Arizona Tumbleweed

Is this at a used car dealership? Most of them buy from auctions and often there's a good reason why it was at the auction and not on somebody's car lot. I just don't trust most of them. Maybe see the CarFax first.

Newbomb Turk

It is at a used car dealership, and they did get it from an auction. The carfax report looks good. Two owners, both personal, and both in Texas. No accidents, just service records, etc.

Mulestang

Not to be a downer, and not against the purchase. Be prepared to fly back empty-handed. Don't let the pressure of expecting to fly down/drive back lead to a poor decision. I test drove quite a few trucks advertised as 'excellent' that were anything but before I found my current ride, and it was by dumb luck. Hope yours is better.

SCORGE

Make sure you test and listen to E V E R Y T H I N G. Don't let the new truck jitters cloud your judgment (Alec Guiness voice)

Newbomb Turk

What, in particular, should I be listening for?

SCORGE

Knocking, excessive ticking, rattling at start-up, rattling under light acceleration. Tapping

Mulestang

Also, give it a good, long test drive. Make sure it gets good and hot. Many times, the true nature of the engine won't reveal itself until it's been exercised. Spirited acceleration, idling with ALL accessories on, etc. Make a little checklist on your phone of everything you need to check (forgotten things like a/c and heat, lights, turn signals, radio, sunroof, is there a spare tire & jack...you get the idea. It's too easy, in the excitement of the purchase, to forget to turn on something like the a/c or heat...only to find out it doesn't work once you've inked the deal. Just an idea...

SCORGE

Hell, bring a friend to have a second opinion. Maybe they'll catch something that you didn't

dman66

Pull the oil cap off the valve cover - make sure no smoke or pressure flowing out of it.
CHECK THE USUAL POINTS OF RUST UNDER THE TRUCK:
ROCKER PANELS, KICK TO FLOOR PANELS, REAR FENDERS, AND TRUCK BED SUPPORTS

diver64

Check the records as others have been said. If it has had a complete timing job including cam phasors, water and oil pump etc and the rest of the maintenance was done on a timely basis I might buy it being aware that with those type of miles I'm probably into other types of stuff like rear seals etc. I'd also carefully ask what the guy did with it.
"under $9,000" is kinda vague. How much under? $8995? With 200k It had better be immaculate, driven around town and not on a ranch and be closer to the $5,000 mark.