looking for a new to me pickup.

[JDpartsman]

So the frame on my 2002 Chevy 2500HD is not looking so hot these days and I am wanting to replace it with southern or western rust-free truck. Outside of dealing with some random person through Facebook Marketplace are there any good car lots or auto auction yards that I can search their inventories. For those wanting to know details on my pickup right now I want another early 2000's chevy 2500HD crew cab, gasser 4x4. Don't care if it has 250,000 miles, dents and paint issues just want a beater that is not already starting life off half rotted away. 

[New Englander]

I like a K2500 long bed extended cab. I actually bought one on Ebay some years ago, an '03. It was in PA and I recognized the dealer's name from when I was based in PHL.  All correspondence was good, If it wasn't as represented I could walk. I bought a cheap plane ticket, they picked me up at the airport, truck was as represented, and I drove it home. After it finally rotted out I was looking for another and they're rare as hen's teeth around me. They all have four doors and about a 4'  useless bed. I lucked out and found a '13  locally that had hardly used and paid full list for it. It still has less than 60k on it.

I had been looking at dealer lots in dry states while on the road but it seemed most had a quarter million miles on them. No rust/rot but pitted windshields and rough interiors. I guess if I hadn't found what I did locally I could have fixed one of those southern trucks up. One of our guys found a nice square body in Colorado and drove it to RI. Would have been cheaper to ship after breakdown repairs and fuel but he got a rust free truck.

[vtfireman85]

The only experience I have with dry state dealers are these folks. They seem to focus on lifted stuff, but sometimes have plain old trucks. They were good to deal with, very accommodating and seem well used to dealing with out of state buyers. 
https://www.wattsautomotive.com/used-cars.aspx?srsltid=AfmBOorBm6s4aF7FkONo8mhf80bBWE5SHqzNSLDVg9dqZbZp5sRR4d3P

[stronger800]

With as good as phone cameras are these days, I wouldn’t be afraid to buy one off Craigslist or something even halfway across the country, if it’s what I wanted and the price was right.

I have a buddy with about 50 (very nice) ford 4x4s that he has had shipped in from all over the place.  The places without road salt anyway. 
 

I’ve sold several snowmobiles to guys 1000 miles away, even two across the boarder.   They sent money, and I put them in trucks.   

[acem]

If you find one in western Arkansas or eastern Oklahoma I can help you. Trouble is our population base is low and 3/4 ton 4x4 are a hot commodity here.

Texas and California have large populations and lots of pickups. Florida is good but you have to watch our for vehicles that migrated south with their retired owners.

[cobfly]

10 hours ago, JDpartsman said:

So the frame on my 2002 Chevy 2500HD is not looking so hot these days and I am wanting to replace it with southern or western rust-free truck. Outside of dealing with some random person through Facebook Marketplace are there any good car lots or auto auction yards that I can search their inventories. For those wanting to know details on my pickup right now I want another early 2000's chevy 2500HD crew cab, gasser 4x4. Don't care if it has 250,000 miles, dents and paint issues just want a beater that is not already starting life off half rotted away. 

Look on KSL.com.

[ChaseIH]

I went to Arizona 7 months ago. Had 3 2006 F350s 6.0s lined up. I never booked a return ticket as the one I really wanted I talked to the guy for a month and when we got there it had blown head gaskets and the cab mounts were exploded. Ended up in a bar with my aunt and dad eating lunch and she found me one on Facebook that was exactly what I wanted. 2006 crew cab long box 6.0 lariat with floor shift 4x4. Went and bought it on the spot and drove it 35 hours straight home with me and dad taking shifts. Only issue I’ve had to far is I had to get the title bonded when I tried to transfer it. Other then that I’ve changed all the sensors and tuned it and has been a great pickup. Has 221000 on the clock but if it explodes it’s 12k for a long block with better internals or 3,800 for a inframe kit. Take your time and do some looking there is some deals to be had. I only paid 10500 for this truck and I couldn’t find a cab to fix my other 2006 for less then 5000

[yellowrosefarm]

https://www.govdeals.com/en/search?kWord=2500hd

 

[forwhldrv]

Yup I hear ya there I looked for over a year for a replacement for my 02 2500 hd. My frame and all the crossmembers behind the cab are shot. This winter I found a low mileage 83k gmc 2500 extended cab 8’ bed didn’t really want an extra cab to go back and forth to work with but it’s clean frame is great the underside of it is good a little bubble above the drivers side rear wheel well. The downside it was used on a farm on an island in Maine the body has a dent in every panel on it and the door hinge and drivers door are wore out. I’m in the process of of going through all the brakes on it now. I’ll fluid film it before winter and find a plow for it and get rid of the cow catcher bumper on the front of it. This trucks far from what I was looking for but low mileage and not rotted was a big plus. I’m now searching market place for a bumper and a drivers door the same color. 

[yellowrosefarm]

You might try car-part.com for the stuff you are looking for. I've color matched a couple of body parts that way. The rear hatch for my Yukon was less expensive than buying the paint to redo the one that was on it.

[Diesel Doctor]

On 5/25/2026 at 6:21 PM, ChaseIH said:

I went to Arizona 7 months ago. Had 3 2006 F350s 6.0s lined up. I never booked a return ticket as the one I really wanted I talked to the guy for a month and when we got there it had blown head gaskets and the cab mounts were exploded. Ended up in a bar with my aunt and dad eating lunch and she found me one on Facebook that was exactly what I wanted. 2006 crew cab long box 6.0 lariat with floor shift 4x4. Went and bought it on the spot and drove it 35 hours straight home with me and dad taking shifts. Only issue I’ve had to far is I had to get the title bonded when I tried to transfer it. Other then that I’ve changed all the sensors and tuned it and has been a great pickup. Has 221000 on the clock but if it explodes it’s 12k for a long block with better internals or 3,800 for a inframe kit. Take your time and do some looking there is some deals to be had. I only paid 10500 for this truck and I couldn’t find a cab to fix my other 2006 for less then 5000

That is the way to do it!

Go on an adventure and get one in great shape rather than fixing rust.

[TroyDairy]

The Dallas and Phoenix area have some big used lots.  Keep eye on Idaho and Utah trucks.  Look clean but alot are oil field.  Alberta same thing.  Look nice, then crawl under.  Western WA 3/4 of them are from Alberta and BC.  BC uses some salt...nothing like OH etc.  Most used 3/4 tons are from Canada here on WA coast/Puget Sound.  They seem to be getting cheaper with our 5.77 gas prices.   Facebook is the worse...and the best place to find but be patient to sort the flakes.

 

https://bellingham.craigslist.org/cto/d/everson-2015-gmc-sierra-2500hd/7934766665.html