How much would you bid...

[Mr Mom]

     The vol fire dept in the next town are going to bid off a 1978 dodge one ton truck.
     Do not know the miles very little i would think. Has a contractors box on it with what looks like homemade ladder rack. The body looks good from the road. might need paint job later down the road.
     Any thoughts would be helpful.



     Thanks Alot Mr Mom
     

[flip]

First ?? would be what ya wan it for?  Miles?  Engine size, type of trans.?

Me, probably not over $2000.

Flip

[Mr Mom]

     Flip   I do alot of odd jobs around and the contractor box would help.
     The 1 ton would come in handy when there is logs to haul or firewood that need hauled away.
     The miles should not be that much because it was in the dept. It was their grass truck i think.
     Engine size would not mater because i dont drive very far. Trans does not mater because i can drive both and so can my wife.
     I like the older dodges too. My first truck was a 1974 dodge truck.
   
     Thanks alot Mr Mom

[Furby]

While it may not matter to you, the size/type of engine and tranny sure affect price of the truck.
No point in spending $2k on something worth $500.
I'd try and find out as much as you can about it if I were you.
Go take a look at it, if they are selling it, they won't have a problem with you looking it over and asking questions.
They probly have all the sevice records for it and would let you take it to a garage to have it looked over. ;)

[Mr Mom]

     Furby   good point. I will have to stop and look at it closer.
     The auction is next month sometime. I think my wife said at the end. It is a sealed bid.


     Thanks alot Mr Mom
     

[shopteacher]

I'd try to find a blue book value for it as a start.  I looked up my 98 F150 and trade in was listed at about 1800.00. 

[SwampDonkey]

I wouldn't give more than $500 for a truck that old. Even if there aren't many miles there can be problems just the same. And I'm no mechanic. ;)

[thurlow]

Sounds like you're looking for a work truck;  engine size, type of transmission, springs, tires, etc;  all those things matter.   I've driven nothing but Dodges since 1966; never had a bad one and the current one has better than 200,000 miles on it, but it can really make a difference how they're equipped, as to whether it'll do what you want it to do.......

[Mr Mom]

     The problem is that i dont do alot of stuff like you guy do.
     I will not be pulling a big mill or tractors but there is times that i need a ton of gravel or need to haul somthing heavy. I cant seeing going out to buy a new one ton when i dont haul alot of weight all the time.
     I am stuck between a roch and a hard place.
     I have firewood at three places that i cant get beacuse i dont have a truck.


     Thanks alot Mr Mom

     

[etat]

If it was me I'd assume the truck would probably not bring more than 5  to 6 hundred dollars, and i'd assume somebody else might bid the 500  (depending upon condition) and if i wanted it I'd bid 535.00 and not a penny more.   Those types of trucks at a auction usually go cheap. 

[Vermonter]

Any chance this was a military M880?

[Mr Mom]

     Vermonter    I dont know. I think that it just a regular one ton but dont know.
     Tomarrow I will call see if i can get any more infor on the truck.



     Thanks alot Mr Mom   

[rebocardo]

Some one ton work trucks

http://www.boyceequipment.com/

click on the the yellow chevy and see the 78 Dodge 4x4 below it.

[isassi]

Kind of reminds me of a Dodge I found on E-bay a few years ago. It was a fire and rescue truck, 4WD, 400 V8, less then 2000 miles. Starting bid: $1800, and no bidders 6 days into the sale. I called the guy and could tell he thought no one would bid on it. Offered to let me have it for $1500 and close the auction. Super smart me said I'll think about it. Day seven he dropped the starting bid to $500 with no reserve, and fox that I am (smarter then most), I waitied til the last few minutes to bid. End of story was, the bid at $500 came is with 5 minutes to close, and the auction ended with a high bid of $6155. All this in four minutes. That was my first E-bay lesson about bid snipers and lots of folks wait to bid or have a auto bid software to hit something at the end like that.

Depending on miles, and overall condition, I bet you will have to pay in excess of $2000 for it unless it is a rust wreck. Only good thing is a sealed bid means no one gets the fever like a live auction does.  ;)

[Mr Mom]

     Joasis     it is not a rust wreck look pretty good form the road. Might have to take a closer look and some pictures.
     Rebocardo   Thanks for the site now i want a 5 ton truck.  :D :D :D


     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[SwampDonkey]

I always wait till near the end of an auction to bid as well, but I only place my max bid and if I get outbid I usually figure they paid to much. And alot of times I'm right because the 'loser' (in this case someone that outbid his wits) will usually back out of the auction. Seen it happen at least 10 times in my limited ebaying.  ;)

[Vermonter]

If you're looking for old Dodge parts (M880), or for 2.5 or 5 ton trucks, check out Saturn Surplus
I had a M884 radio rig, 1977, 27000 original miles.  Great truck, finally solved the fuel problems with an electric pump.  I don't think anyone could have used a truck harder than I did that one.  It's in retirement in the hills, plows one driveway a year now.

If you're into sniping, try easysnipe.com
I've never used it, but lots of my buyers have.  They let you use it for free, and the closer to the close you want your bid, the more they charge.

