Are you researching pre-owned lifted trucks with the hopes of making one your own? Pre-owned lifted trucks offer their owners the best of all worlds: pre-owned lifted trucks can handle any terrain and road that you want to drive down. Pre-owned lifted trucks have engines that make a soul-fulfilling purr, even when they idle. And while most lifted trucks come with a price tag as tall as the height you have to climb to get into the cab, pre-owned lifted trucks cost a fraction of what new vehicles run you. People who know and love trucks appreciate used lifted trucks.


However, as a savvy shopper, you probably want to make sure your money get you the most excellent used car you can. We get that. To help you on the quest for the perfect used lifted truck, check out our list of five things to check before you buy:

1. Research who did the lift and what that means.
   When you fork over a five-digit number for a used lifted truck, you want to make sure that it isn’t going to go kaput at the next red light. Many newer model trucks have a warranty to protect you in these cases, but the manner in which the lift was completed could make or break this. If the truck’s lift was performed by a performance specialist who is authorized by the manufacturer of the truck, any warranty on the truck still stands. However, many used lifted trucks were lifted by an independent third-party. This makes any coverage on the truck completely null and void.
   
   
   Obviously before purchasing a used truck, you want to thoroughly look it over. However, if your potential truck has an after market upgrades (such as a lift), you need to pay special attention to who and how it was done. If it was not performed by an authorized dealer, you need to assume this is an “as is” purchase.




2. Check out the alignment.
   
   Any vehicle that is lifted needs to be realigned after the lift is installed. Even then, if the lift is too large for the truck, the alignment will become unbalanced over time, which will ruin the tires and inflict damage on the vehicle itself.
   
   
   Before purchasing a lifted truck, closely inspect the tires. If some of the tires are more worn out than others, it’s a good indication that the alignment is off. In some cases, an alignment is a quick and easy way to fix this issue, but if the kit is too large for the truck, a new lift kit would be required to repair the issue; this adds a considerable price to the purchase of your vehicle.




3. Review the vehicle history for accidents.
   
   As with any after market upgrades to a vehicle, a truck lift introduces a new element to the way the truck operates on the road and a potential heightened risk. Lifted trucks have a higher center of gravity, and when bed is empty, tend to be lightweight for their size; this introduces the risk of flipping over if the conditions are right. To add to it, lifted trucks are often driven on tumultuous terrain, which adds to their likelihood of tipping over. If a vehicle ever flips over, there could be extensive internal damage that isn’t visible to the naked eye, but will cost you big down the road.
   
   
   Before purchasing any used vehicle (lifted truck or not), it’s a good idea to order a vehicle history report on the VIN number and make sure it hasn’t been in any car wrecks.




4. Research the safety and legality of the lift.
   
   Since a truck lift is an after-market upgrade, it is added after the manufacturer gets the seal of approval that it is safe and legal for the road. The laws that mandate after market parts vary from state to state. Before purchasing a lifted truck, you want to research each element of lift to ensure that you won’t get slapped with a hefty ticket down the road for your after-market upgrades.

Buying a used lifted truck opens the opportunity to explore anywhere in the country, whether or not there are roads. Just make sure to do your homework and land a truck that will last you for years and years to come.