Buying a Non-running vehicle?

[GTR0419]

I'm new here and to these vehicles. However, I'm not new to cars; Restored my first car at age 17 and worked in the automotive business for a few years. I also worked on Navy planes for eight years and am currently restoring an M715. My point is that I have some mechanical skills (some - wife - may argue I have enough to get myself in trouble if I'm not careful ). Of course she loves it when I save us $100's in repair bills.

Anyway, the rule I was taught is that if you can't hear it run, don't buy it; or at least don't pay much of anything for it. However, you see a lot of these low mileage auction vehicles from the military and read posts / stories of "I threw in some new batteries" or "cleaned the fuel system" and it fired right up. It makes sense as some of these trucks sit on bases for long periods of time. Now I know to be weary of the truck you see with missing parts, dangling wires, and removed panels. We had planes like this in the Navy (hanger queens) that had been robbed of parts to keep others running.

So my question to the experienced among us before I start some bidding: Is it generally safe to make an exception to the above rule with the military trucks or am I asking for trouble and an empty bank account? Obviously nobody can be certain here, but is there a generally accepted pattern?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[wreckerman893]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Green Iron Addiction.

If it is not running I look at it as a parts vehicle until proven otherwise. I have bought a lot of vehicles from GL sight unseen and I only got one that had a bad engine (the M816 green money pit). I have also towed or hauled a lot of them home due to mechanical or safety issues.

If the engine will spin over but not crank I assume (after troubleshooting) that it has a bad injector pump which is usually the most expensive thing to replace on a diesel.

The deuces are a lot older and sat a lot longer than the newer series that are being surplused out now so they are more prone to suffer from bad seals and deterioration of rubber seals and hoses.

With any used vehicle you are rolling the dice and may be buying someone else's headache.

Since you are close to Athens you should get together with Clinto. He is a top notch deuce repairman and sells trucks that he has refurbished. If he's worked on it you can bet that it's in great shape. He might also help you evaluate a vehicle that you are interested in. His rates are reasonable.

 

[MWMULES]

Pre inspection is the best way to go. I have bid blind and ended up getting it towed to the nearest scrap yard but have also gotten a jump and drove home 600 miles. Just because it runs doesn't mean it will drive. The other thing to remember is most of the sites will not let you work on the MV in the lot or on the base.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Don't be scared, just have a towbar, tow vehicle, and try to preview before you buy. Don't overlook the driveshafts.

 

[KaiserM109]

I've driven two "vehicle does not run" trucks home, one 500 mi. and one 1800 mi. They both had dead batteries. I think if I try that again the odds will smack me up the side of the head; there are so many problems I could have had, besides bad brakes, a blown tire and a lost water pump belt in Jackson, MS.

The biggest issue is safety, yours and the public’s. I had a pucker factor 5 incident, for me and a guy driving a brand new, green Chevy pickup, with my first truck. It was a deuce which turned out to have a master cylinder with rust. The brake pedal went “clunk” on the floorboard in evening rush hour traffic in Manhattan, KS. I was able to steer out of trouble and get it working in a parking lot.

Intellectually I recommend hauling or towing it home, but it’s a real rush striking out from Ft. Benning, GA for Denver, CO in an M923 you’ve never seen before.

ABOVE ALL, CHECK THE BRAKES. If it’s a deuce, they have a weird air-over-hydraulic system that you should read up on; see the TMs. Go early so that, if they will let you work in the GL lot, you have time to crawl under it and check all the critical bolts for tightness, including lug nuts. Take a long air hose with a glad-hand on it so that you can air up tires from the truck’s compressor. I have never met a GL field person I didn’t like, but I’ve heard stories. If GL won’t let you, find a place close by to do a LONG inspection.

 

[VPed]

As has been stated, there is a good chance you may get lucky and drive off with no problems. But (there is always a but) if you are not that familiar with them, your chances drop some. As in if you do not already know what simple things to look for, the sales lot is not the friendliest of places for the learning curve. On my first non-runner, I had a truck and trailer, winches, chains, etc. to recover and drag it home 650 miles. As it happened, it started with a boost and was able to climb onto the trailer with no problem albeit with no service brakes.

My second non-runner was dragged home behind another and I got it running soon after it was home. Only now would I consider myself knowledgeable enough ( and with enough heavy tools) to try driving a fresh purchase home.

 

[oddshot]

If it is not running I look at it as a parts vehicle until proven otherwise.

Words to live by with any vehicle.

 

[GTR0419]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Wreckerman893, I actually know Clinto. In fact, I need to go see him as I have a part of his. He is a wealth of knowledge and has shared a lot with me. That said, I always like a variety of perspectives and experiences. Doesn't mean I'll listen, but at least I've been advised.

I'm not sure I would plan on driving any potential purchase home; even if it said it was running. I'm sure someone has purchased a "running" vehicle only to find out it wasn't. As stated above, running doesn't mean drivable. I've been watching some LMTV auctions and am surprised how high some of the non-runners go. Seems like you could be slammed given the electronics on them vs. other models.

Anyway, thanks again for the feedback. I think I get the gist of the situation.

 

[zout]

GTR0419 - make sure you make it over to the cookout here next weekend - check out Zouts Cookout Thread for info

 

[Warthog]

I once bought a Deuce from GL. It had a bent frame. No mention of it in the ad. Hard to drive it home while going in circles.

I have seen other with a window in the side of the block.

But I have driven many off the location.