Used trucks hold their value well in Alberta, which is good if you are selling and less good if you are buying. It also means a tired truck can still carry a confident price tag.

The mileage on the odometer is the least useful number on a used truck. What matters far more is what those kilometres were spent doing.

Highway kilometres and work kilometres are not the same

A truck with 180,000 highway kilometres from commuting can be in better shape than one with 90,000 spent towing a loaded trailer or idling on a lease road.

Ask directly what the truck did. Was it a daily driver, a work truck, a farm truck, or something that spent its life pulling? The answer tells you where to look for wear.

Look underneath

Road salt and calcium chloride are hard on vehicles here. Surface rust on a frame is normal on an Alberta truck and is not automatically a problem. Flaking, scaling or soft spots are.

Check the frame rails, brake and fuel lines, the exhaust, and the area around the rear spring mounts. Bring a flashlight and actually get down and look.

Towing numbers are not one number

A truck’s advertised maximum tow rating usually applies to a specific configuration. Cab style, box length, axle ratio, engine and drivetrain all change it.

If you are buying to tow, find the rating for the exact truck in front of you, then work out your real trailer weight loaded rather than dry. Payload matters too, and it is the limit people blow past most often once passengers and gear are in the truck.

Gas or diesel

Diesel makes sense for heavy, frequent towing and long highway distances. It usually costs more to buy and more to service, and modern emissions systems can be expensive when they fail.

For a truck that mostly carries a load in the box and tows a few times a year, gas is generally the cheaper way to own.

Ask for the service history

A truck with records is worth more than a truck without them, and it should be. Records tell you whether fluids were changed, whether known issues were addressed, and whether anyone actually cared about it.

No records is not a dealbreaker on an older truck. It should change what you are willing to pay.

Get it inspected before you commit

• Have an independent mechanic look at it, not one connected to the seller
• Ask for a written inspection report
• Check that the vehicle history matches what you were told
• Confirm there are no liens registered against it

An inspection costs a couple hundred dollars. That is inexpensive compared to a transmission.

Then work out the payment

Once you know the truck is sound, the question becomes whether it fits your budget. Start there if you want to know what range makes sense before you go looking.