Try parenting. He needs to understand that this truck is going to become a money pit very quickly that will eat virtually every dime he makes. If you tell him that and show him what the REAL cost of ownership is, he might make a better decision....
A vehicle like this will quickly nickel and dime him to death plus the fluctuating price of gas (including diesel) make this a very expensive vehicle. Why else would the current owner want to sell it?
If you explain all of this and he is still determined to get this money pit, let him. But, when he brings it home, make sure he knows that the bank is closed. If his truck is broken or out of gas on a Friday or Saturday night, make sure he knows that he won’t be borrowing your car to go out on his date.
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I assure you I parent my children well. He has heard all this. He is in love. And I am trying to keep it as safe as I can.
Would he be willing to trade down the truck if it proves to be too much of a handful for himself? Sounds like it could end up as a hunk of expensive inert metal really quick.
Maybe some other information would be useful like what kind of education and vocation does he foresee. Does he want to be a truck mechanic? Maybe instead of this, he could buy a basket case and personally restore it, learning as he goes. And he could be proud of the result.
I assure you I parent my children well. He has heard all this. He is in love. And I am trying to keep it as safe as I can.
That truck is about as safe as you can get in a 4 wheeler world ;)
Push him away from the diesel. One diesel mechanic has chimed in and every one I have talked with says the same. Don’t buy um if you don’t need um.
I had a diesel 1 ton van. Got 15 MPG empty with it. After 7 or 8 1500+ dollar repairs I trade it off.
I now have a 3/4 ton Chev with a 4.8L gas engine. It’ll pull anything that old powerstroke did (not as quickly on the heavy loads) the engine and trans will be turning 300,000 miles in the next few weeks.
Push (or shale I say DEMAND) he buy something with a gas engine. Thick black smoke looks cool but it’s gotta go somewhere... Once it has a major failure it’ll become a lawn decoration anyway.