buying 1990 ck5

[jixxerjello]

So i'm looking at buying a 1990 ck5, this will be my first k5 i have owned. i have went and looked at the truck twice. it has 120k original miles on it. the paint is decent could use a new paint job though. interior is good and clean. the truck starts and runs and drives great.

the only problem i found when driving it is when getting off the freeway or freeway speeds and slowing to a stop the truck will stall. everything i have researched makes it seem like its an easy and cheap fix. also the driver side electric window motor doesn't work which again doesn't seem like a hard fix and the whipper blade switch doesn't work as well the switch for cleaning the window works and the wipers move which tells me the switch has went bad. the guy wants $3500 for it, is there anything else i should check out or know about these trucks before buying it on Tuesday? any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[swettysblazer]

Check the tailgate. See if there is any rot around the hinges. Where are you at?

 

[paratrooper307]

Check out the K5 buyer's guide that's on the forum, it has a lot of useful things to look for.

-The stalling issue could be a lot of things, from a faulty IAC to issues with the TCC or lockup converter. The fix ranges from cheap and easy to moderately cheap but more of a pain.
-In these trucks, rust is an issue. Be sure to check very thoroughly in the rockers, floor pans, and cab.
-Check the frame around the steering box for cracks, this is a common issue.
-Modifications are common. Look for items that show cut corners or shoddy workmanship.
-Look at the fluids in the transfer case, differentials, transmission, and engine. Their condition will give you an indication of how the truck was maintained.

These trucks are overall simple and reliable. You just want to avoid rust buckets or vehicles indicating severe neglect.

 

[blazinzuk]

Got any pictures

 

[jixxerjello]

Sweetysblazer: I'm in Tacoma, Washington

Thanks for all the information, I'm going to go check it out again tomorrow and look for all the things that were mentioned. I will post some pictures of it after I'm doing checking it out tomorrow. just going to keep my fingers crossed about the rust. when I originally checked underneath the truck I couldn't find any rust which is rare for a car up here. I'm going to check under the tailgate tomorrow and pull up some of the carpet as well.

 

[blazinzuk]

The other place rust is found often are the rear seat footwell.

You can usually see this rust from the outside towards the front of the rear wheelwell

 

[jixxerjello]

i went and looked at the truck again this afternoon. there was no rust under the tail gate, floor boards or rocker panels. the truck is pretty solid in that aspect and body is straight. how reliable are these trucks? I'm going to be using in for a daily driver for a while until i swap a new motor in my golf. i will be mainly commuting to and from work, freeway driving and some off roading on trails.

 

[blazinzuk]

They are way reliable. Till they aren't.

Kind of a very hard question to answer.

It's a 26 yr old truck. So it's really hard to say. Generally speaking pretty reliable. But that's only if they start in good mechanical condition

 

[paratrooper307]

^Pretty much. They're relatively simple and there's only so much that can go wrong. That being said, any older vehicle is going to require maintenance and experience potential issues that a newer vehicle will not. As long as the drivetrain is pretty solid and the electrical system isn't bad, the truck should be fine. My '85 has never failed to start and never broken down, but I keep it well-maintained. It's usually the little age-related issues, a cracked hose here, leaking gasket there, etc. that I have to address periodically.

 

[dyeager535]

I work near Tacoma, I'd take a look at it with you if timing works out. Seems to me that you never notice all the problems until AFTER you purchase a vehicle...a second set of eyes might help.

If you know your way around vehicles though, I won't be much help. You should be able to spot all the bad work that is typically done...hacked wiring, hacked emissions under hood, the sort of evidence that indicates someone has been messing with a vehicle that shouldn't have been.

We don't have a lot of problem with rust out here, as long as the truck didn't come from back east, it's probably in pretty good shape in terms of rust. There are a couple of areas to look at (the area just forward of the rear wheel on either side and the end of the bed where the tailgate mates up) but again, that vintage, and if from here, probably not going to see much.

I haven't bought one of these for awhile, but last I did, it was an '87 that had all work done by GM for $2500 a few years back, only issue at the time was a CEL from EGR being plugged up.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Sweetysblazer: I'm in Tacoma, Washington

Thanks for all the information, I'm going to go check it out again tomorrow and look for all the things that were mentioned. I will post some pictures of it after I'm doing checking it out tomorrow. just going to keep my fingers crossed about the rust. when I originally checked underneath the truck I couldn't find any rust which is rare for a car up here. I'm going to check under the tailgate tomorrow and pull up some of the carpet as well.

I work near Tacoma, I'd take a look at it with you if timing works out. Seems to me that you never notice all the problems until AFTER you purchase a vehicle...a second set of eyes might help.

If you know your way around vehicles though, I won't be much help. You should be able to spot all the bad work that is typically done...hacked wiring, hacked emissions under hood, the sort of evidence that indicates someone has been messing with a vehicle that shouldn't have been.

We don't have a lot of problem with rust out here, as long as the truck didn't come from back east, it's probably in pretty good shape in terms of rust. There are a couple of areas to look at (the area just forward of the rear wheel on either side and the end of the bed where the tailgate mates up) but again, that vintage, and if from here, probably not going to see much.

I haven't bought one of these for awhile, but last I did, it was an '87 that had all work done by GM for $2500 a few years back, only issue at the time was a CEL from EGR being plugged up.

Yeah rust shouldn't be an issue in this area unless it's a transplant truck. I am up north on Whidbey, but I make it down that way occasionally. If you find any perspective purchases up north I could take a look as well.

 

[snowdriver]

As far as reliability goes,they are pretty good,I have 245000 on mine and is very reliable,but at that mileage you never know what may creep up on you,the only time it stranded me was when ignition control module burned out,fortunately that was within 2 miles of home

 

[Dabba]

Like any older used vehicles they can have their problems depending on maintenance. But keep in mind they're also a lot simpler. Which means there tends to be less to go wrong and it's easier to fix yourself.