[isassi]

Something to be said for E-bay and bid sniping. I don't do it, I bid what I think it's worth, and thats it, no more. I hate bid sniping, but that is how it works. One thing I like about the yesterdays tractors auction is the fact that the auction ends 20 minutes after the last bid is placed on the ending day. Sure does defeat the bid snipers. I wouldn't mind if E-bay set it up so when you bid, the bid actually increased the full amount, rather then proxy bidding.

[tnlogger]

joasis I know how you feel about that I've lost some good deals I thought I had buy bid sniping  ;)

[UNCLEBUCK]

 Yes I would agree with C about this truck !  Sealed bids on small town municipal items usually go very cheap . C knows his auction stuff  >:(        ;D ;D

[etat]

I always bid snipe too, that is unless I'm buying a valuable christmas CD or something like that!    ;D

[beenthere]

........., I bid what I think it's worth, and thats it, no more. .............defeat the bid snipers. I wouldn't mind if E-bay set it up so when you bid, the bid actually increased the full amount, rather then proxy bidding.

joasis
Would you go to an auction and jump raise the bid clear up to the price "you think it is worth"? I wouldn't.  Or would you keep that 'secret' in your mind, without anyone else knowing just how high you are willing to bid?   ???  I do, and think that is how eBay proxy bidding works.

I guess I don't see where bid sniping is so bad, as I put in a proxy bid at the amount I am willing to pay, and often if I remember, put that proxy in at the last few seconds.     If I win the bid for less, I am happy that I saved some money. If someone snipes me for a higher bid, then I cannot be upset. They were willing to pay more for the item, than I was.  
In fact, that is one thing that I like the best about eBay 'shopping'. Bid sniping does add an unknown to the bidding.

[isassi]

Very good point, beenthere. No one would go to a regular auction and high bid beyond an asking bid...unless you are clearing out the small fry. I have, when I wanted something badly, raised the bid by large jumps to get out another bidder who is nickel and diming it up. He wants it, he is gonna pay for it.  :D Another point: A regular auction ends with the best and highest bid, which is the last bid. Bid sniping, when done electronically, eliminates someone like me, on a dial up modem, from even considering raising my bid in the nano second four other bidders place. I have been watching items, and have a comfortable margin above the bid, and in the last 15 seconds, loose it to a sniper or programmed bid. But oh well...if I didn't get along with E-bay, I wouldn't buy online and I do a lot. My feedback is perfect and would be more, but I don't leave feedback til I recieve it first : We all have differing opinions, and I respect all others...even about sniping. Sometimes it is even funny to read the bid history and see some guy peck away at a bid til he gets it, then get blown away by a sniper...just like real life.  :D

Reminds me of a story I heard last week about our local real estate/auctioneer guru.  He was conducting an auction of a farm, and the guy everyone thought would be the buyer was bidding it up, when another guy, a cousin of the auctioneer, began bidding and the price went way up. The original bidder quit....turned away and walked to his truck. The cousin had a sick look on his face and it was obvious to everyone the guru just bought the property when he was only trying to run the price higher for a larger commission...there is a little justice out there  :D

[Mr Mom]

   I think i will bid $2500 and just let it ride. I have untill the 21 of april. By then i could get a closer look at it.


     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[Saki]

One item you might want to consider is how a fire truck is used. My father in law got one that he is going to have to overhaul. Most of the time the truck sits until there is a need for it, then it is fired up by any one of several operators, run like a tornado up to the fire while the engine is cold, and then may idle there for hours. Definitely not the best of operating condidtions. Do your research, look it over, and when you decide what you would be willing to give, stick withthat amount. Wish you the best of luck on your purchase. Saki

[etat]

I think i will bid $2500 and just let it ride. I have untill the 21 of april. By then i could get a closer look at it.

$2500.00?  for a 78 one ton?     .......OUCH........

I've seen real good looking later model one ton trucks go at farm auctions for lots and lots less than that.   If I understand sealed bids correctly its not like Ebay bids where your bid just barely bumps the next bid, whatever bid you place  in that envelope is what that you will pay.   :   

Also in my opinion while you do have a use for the contractors box, not many people probably would that would be looking at that truck, in my opinion that makes it worth less.  Around here anyways.                                   

[Furby]

Agree with C! ;)

[isawlogs]

 If I where to be bidding on that Dodge .. I would look into what the box is worth to me ... and that would be my bid . A 78 pick-up aint worth much ..No matter where it came from .  You should be looking at the value of the box and bid accordingly . 

[Mr Mom]

     Thanks alot guys  ;) ;) ;).  Some very good question that have to be answered.
     
     ctate   Sitting here and thing about it and the good info that you all have given, Im going to change my bid.
     
     Isawlogs   My neighbor just put a new contractor box on his truck and spent $7000.00.
That may include the paint and other stuff too.

     That is the problem that i have i never could put a price on anthing.

