chains, and forks still wear to limits, and the SAS stability system must be working.
HysterA common IC counterbalance forklift. Mast chains and forks are safety items; the transmission and engine carry the cost.
YaleA workhorse IC counterbalance lift. Same priorities as any sit-down forklift: chains and forks, hydraulics, transmission, and engine.
CrownAn electric counterbalance lift where the battery pack and drive system are the whole cost. A tired pack quietly halves the value.
CrownA narrow-aisle reach truck where the battery pack, reach mechanism, and load wheels carry the cost. Built for high-cycle warehouse life.
RaymondThe narrow-aisle benchmark. Battery, reach mechanism, and load wheels are the inspection — built for relentless distribution-center duty.
CaterpillarA common IC counterbalance lift in the 5,000-lb class. Chains and forks, hydraulics, transmission, and engine are the inspection.
KalmarHeavy port/yard iron where the spreader, twistlocks, and massive tires are the cost. A failure here is expensive and dangerous.
CrownA high-cycle electric pallet jack where battery and drive condition are everything. Cheap to overlook, costly to replace a worn pack.
JCB invented the telehandler and the Loadall leads the market. Boom wear pads, cylinder drift, and the load-chart system are the inspection.
GenieA common compact telehandler on rental yards. Boom wear, cylinder drift, and forks lead; frame leveling and stabilizers round it out.
GenieA high-reach telehandler where boom condition and the load-chart system matter even more. Reach amplifies every bit of boom wear.
JLGA workhorse 10k-class telehandler. Boom wear, cylinder drift, forks, and the tilt/level system are the inspection points.
SkyTrakA fixed-frame telehandler relying on frame sway control rather than outriggers. Boom and cylinder condition plus frame leveling are key.
CaterpillarA common 6k-class Cat telehandler. Boom wear pads, cylinders, forks, and the load-chart system define the inspection.
A staple telescopic boom lift. Boom drift and structural condition are safety items; turntable, controls, and a current annual inspection round it out.
GenieA popular articulating boom lift with a jib and multiple pivots — more joints to wear, and boom drift is still the headline safety check.
GenieA best-selling electric scissor lift. Battery pack health, cylinder drift, and the pothole-protection bars are the make-or-break checks.
GenieA taller electric scissor where battery health and platform drift matter even more. Same checks as the GS-1930, higher stakes at height.
JLGA common telescopic boom lift. Boom drift and structure are the safety story; turntable, controls, and a current annual inspection complete it.
SkyjackA simple, popular electric scissor. Battery pack, platform drift, and pothole protection are the core checks — known for straightforward serviceability.
A 130-ton rough-terrain crane where wire rope, the load-moment system, and a current certification are non-negotiable.
National CraneA truck-mounted boom crane where the boom, wire rope, outriggers, and load-moment system carry the same safety weight as a mobile crane.
A single-drum soil roller where the hidden cost is the vibratory eccentric system and drum bearings — not the paint.
LeeBoyA staple commercial paver where the screed and conveyor/auger system make or break mat quality. Heat and wear plates are the tells.
WirtgenA cold planer where the milling drum, picks, and tool holders are the dominant cost — they wear constantly and cost a fortune to renew.