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Buying an M939 from a Private Seller...What to look for, be prepared to fix, RUN from

71DeuceAK

Well-known member
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Fairbanks, Alaska
I'm sure this has been brought up before but in a search I didn't really find any really good results that deal with my kind of situation here, and if nothing else me asking again might help somebody else further down this life; I tried to make the first part of the title searchable/have major keywords...

There's an M925A1 on my local Craigslist I'm toying with the idea of trying to become next owner of. It's a pretty nice truck, has had a lot of stuff done to it and lots of extras, some of which I don't need and will be trying to opt out of. I know posting links to active/current auction listings, Craigslist posts, eBay listings, and the like is very much frowned upon so I will respect that wish and refrain from doing so.

Being from a private seller, it appears to be fairly gone through and has had some stuff done to it, no major hot rodding or anything but stuff like locking door handles, locking fuel cap, new batteries, etc etc etc. Basically much, much better than a couple rust-bucket, needed-some-serious-love M927's I chased at auction and didn't win. I'd rather buy from a private seller anyway, fewer unknowns plus the action availability is drying up.

If I ended up with it I'd be making it into a living situation eventually, and moving out of the college dorms, save rent and living in the truck rationalizes getting one. I.e building a removable box in the bed and essentially making it a tiny home or R/V. I'd rather do this with a M927 or M928 but this one is close by and I'd like to get one before they get less and less common as time goes on, especially stock; I'd like a mostly stock one rather than someone else's bobbed, hot rodded hack job; if I'm gonna modify anything I'd rather do it myself so I know what's been messed with and when and why, the hack job is at least created and understood by me.

Anyway, what would you suggest in terms of looking at it, what kind of things would make you walk away or even RUN away as fast as you could? Of course I don't even need to list the obvious things, because, well, they're no-brainers, but what are the little nuances you would look out for? I have climbed around on a couple M939s, one even somewhat recently, i.e a few months ago, and I've seen them in pictures inside and out enough times that I know what's where on one as far as basics are concerned but I still haven't heard one run in person or been underway in one in person, driving OR riding shotgun. (I have, however, ridden shotgun in a multifuel Deuce before on a couple occasions so I do have some idea/schema of how these are.

If anyone wants to see the ad I could PM it to you, might actually be helpful since with others seeing it I could get ideas on trying to possibly negotiate price. I have some level of Deuce and 5 ton "Dollars and sense" instilled in me already from a couple years of reading threads and talking with other MV hobbyists but any and all insight is still appreciated and helpful.

Anyhow, any pointers?
 

98G

Former SSG
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AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
At that price point you can have my immaculate M925 guntruck, RSMS reset, on 16s. Knock off $5k if I keep the ring and related parts. (Seriously)

The guy is at least twice of reasonable price, even allowing for location. I realize there's lots of panic due to demil code changes, but don't fall to the panic...
 

71DeuceAK

Well-known member
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Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
Thanks for the reply! I should add that it does come with other various goodies, such as an M105 trailer, 7 decent spare tires, sand anchor for the winch, new red top Optima batteries, it's a hard top, cargo cover/bows, etc. I know where a M923 is I could have for 6500 but by the time I drive or ship it from CA to AK and do anything substantial to it I'll have a decent chunk of change in it. I did reply to the ad and am entering negotiations with the seller, he's workable and not in a huge hurry (just getting old) so I did make him a tentative offer. I, too, was almost laughing at the price then I kept looking back at the ad and finally read what all it came with and realized OK that's why the price tag is what it is.
 

tobyS

Well-known member
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Location
IN
Do you need a money pit that distracts from school? I've bought and sold several...and would not recommend it to my own son.

Sorry...but finish school first...perhaps sharing an apartment. Hygiene is another issue (I used the the hyper facility while living in a tent in the woods---until early winter when an animal ripped it apart).

I'm sure there are plenty of people to disagree with me.
 

71DeuceAK

Well-known member
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Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
TobyS, you bring up an interesting point. Re: the bathroom situation, many homes/cabins here in Fairbanks, AK and the surrounding actually lack flush toilets or indoor plumbing. From other living situations I've had I see it as a non issue and when I tell people this describing Fairbanks to them they do a complete double take. Reason being that (1) the area is SUPER spread out and (2) running water mains through permafrost isn't realistic, and (3) why have plumbing if it's gonna just freeze up and break anyway come winter? I currently lead a kitchenless, public restroom/shower life as it is right now.

I'm used to tiny/modular living as it is, being in half of a 10X17 room. (Which, at one time, I was sharing the other half with another Steel Soldiers member but that's another story for another time). I haven't had my own kitchen or bathroom in the better part of a year now, sans over winter break staying at a relative's house for a month while the dorms closed.
 

tobyS

Well-known member
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Location
IN
I understand you can do it...and I have had some similar experience.

But I don't think one of these trucks is the answer.

A bus, if you can find a place to park and leave it and still get to school...perhaps.
 

Baradium

New member
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Location
Salcha, Alaska
At that price point you can have my immaculate M925 guntruck, RSMS reset, on 16s. Knock off $5k if I keep the ring and related parts. (Seriously)

The guy is at least twice of reasonable price, even allowing for location. I realize there's lots of panic due to demil code changes, but don't fall to the panic...
I don't see the price listed anywhere, but I'll say that 5 tons in Alaska go for crazy money. I bought one in WA state when govliq still did it and after barging it up to AK and driving it home it was still less than half the cost of a beat up and ragged out one would go for up here. It's not unusual to see decent ones listed in the $20,000 range. You could ship nice trucks up and sell them at half that and still double your money.


If this is the M925 I'm thinking of, you could buy that $6,000 truck, ship it to Alaska with a winch kit and still be half the price of what the guy wants for it.
 
Last edited:

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Sunman Indiana
Buy three trucks in the lower 48. Give one to Simp as payment to deliver the other two, then sell one up there for $25k, and you got yourself a free truck...

The math works perfectly in my head!?
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
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Mason, TN
Buy three trucks in the lower 48. Give one to Simp as payment to deliver the other two, then sell one up there for $25k, and you got yourself a free truck...

The math works perfectly in my head!?
Didn't you know that I have rules about going into Canada eh?
 
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