     Thanks Mr Mom

[HARLEYRIDER]

Usually, fire service vehicles have very low miles, kept in a heated garage all its life, and a over-maintained.
It probably has under 30,ooo miles on it.
Buy it

[Dana]

Up here, and I am sure, where you live, any government agency can go into a military surplus yard and buy the surplus dirt cheap. My guess is that you would find some green under that paint job. ;) With that said a truck like that would bring $ 500.00 to $1200 here, depending on how many people know about the sale.

[bcraw98]

A grass/brush truck has a hard life. One large fire, and the radiator can become clogged with soot and engine temp to the boiling point on a hot Texas summer day. Operators not as skilled as others  hanging up on stumps, riding the clutch, getting stuck in the mud and so on ....................... Of course none of the above ever applies to me  :D .  Our 1990 ford grass truck(well maintained) has about 19000 miles and I would compare it to one of my ranch trucks with about 190000 miles. I don't know how much the bed is worth, but I would consider the truck a highly used low mile truck.

[etat]

I just bought TWO large cast iron wash pots, two very old steel and wood trunks (one in fairly good shape but needing a hinge and the latch off of the other trunk that isn't in so good shape), a double bit ax, a single bit ax, a old corn basket, two railroad type house jacks, a steel eagle that hangs on the wall, a couple of shovels, a carpet moving dolly, a really long steel straight edge, a couple of old paintings, a handfull of old horse bits, a old set of hames, a old butter churn, a really old well bucket, a steel double tree, a couple of old rag tag wood single trees, along with a bit of other assorted junk for..................uh............less than a hundred dollars......... ;D   8) 8) 8)


My Mom, I really hope my information doesn't knock you out of getting the truck its just that I know what that 'I' would pay.  My first work roofing truck was a 78 Ford with a 400 big block motor in it, dual positive traction rear end, excellent shape with a steel bed with sides and a expanded metal talgate and a ladder rack already on it, and.........I gave 15 hundred dollars for it 12 years ago.  When I bought it it had already had the motor professionally rebuilt in the last couple of years, good rubber on it all of the way around, good brakes and I drove it for almost 5 years hard before I sold it. As I said, I only gave 15 hundred for it and this was quite a few years ago.  If you spend a lot of money for this truck and have to do 'anything' to it such as motor, transmission, brakes, anything then soon you've for sure got a lot of money in it.  Also don't forget the price of fuel, which also may very well help keep the cost down.

On a truck that old I think there won't be  a lot of professional people bidding on it, maybe a few such as you that has a use for it around the farm or hauling something.  And for most of these people, the contractor box would just be in the way I think, thats another reason I think it just ain't gonna bring much.  That said, I hope I'm right and didn't give you information that would knock you out of getting a truck that you want.  The thing is in my opinion that if for some reason you didn't get it, well, somewhere out there there's always another one.   

Wishing you good luck...............C. 

[Dana]

C. got to love those auctions don't you! 8) They will start up soon here mostly just household stuff in last few years. The best were the farm auctions but most of those guys have retired. :(

[Mr Mom]

     ctate   I will bid but less than before.
     All the info i can get is very welcome that is why i asked the good people of this forum.
     I dont bid no alot of things but go to some auctions.

     bcraw98   Most grass fires around here are not that big. It Does not look like a grass truck it has a picture of the jaws of life on one set of doors. Maybe it is their equipment truck???

     Dana   That is a good question to ask them if it is ex-military.

     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[J_T]

Got a compleat fire truck 19000 miiles made it into a log truck good tires 250.00 bucks  8) 1960 I H  8)

[bcraw98]

I thought it was a grass truck since you thought it was a grass truck, but now I think it might be a rescue truck since you think it isn't a grass truck  Rescue trucks have an easier life unless your a combo grass rescue truck like our newest truck. Then you just get double duty  ;D . BTW, if my department ever decides to retire the old Ford grass truck, I'm bettin' it finds a job my way. Everyone thinks I'm just being nice lettin' them head out in the newer trucks, but truth be told, I'm just ridin' the proven battle scarred war horse.

[Mr Mom]

     bcraw98   It could have had a double life but i cant say.



     Thanks alot Mr Mom

[Mr Mom]

     Well i missed the sealed bid auction on the dodge.
     I read the paper wrong :-[ :-[ :-[.
     I did find out that the truck went for $3900. The truck had less than 18000 miles on it.
     That is o.k beacuse that is more money that goes to the mill.



     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[junkyard]

Don't feel bad that you were not the high bidder. My nephew bought a fire truck He gave the body away to get it out ofhis yard. bought a new dump body for it. Then came the fun part trying to find all of the little things that are on the shelf at the parts store. We spent more time looking for parts and modifying them to work than he did working the truck. When he sold it couldn't get the price of the dump body from it.
The trucks I started out with were old but always figured that the engine and tranny had three miles on it for every mile on the speedometer because they were underpowered and overworked so they spent a lot of time in the lower gears.
                    Junkyard

[Mr Mom]

     Junkyard.....Never got to place the bid read the paper wrong. I thought that they started to collect the bids fri at 1:oo pm but that is when they opened the bids to see who won.
     There is always next time.



     Thanks Alot Mr Mom.