Buying trucks out of state

[wild one]

I can tell you a real horror story about buying trucks online or auction houses. Son was browsing ads one day from one of the large farm and construction auctioneers. I think the truck he saw was about 2014 F250 diesel in Florida. The pictures were taken by a real con artist with any rust spots covered or not in the picture. There was a video of the truck driving around the lot. Thinking it was a rust free Florida truck he put what he thought was a low dollar bid and won it. He made payment and had a buddy who wanted to fly down and drive it home if son paid his expenses. Then he got the title. Michigan title with last dealers name on it from Michigan. Called the last title guy and said he had gotten rid of the truck because it was rusty and ran like crap. Someone drove or most likely hauled it to Florida and put it on auction site. Now all kinds of red flags were showing up, but it was a bit late. Told his buddy to just forget it and he would have it hauled home. Buddy pretty much begged him to let him go after it and that he could get it home. Could not be that bad he said.

Long story short, buddy drove it about couple miles from auction site and it ran like crap and began to overheat. "Buddy" bailed and still wanted expense paid trip and son still had to pay to haul it home. Truck is a rust bucket and engine was shot. Still setting in shed. Auction company said tough luck and seller blocked his phone. Expensive lesson.

[stronger800]

I’ve heard of companies hauling trucks south, and reselling them as “southern trucks” for a long time.  
A CarFax would show the state to state movement of title history like that.  But don’t trust CarFax to show an accident or serious repair.  I was T-boned and did nearly $20k damage to a new truck once.  I traded it right back, to the dealer where I had purchased it, and got another one.  They fixed it and sold it to local woman who another friend of mine became acquainted with a few months later. They never told her it was damaged. Showed her a clean one owner CarFax.     

[MinnesotaFarmall]

44 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

“mega cab”.  Buddy had one like that the first year they came out….I bet close to 20 years  ago.  I thought they stopped making those but I feel like I see one every so often.  The rear seats recline, into that foot of space 

That's what I have now. It's an 06. Nice truck mechanically it's just rusting away. The extra room is nice but now with two of the three kids can buckle themselves with myself overseeing I'm not needing it as much. I'd rather have a long bed truck. 

[acem]

14 hours ago, wild one said:

I can tell you a real horror story about buying trucks online or auction houses. Son was browsing ads one day from one of the large farm and construction auctioneers. I think the truck he saw was about 2014 F250 diesel in Florida. The pictures were taken by a real con artist with any rust spots covered or not in the picture. There was a video of the truck driving around the lot. Thinking it was a rust free Florida truck he put what he thought was a low dollar bid and won it. He made payment and had a buddy who wanted to fly down and drive it home if son paid his expenses. Then he got the title. Michigan title with last dealers name on it from Michigan. Called the last title guy and said he had gotten rid of the truck because it was rusty and ran like crap. Someone drove or most likely hauled it to Florida and put it on auction site. Now all kinds of red flags were showing up, but it was a bit late. Told his buddy to just forget it and he would have it hauled home. Buddy pretty much begged him to let him go after it and that he could get it home. Could not be that bad he said.

Long story short, buddy drove it about couple miles from auction site and it ran like crap and began to overheat. "Buddy" bailed and still wanted expense paid trip and son still had to pay to haul it home. Truck is a rust bucket and engine was shot. Still setting in shed. Auction company said tough luck and seller blocked his phone. Expensive lesson.

Lots of Florida people are from up north and bring their vehicles with them. North easterners tend to move to Miami et all. Mid westerners tend to move to Tampa et all. Southerners tend to move to northern Florida, especially the panhandle aka The Redneck Riviera.

Florida is one place I'd want to check closely for rust. It's usually ok but there are plenty of rust buckets too. Seems like either they are rust free local or rusty transplants.

[Diesel Doctor]

On 7/14/2026 at 11:02 PM, supermechanic said:

OK, TX, AZ, NM.

Buy a one way plane ticket and go shopping.

You will be motivated to buy if you want to get home?

PS: Take a cheap OBD2 tester with you.

Look at the VIN on the OBD2, which is coming off the computer.

Compare that to the dash, B pillar and VIN on the title?

If they don't match, run like heck because it is stolen.

[yellowrosefarm]

In 2008 I bought a truck outside of Atlanta GA, about a 9 hour drive.  It was a 98 Ram 3500 with the 12v Cummins and right at 100K miles. It was a small, long established dealer run by a father and son. I found it through the autotrader site. I rented a car for $99 unlimited miles with the idea of turning it in down there if I did buy the truck. My wife went with me and we figured it would at worst just be a nice weekend trip. Truck was actually nicer than the pictures and his description. Drove it home and still have it.  They took my personal check and put a 30 day plate on it.  Looked them up and they are still in business. I'm sure the son is running it now.

https://www.lewispageautobrokers.org/

[Farmall1066]

Bought this 2.5 years ago out in Idaho, it was a California truck, it’s like new inside and out.  Pictures don’t do it justice on the interior, or the look of the truck, it looks better in person, and I bought this basically sight unseen. 2002 F-350 7.3, bought it with 129,000

[stronger800]

2006 that’s local to me and driven daily.  He also has a ‘13 that looks similar, under 150k on each 

[M35A2]

I've been looking for a Ford F-150 regular cab, long box 4x2.   Here in SE Iowa, they are unaobtanium.   The ones out there tended to be fleet vehicles that were driven hard by everyone in a company, and put away wet.   Usually buckets of rust after a few years in this climate.   Kind of quit looking as the pickup I have sufices for my needs.   It too was a fleet vehicle, but an F-250.  Bought it in 2014 cheap.  Very stripped down option wise, worst part was the interior of the bed beat to death and a rainbow of paint.  A paint company leased it prior to me owning it so paint was all ove the bed.   

