I may buy a “New” truck (from a dealership) that I understand has a manufacture date of February 2006. Is it possible for a new truck to sit around for almost a year without being sold? Could it be returned due to a problem or could a problem have prevented its sale?
I do not have an odometer reading yet or a VIN. What would you guys look into?

Thanks Jim

 

There are (if you believe the business news) many, many thousands of unsold 2006 model year trucks sitting on dealer lots and in DC storage yards. It sounds like your truck is one of these. You'll know a lot more when you find out how many miles are on the odometer. Is the dealer offering to start your new vehicle warranty on the date of delivery?

Rusty

 

It can only be sold as a "NEW" truck it has never been registered before and yes they can set around for that long. You should be able to swing a good deal! The warrenty will be active from when you buy it.

 

I bought my megacab back in October 2006 and my manufacture build date is October 2005.

 

Mine was 11/05 I bought it 07/06, and after that long it still only had 19 miles of test drives on it.

 

That is why I looked at all of the Trucks on the lot that were 6spds to make sure that they were newer Models/Younger!!- - - - - -I dont like the fact that the truck has sat for so long after a couple of hard drives and then put up wet!

 

My Mega Cab was bought in May of 06 but had a build date (on the door tag) of August of 05. I was really shocked when I discovered it. I thought the engine had to be bad for sitting so long with no miles. But the engine has given me 20k of trouble free miles. I am amazed that Dodge and it's dealers can afford to have 50k trucks sitting around for alomst a year.

 

Most dealers tend to want to deal more on the "older" new trucks. they are paying floor plan interest to keep that truck on the lot and that costs them more the longer it is around.

I test drove a 2006 Silver 6sp MC last November when I bought my truck. That truck is still on the dealers truck as of last week (Which is funny because they were telling me, at that time, that they had no problem moving the megacabs).

I wouldn't anticipate you having any issues, especially if the miles are low. My wife's new Commander was on a lot for 9 months. We got it leased for the price of a Commander that would sticker for 6k less.

 

A friend of mine bought a GMC gasser just before I got my Cummins. I remember it was built in August 04, but he didn't buy it until Spring 05. It had sat at the dealer for quite a while and was loaded. It had alot more toys than what he was looking for, but they made him a great deal on it so he took it.

Orion, Check the hours meter, too, to give you an idea on idle time in comparision to the odometer reading.

 

If the dealer has the Truck floorplaned use the fact its getting to have a birthday next month to work the price, if the stock number is close to a newer built truck than it sat in DC's yard and not the dealers.

 

12Pack

I will do that too. How do you check the hour meter though?

Thanks!

 

I was going to post on how to do it, as I learned from another DTR member, but since you have an 01, and I'm not sure if you can do it on that, I didn't bother as I didn't want to insult you.

Anyway, turn the key to on, but not start, then hold down the trip OD button for 5-6 seconds and the # of hours will appear. Post this number when you post the mileage and, as you know, you'll get plenty of opinions on what to do.

 

One more possibility, when I was looking in early 05, a local dealer had an 04 listed in the paper that only had 100 miles on it. They didn't list which tranny it had, so I emailed them and asked about the mileage.

They said the radio was stolen on transit to a dealer so it was shipped back and this dealership bought it from DC. They wanted way too much for it (yea I know, what a surprise) since it was already a 1 yr old truck. I'm guessing they considered this truck new as it was never sold, but just listed it as a 2004 in the ad. This was in January of 05.

 

I bought my '06 in November '06. Build date of 12/05. Odometer had 20 miles on it when I test drove it. I looked at 3 trucks on the lot and they all had build dates of Nov. or Dec. '05. I read in a local newspaper that DC has (had) thousands of '06 models left over sitting in storage lots and dealers wouldn't buy them because they couldn't sell them. That's why they had the big rebates in Nov. '06. Mine was marked down $8,000.

 

I guess that is one advantage of ordering a truck. My build date and date of delivery were just a few weeks apart. Ordered it in Mid April, drove it off the lot in Mid June. Niceset part is that it was not test driven by anyone else.