First Bucket Truck... Pull the trigger or walk away

[burtonbc1400]

Hi I am looking at this 07 international 4300 60' terex rearmount. This would be my first bucket truck. It has 17000 hours, They're asking 60k CAD. The rearmounts are less common, This is the only one I've seen available in Western Canada. The exchange rate is prohibiting importing a vehicle. I'm concerned about the hours, but I think a full engine replacement for the DT466 would cost around 15000 CAD.
Thoughts, inputs, advice are appreciated.

 

[lone wolf]

Hi I am looking at this 07 international 4300 60' terex rearmount. This would be my first bucket truck. It has 17000 hours, They're asking 60k CAD. The rearmounts are less common, This is the only one I've seen available in Western Canada. The exchange rate is prohibiting importing a vehicle. I'm concerned about the hours, but I think a full engine replacement for the DT466 would cost around 15000 CAD.
Thoughts, inputs, advice are appreciated.

That's high hours for sure ,pass! Also the boom could need work, that main rotation bearing is a big cost.

 

[Chainsaw Pete]

Is that the correct hours, 17,000? Can you find an independent mechanic who knows these vehicles to look this over for you? Are maintenance logs available? The truck looks clean from your one picture, what is your impression of the vehicle (assuming you have seen it in person).

The engine is only part of the picture. The hydraulic system could be expensive to repair, not to mention the main bearing noted by @lone wolf.

 

[lone wolf]

Is that the correct hours, 17,000? Can you find an independent mechanic who knows these vehicles to look this over for you? Are maintenance logs available? The truck looks clean from your one picture, what is your impression of the vehicle (assuming you have seen it in person).

The engine is only part of the picture. The hydraulic system could be expensive to repair, not to mention the main bearing noted by @lone wolf.

Yup, those rotation bearings are stupid expensive. Put the boom all the way up as high as it goes and rock it with the controls and note how much play is there. 17000 is roughly what was on my old Bucket truck and it had lots of problems.

 

[burtonbc1400]

Is that the correct hours, 17,000? Can you find an independent mechanic who knows these vehicles to look this over for you? Are maintenance logs available? The truck looks clean from your one picture, what is your impression of the vehicle (assuming you have seen it in person).

The engine is only part of the picture. The hydraulic system could be expensive to repair, not to mention the main bearing noted by @lone wolf.

It's 5 hours away I am planning on looking at it on Sunday, but don't know if I should just save myself the trip. The truck seems clean, I'm waiting on the maintenance records and vehicle inspection. My brother in law is coming with me he's a commercial truck mechanic. Pricing, buying and selling is not necessarily in his scope of experience, just inspections, repairs, maintenance.

 

[lone wolf]

How about check out the seller's reviews on his Facebook or website before you go.

 

[PennHavenTW]

Hi I am looking at this 07 international 4300 60' terex rearmount. This would be my first bucket truck. It has 17000 hours, They're asking 60k CAD. The rearmounts are less common, This is the only one I've seen available in Western Canada. The exchange rate is prohibiting importing a vehicle. I'm concerned about the hours, but I think a full engine replacement for the DT466 would cost around 15000 CAD.
Thoughts, inputs, advice are appreciated.

It should be a preemissions truck, but 9 chances in 10 its going to be a money pit.

I had a 02 Dodge ram 3500 manual with a 5.9 in it. Had over 400,000 miles. Loved the truck but hated the bills!

 

[ZinTrees]

I had a 1992 C7 topkick with a 55ft Holan Bronco boom, boom was actually in great shape, but overall a money pit, cost me 70 grand in downtime in a single year

only buy a bucket if you can afford for it to sit frequently while its being repaired, rotation bearing requires a crane, and removing the entire boom, outrigger cylinders require a backhoe or a LOT of manual labor to remove, I've done multiple, it sucks, especially if pins are seized, boom hoses are around 55 feet long unless they split at the knuckle, you are looking at over a grand a hose, depending on the boom you may have 10 or so that have to be replaced every 5-8 years, don't forget insurance

at 17K hours, I would steer FAR away, transmission will be due for a rebuild, PTO has high hours most likely, engine needs replaced or rebuilt, hydraulics likely need flushed, etc

even if it currently works every day, to have everything up to date (unless the seller has paperwork to prove repairs or maintenance, assume they were never done) you are looking at anywhere from 5 to 30 grand

now, that being said, I've operated high hour equipment that ran like it just left the factory, so theres a slim chance that its a unicorn, worth checking out but look it over with a fine tooth comb