1998 Ford conversion van - thoughts

[AbuelaLoca]

Anybody wanna give initial thoughts on this van? Not exactly a high-top, but well within my price range!

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/6001092991.html

 

[Campor99]

Look long and hard, don't get exciteded! Think GM products, they are cheaper in long run. Best, enjoy your adventure, be safe and see our beautiful country.

 

[Canine]

Nice van. You will get the Ford 5.4 naysayers but overall, if everything is on the "up and up" with receipts and you get a 3rd party check of the vehicle I dont think you have a big problem. Tranny is the main worry, if its original then budget for a rebuild in your emergency savings.
You could have a mechanic pull an easy to get to plug and see if they've been changed and what shape the plug is in.

You really wont find anything well taken care of for much less. The caveat is "well taken care of". I can show you at least 5 Phoenix craigslist ads for similar 1/2 ton low top conversions for about the same money but most if not all dont have the receipts to back up the claims of maintenance.

I think that Optimistic Paranoid once said that at that age its not the brand its the condition and care. I dont think he is a Ford fan but there's only a zillion ford vans on the road so evidently they dont all send spark plugs into orbit. Give it an inspection and good luck.

 

[hepcat]

With 176k miles there's always the possibility that it it will or will soon need a new engine/trans/rear end. You could get 300k out of it, or you could break down pulling out of the driveway when you buy it.

It looks like a lot of the chassis maintenance has been done. Make sure they've got receipts. The 5.4 is one of those Triton engines that can spit plugs, but I wouldn't pass on it because of that.

 

[SternWake]

My buddy is a GM guy who is a service advisor in a busy automotive repair joint. His biggest complaint about Ford from a professional sense, disregarding his otherwise strong pro GM anti Ford opinions, is often they switched parts within the same model year, either requiring the tech completely disassemble and identify the part before ordering the right part, or ordering all the options of parts that could be required, then returning the parts that were not applicable to that specific model within that model year.

He also has been stymied when the part required was actually for a model year before or after. The vehicle owners get all upset when it adds days to the repair simply to get the correct part, and he has to hold his tongue and not berate Ford too vociferously.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

All are excellent points, as usual!! As the "wannabe", I just see the shiny parts!! Thanks for the replies

 

[Alcatraz]

My buddy is a GM guy who is a service advisor in a busy automotive repair joint.  His biggest complaint about Ford from a professional sense, disregarding his otherwise strong pro GM anti Ford opinions, is often they switched parts within the same model year, either requiring the tech completely disassemble  and identify the part before ordering the right part, or ordering all the options of parts that could be required, then returning the parts that were not applicable to that specific model within that model year.

 He also has been stymied when the part required was actually  for a model year before or after.  The vehicle owners get all upset when it adds days to the repair simply to get the correct part, and he has to hold his tongue and not berate Ford too vociferously.

I have several fords and never had that problem.
I never had that the problem with any car I ever worked on regardless of brand.

 

[Without Leash]

I have a '98 Club Wagon with a 5.4l. I've owned it from 32k miles to the current 187k miles. I've spent less money on repairing it than on my '06 Honda Element I bought new. It has only 130k miles.

My mechanic has owned a couple of the e150 vans of the era. He services many fleet vehicles. He likes them and never has a problem getting parts. He has never mentioned issues with the blown plugs. He changed my plugs a while back, probably around 100k.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am not anti Ford. I own a Ford and a Chevy. but it is true Ford changes parts willy nilly. so does Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mercedes and others. makes it a pain sometimes. highdesertranger