Looking at an 03 QC 4x4
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Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,831
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From: Tampa, FL
Looking at an 03 QC 4x4
It's about time for my dad to get a new car and ever since I got my truck he's been wanting one too. At least now he'll stop taking mine lol. Anyway, yesterday my mom was searching and she found an 03 QC 4x4 with a 4.7 for 7500 OBO. The only kicker is it has 155k on it. I was hoping I could get some advice from you guys who has put some serious miles on your trucks. Is this a good buy?
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,686
Likes: 21
From: South Georgia/East Florida
That's right about high retail for an '03 4x4 4.7 with high mileage, probably will take just under $7k which makes it an average deal.
Only problem with a 4.7 with that kinda mileage is those engines are prone to head gasket or head issues once they get up there, especially if the anti-freeze wasn't changed on schedule. The channels are REAL close to the cylinder walls and it doesn't take a whole lot of acidic coolant to eat thru to the walls.
That said, I personally know two 4.7 owners with over 225,000 miles one theirs and they still run like a top.
If I was thinking about a truck with that kinda mileage, AND everything else checked out good, I'd pop for a compression test on the engine. Better to pay a shop $75-100 for a compression test and be able to walk away from the deal than buy it and find it needs $4000 of engine in a couple of months.
I'd keep looking, about two months ago I shopped with a friend of mine for a used Caravan in central FL. While she was looking to buy I saw three or four '04 & '05s with under 100k on the clock. The Hemi's were listed for $14k'ish and the 4.7s for $12k'ish which leads me to believe they could have been negotiated down to about $12k & $10k respectively and this was at DEALERSHIPS, not private.
If your dad could step into an '05 4.7 QC for around $10k with under 100k miles on the ticker I think he'll be ahead of the game...
Only problem with a 4.7 with that kinda mileage is those engines are prone to head gasket or head issues once they get up there, especially if the anti-freeze wasn't changed on schedule. The channels are REAL close to the cylinder walls and it doesn't take a whole lot of acidic coolant to eat thru to the walls.
That said, I personally know two 4.7 owners with over 225,000 miles one theirs and they still run like a top.
If I was thinking about a truck with that kinda mileage, AND everything else checked out good, I'd pop for a compression test on the engine. Better to pay a shop $75-100 for a compression test and be able to walk away from the deal than buy it and find it needs $4000 of engine in a couple of months.
I'd keep looking, about two months ago I shopped with a friend of mine for a used Caravan in central FL. While she was looking to buy I saw three or four '04 & '05s with under 100k on the clock. The Hemi's were listed for $14k'ish and the 4.7s for $12k'ish which leads me to believe they could have been negotiated down to about $12k & $10k respectively and this was at DEALERSHIPS, not private.
If your dad could step into an '05 4.7 QC for around $10k with under 100k miles on the ticker I think he'll be ahead of the game...