[stronger800]

I don’t think a 2wd long box could be found in NY, of any age.   Even the fleet vehicles look to my 4wd upper trim levels these days 

[yellowrosefarm]

2 hours ago, M35A2 said:

I've been looking for a Ford F-150 regular cab, long box 4x2.   Here in SE Iowa, they are unaobtanium.   The ones out there tended to be fleet vehicles that were driven hard by everyone in a company, and put away wet.   Usually buckets of rust after a few years in this climate.   Kind of quit looking as the pickup I have sufices for my needs.   It too was a fleet vehicle, but an F-250.  Bought it in 2014 cheap.  Very stripped down option wise, worst part was the interior of the bed beat to death and a rainbow of paint.  A paint company leased it prior to me owning it so paint was all ove the bed.   

There are usually a few 2wd 8' beds around here on GovDeals, but you're right about your area. I searched that and didn't find one within 250 miles of SE Iowa.

https://www.govdeals.com/en/asset/10/23502  This is a GM 2wd low miles

[766 Man]

3 hours ago, stronger800 said:

I don’t think a 2wd long box could be found in NY, of any age.   Even the fleet vehicles look to my 4wd upper trim levels these days 

  There are a few but not many.  The local Chevy dealer had a couple of late used models and frequently has a new stripped down half ton less 4WD.  Ten years ago they would have laughed at a person wanting such a truck but then a 3/4 ton extended cab 4 X 4 could be bought for around 40,000 dollars depending on equipment and options.  Not many people willing to spend 60,000 dollars or more for the same truck today.  

[stronger800]

Local guy that plows probably has four or five trucks anyway buys a new one every other year I believe he recently stated that the most expensive one he had (single cab 250/350, gas, work trucks) was $38,000  few years ago and now something equiped the same is 50k.  I’ve never priced a plane Jane but I know nicer trucks are up 6-9k msrp since 3 years ago 

[whweldit]

Local yard here in cullman.   Cullpepper truck sales.   Been here a long time.  
 256.   782.   99.  53.  Is phone number. 

[acem]

It should be criminal the way y'all destroy your cars and trucks with salt.

[766 Man]

5 minutes ago, acem said:

It should be criminal the way y'all destroy your cars and trucks with salt.

  I think that you meant it should be criminal the way the state, counties, and towns apply salt.  When I was a kid snow packed roads were not unheard of but then again vehicle weight and snow tires held cars and trucks on the road fairly well.  Today light cars, all season tires which do not so well in the winter, and liability lawyers have put the squeeze on to apply salt to cover poor driving and conditions that would dictate that anybody beyond being in health care or an EMT stay home.  

[stronger800]

(Ehhh now….i may drive my trucks  in a lot of salt., but I’ve never driven a tractor  in a field full or water! Lol)

[stronger800]

Just saying, I know many southern guys probably think that northern guys are lavish, always talking about new or fairly new trucks.  And I was showing Why that is.  Old trucks don’t exist.  This was our last plow truck, after 5 winters.  Dealer had a line of guys ready to buy it before I physically traded it in (took 5 months for new one to come in), so -clean- does exist….but it’s not the norm, in the north east. I spend a fair amount of time applying oil type undercoating…and then removing it 

[acem]

If y'all are really looking for a rust free truck I have one I would sell.

78 F300.  2wd.  78,000 miles showing.  400? automatic. Dual rear wheels.  Flatbed.  Regular cab. Minor fender bender LF.

Parked because it had a flat and it got terrible gas mileage several years ago.  Driven to where it is parked.  

I can get it going and it would drive but it will need tires, etc before being put back in use.

Here's a pic of Mike Newman and Me with it.

[stronger800]

If that was four-wheel-drive, it would sell fast around here, as a collectible though. Not as a driver, with or without the 400 that was my least favorite v8of that generation. About any of the other ones had more power and were slightly better on fuel. My 78 400got 6.6-7.5 mpg

[vtfireman85]

[stronger800]

Oh that’s a beautiful truck .  A few local guys have several like that, but they either bought them new and parked them (true) or imported them and had them reconditioned.

[acem]

3 hours ago, stronger800 said:

If that was four-wheel-drive, it would sell fast around here, as a collectible though. Not as a driver, with or without the 400 that was my least favorite v8of that generation. About any of the other ones had more power and were slightly better on fuel. My 78 400got 6.6-7.5 mpg

It's really a good truck. 

But my Cummins are so much better on fuel...

[MinnesotaFarmall]

Definitely going to have to look at dually now. Brother and I went to a local tractor pull. Took two tractors this time on the trailer, probably allegedly over loaded 😂. Anyway, there's no way that a single rear wheel is going to cut what I am needing it for. Borrowed my dad's 05 dodge dually and am convinced. I hate that brakes and tires cost more, but necessary it is. I found a real nice red 06 Ford 6.0 I might have to check out. It's a but away from me, but it's clean as a whip. 

[stronger800]

Tires and brakes don’t actually cost more anymore,  that rusted 350 I posted pics above is a dually. Guy just put brakes on and has tires for it. He’s kinda frugal, didn’t spend a lot