Every diesel fan has seen the listing. A heavy-duty truck with a famous engine, like a Duramax or a Power Stroke, priced like a riding mower. The question is always the same: is it a steal, or is it cheap for a reason?
The two truck rebuilders behind @JMRRebuilders decided to answer it with their own money. Ryan won a rusty GMC at an online auction for $700 after the reserve came off and nobody else bid. Meanwhile, Landon’s pick was a modified Power Stroke that cost $2,600.
Their plan was simple. They would get both trucks running and driving as cheaply as possible, then compare the results.
Ryan says he was alone in the office, watching the online sale, when the reserve came off at about $650. He clicked, and nobody else did.
“Whenever I hear $700 on a diesel, I get real scared.”
A $700 Duramax And A Pricier Rival
The $700 truck showed its working life. It had a dented tailgate, rust, a bed full of junk and oil all over the engine bay. Even so, it came with a few surprises they liked, including an aftermarket fuel system and a tuner.
The Power Stroke looked like a previous owner had pushed it hard. Under the hood, though, they found head studs, an external oil filter setup and a cooling upgrade. Landon guessed the upgrades alone were worth thousands of dollars. At the same time, he wondered whether someone had added them because something failed.
He also explained that head studs usually mean the engine has already had new head gaskets. By their estimate, having all of those upgrades done at a shop could cost seven grand or more, which gave the pricier truck a real head start.
The Cheap Duramax Fires Up
To their surprise, the GMC turned over and ran briefly before shutting off. At first, they suspected it was simply out of fuel. After they added diesel, they chased a fuel-pressure problem for days. Eventually, they traced it to a small spring in the fuel system. The spring cost $3, while shipping it cost $33.
Add a $60 exhaust clamp and a cheap remanufactured starter, and they put the Duramax total at about $858. For a while, Ryan was sure he was winning the challenge. Meanwhile, the Power Stroke kept them busy with its own fuel problems.
The Test Drive
Then the Duramax went for a drive. The engine pulled, but the transmission slipped and only some of the gears showed up. One of them joked that it simply had too much power for the transmission.
“I think there’s a reason why it was $700”
Soon after, the truck stopped and would not restart. Once again, they suspected it had lost fuel.
“It’s called mystery gears.”
What To Check Before Buying A Cheap Diesel
- Ask whether the truck runs, drives and shifts. A running engine says nothing about the transmission.
- Look for oil on the engine and under the truck, and ask where it comes from.
- Aftermarket parts can add value, but they can also hint at hard use.
- Budget for fuel system parts, batteries and a starter on any diesel that has been sitting.
- Compare the total cost of fixing it, not just the price you pay at auction.
Where Things Stand
Back at the shop, they agreed that cheap diesels can still be a good deal. However, with the transmission shot, they called the Duramax dead in the water as a project. Instead, they say the Power Stroke is the truck they will build. They also note that the $700 truck’s engine is still a good one, so it may live on in some other way.
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