There have been a lot of posts recently about wanting to buy a cheap Deuce/5-ton on GL that they can drive home. This morning, I previewed 4 M35A2’s at a GL location not to be named, and got to thinking of all the issues that new bidders need to be aware of
Just today, out of 4 trucks, what did not show up on the description or photos-
1. The best one only had 1 rear axle seal leak, and the cargo cover was ripped (can probably be patched if you have the material). Started as described.
2. The second had what looked like a new rebuilt engine, but also had a major oil leak from the back of the engine. Although the description said it started, someone had left the switch on and killed the batteries. Since they were already 6 years old, I doubt the batteries will recover from the complete discharge. Couldn’t check the brakes since it couldn’t start.
3. The third was pretty much as described, but brakes were very weak/spongy.
4. The last one looked like it had a new engine, but it also looked like it had a major head gasket leak, as well as a rear wheel seal leak. Batteries were very weak, didn’t start, so couldn’t check the brakes.
Problems I've personally had/seen on GL vehicle auctions in only the last few months:
5. GL description said dead batteries - during preview I saw that the truck had NO batteries - saw this on two trucks at two locations. Many other members reported parts were stolen from their trucks after the auction ended.
6. The tires on almost all the trucks and trailers I’ve bought were underinflated for highway travel. I bring a generator and compressor to air them up before I hit the road.
7. Two of the 7 trucks I've bought or recovered had NO BRAKES. Only one of those two could be partially fixed by just adding fluid and bleeding. Two others had soft brakes that improved after bleeding the water and air out of the lines. One truck had the wrong brake light switch installed that shorted out. I bought a new one for ~$63 which lasted about 50 miles before it shorted out. The new owner was the one who figured out the military had installed the wrong light switch.
8. Bought a M105A2 trailer that looked like it had a new tarp – when I picked it up, the tarp sides did look new, but the top was shredded. That didn’t show up in the photos.
9. Saw a M35A2 with all new bows in back - except one that was rusty, pealed paint, and broken in half.
10. Only one of the 7 trucks had any tools like a lug wrench or jack
11. One truck a short that killed the batteries, sprayed diesel fuel from the injector pump line connection, and the air compressor failed after about 2 hours.
12. Two trucks of the 7 trucks were damaged by GL forklifts AFTER the auction photos were taken. (To be fair, GL did provide a partial refund, but I still need to repair them. The main reason GL approved the claim was that I didn't pick up the trucks until I submitted the claim. Their first response was that MY shipper had damaged them).
13. The air conditioner in the aution photo of an M109A3, and which was there when I previewed it, was removed by DRMO/GL while I was waiting for the EUC. They said it policy said it could not be sold with the truck - I now have a hole in the front of the Shop Van for free ventilation and natual flushing during thunderstorms. (We happened to have over 6 inches of rain between the close of the auction and the time I got it home.) I wasn’t too upset, since they told me it would be removed when I previewed it – but I would have been upset if they didn’t happen to tell me before I bid. I suspect they also damaged the soft top while removing the AC to the point that the stitching came undone along the front during the trip, and I need to buy another top.
14. Saw lots of trucks during preview auctions that had flat tires (not just M35A3s), tires that looked new but were dry rotted from sitting for years, missing spare tires, missing tool racks, engine shut off switches that could not be pushed in (can't start the truck), missing ladders, other missing instruments, starters and engine parts that did not show up in the auction photos. Some photos have been of the wrong truck entirely, or have photos of a different truck mixed in with the correct photos.
15. Only one of the 7 trucks ended up being exactly what I thought/hoped I was getting! And that was with a preview inspection on four of them.
If you are only wanting to buy one good vehicle, I'd recommend buying from an honest private party, where he can tell you what he knows is wrong with it (most of these trucks are around 40 years old, so there is always something that needs fixin'). You can take your time checking it out before you commit to buying it, maybe even test drive it. You can also pick it up on your schedule, and not just limited to Tue, Wed and Thurs in the two weeks following approval of the EUC. I like to think the members with trucks for sale on this site are honest, but remember, these are still 30-40 year old vehicles that spent most of their lives being driven by drivers between 18-23 years old.
I sold the M35 in the best condition I’ve ever seen anywhere, and it still needed a major brake bleeding ($24 of DOT-5 fluid), 2 new brake light switches so the brake lights would work, new horn button, rear axle seal, a new oil pressure guage and sender, and a new set of batteries.
I'm still bidding, but I do so by fully accepting the risk that the next truck may end up being an expensive parts vehicle without all the parts. I also factor in the cost of shipping in my bid if the truck is not road worthy (I’ve shipped two trucks so far). Shipping costs range from $1.25 to $2 per mile. There are lots of posts about what can go wrong during your recovery, and you need to be ready for failure, as well as have your insurance in place before you leave the base. You only have 2 weeks after you get your EUC to pick up the truck before GL starts charging you storage fees, and most GL locations will not let you work on your truck at their lot. Some GL locations require all vehicles to be towed off the site.
I guess there are locations that have fundamentally worse trucks than others. My truck from Camp Dodge had the turn in inspection report detailing everything they found wrong with it.
Excellent advice, i am at 40% with 7 trucks and 4 trailers and 1 genset. 40% of the time the item is as expected. 60% of the time there are issues from small to large that were not in pics or description. Good Luck to all.
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4 dueces, 4 trailers, 30 k genny, 42 GPW, M274A4, and a wrecker
I guess there are locations that have fundamentally worse trucks than others. My truck from Camp Dodge had the turn in inspection report detailing everything they found wrong with it.
While that can increase the odds of a good truck, that's not always a guarantee of a good running truck.
Truck in line 11 had a new or rebuilt engine, transmission and transfer case, and the injection pump looked new as listed in the turn-in repair report that came with the truck. Aside from the things listed in line 11, this was one of the trucks that was forklift damaged at Redstone upon arrival from the Midwest.
The Deuce I sold that I said was the best I’ve ever seen had a repair report that said they replaced the master cylinder and brake light switch before it was turned in. The lines connected to the master cylinder were loose, and leaked the fluid out and let air and moisture into the lines. The new switch was for an air system, and since the repair depot put it on the liquid system, it shorted out.
The 5-ton I picked up last week went through a partial rebuild just prior to being declared surplus. The new line to the oil gauge had the flare nut cross-threaded at the oil pressure guage, so it leaked oil on my foot at the accelerator pedal. The new tachometer and cable with ~20 hours on it does not work, and the cable connection leaks at the other end.
Sometimes I got rooked, and sometimes I got a prize. Over the average of all my GL purchases, I'm satisfied with what I've bought, but I've learned to PREVIEW before I bid, but expect and plan for disaster.
My point is GL is the way to go if you're going to buy several vehicles, but if you're just going to buy only one - proceed very carefully with GL and consider other options before you jump.
its a risk we all take to get what we want. ive had pretty good experiences with GL. the people who work the huntsville lot have been great to work with.
I didn't mean to say all the problems are GL's fault, since a lot of the issues are hidden from view. I've also met great folks at Camp Shelby, Redstone, Little Rock and Pineville. Others are...well, let's just say they are less than great. A couple I've met shocked me that they were able to find their way to work that day.
I recovered a truck 2 weeks ago that had a front tire that was off the rim. Looks like it had been driven a ways like that. Fortunately I had brought a 3/4" drive set and the spare was OK. The pictures didn't show it. I still havent seen a truck with a jack and a lug wrench.
So you want to buy a cheap truck from GL?
("The Wicked")
