2000 Chevy Astrovan

[saracatherine]

I'm looking at one on Monday, described thusly:

[font='Bitstream Vera Serif', 'Times New Roman', serif]2000 Chevy Astro van, 117000 miles runs and drives excellent, ac works, heater, power locks and windows, [/font][font='Bitstream Vera Serif', 'Times New Roman', serif]No rear seats, very clean van! 4.3 v6 with auto, doesn't miss a beat! 1500 obo.[/font]

I saw a whole bunch of pictures and it does look very clean, and also like someone already started a conversion project they didn't finish. That is probably why it's cheap (given that most people in my state who want a minivan need to tote children) but also what might make it perfect for me. Everything behind the driver and front passenger seats has been taken out, and there is some plywood on the floor and what looks like a start at some wooden storage bins or shelves on one side. 

It LOOKS like I could throw in a mattress and cooler and be off on short trips very soon.

I could tell from the pictures that it's parked across from a muffler shop in town and then in one of the pictures, is in a commercial looking garage, which makes me wonder if it's something they're selling for a customer or mechanic's special kind of deal. I've communicated with seller and am getting VIN soon.

Honestly at this price, and given that I don't NEED this vehicle and can tinker with it for as long as I need to, I feel willing to go for it and don't mind, over time, shelling out the money to take care of any issues that come up with. It seems like a good, low-risk (for me and my budget) entree into the very part-time van life that I'm interested in with bonus of it being a vehicle I can also use for normal life getting around town. (Currently my husband and I have one car between us.)

If anyone has any Astrovan thoughts, pro or con, lay 'em on me! The research I've done so far doesn't raise any huge flags.

Thanks!

 

[John61CT]

Yes, if it checks out, do **thorough** due diligence if no contact with the actual PO, get a trusted mechanic do do full safety and drivetrain, check for evidence of frame damage, flooding for example.

Smaller than many but also bigger than the real mini's.

 

[user 37446]

And get FR's free vin AutoCheck in the next 24 hours...

Astro' are ok, the engine design is sound (350 with 2 cylinders chopped off), there's a couple Astro specific forums which will give you platform specific information, sources of parts etc.

Lots of YouTube vids on people converting Astro's as well.

One thing I like about them is that a roof vent looks normal on one, as opposed to any minivan or window van.

 

[jonyjoe303]

The one I got is a 1986 astrovan, still running strong with the 4.3 liter engine. The only problem I had with it since I bought it 4 years ago was replace the fuel pump (in gas tank) and repair the differential, both which I did myself. Changing the sparkplugs is extremely hard but I did myself, once every 2/3 years is probably good enough. Its a rear wheel drive van, while most of the other minivans are front wheel drive. I don't know the true milege on mine, the odometer only goes to 99,999 miles than it starts over again. I don't know about the newer ones but mine only gets about 12 mpg, but its not a big deal, I dont drive far. Where I use to work before they use to use the astrovan as a small shuttle bus and most had over 200,000 miles, they were workhorses.

If this van stop working where I couldnt fix it, I would buy another newer astrovan. It's proven very reliable for me. And lot of room in the back. Plenty of room for a 240 watt solar panel on the roof.

If you buy it the first thing I would do is put foam insulation all over the rear of your van while there is nothing back there. The foam insulation works extremely well in keeping the temperature down in the back. i use the rtech foam from home depot, it cost about 8 dollars for a 4 foot by 8 foot 1/2" sheet. I have 1" foam on the roof, and almost 2 inches on the rear windows and about 1/2 inch on the sides. I'm always adding more foam to the hotspots. With the foam a small swampcooler will keep you cool in most weather. And the foam will also keep you warm in the cold.  

 

[saracatherine]

@jonyjoe303 Thank you so much, exactly the kind of info I was looking for! I'm so excited to go actually see this thing tomorrow and find out more...I hope I sleep tonight.

It's going to be more of a camper-van thing for me, not something to live in...I am YEARS away from doing something like that, if I ever do. But I still want to gradually do things like insulation, solar panel, and all the basics I would need to jump in and go whether for a few nights away or a day up one of the nearby canyons, or in case of apocalypse.

The reminder to do insulation first while it's nice and gutted is welcome. Thanks again.

 

[saracatherine]

And get FR's free vin AutoCheck in the next 24 hours...

Astro' are ok, the engine design is sound (350 with 2 cylinders chopped off), there's a couple Astro specific forums which will give you platform specific information, sources of parts etc.

Lots of YouTube vids on people converting Astro's as well.

One thing I like about them is that a roof vent looks normal on one, as opposed to any minivan or window van.

I think I'm going to miss the free VIN check window. Bah. I spent A LOT of time yesterday watching Astro conversion videos. I have to cut myself off at some point and do my actual for-money job for a bit...such a fun obession, though.

 

[user 37446]

Hope you didnt miss the window!

Glad that you were able to watch the videos. There are some really intricate and well done/thought out Astro builds out there! A couple of the more frequent video makers have dozens of build and equipment threads. One young man redid his Astro at least 3 times! If you watch all of those videos you can watch his progression, then you can learn in a couple hours what it took him a couple of years.

Astro's did get periodic updates, read up on Wikipedia. I believe the 2003-205 (ended production in 2005) got bigger front and rear brakes and 16 inch wheels.

There are AWD Safari's which get good marks, if you are in an area where you may encounter those conditions.

Good luck in your search! (And thanks for being so positive about the search.)

 

[Txjaybird]

I have a 1998 Safari with the same size motor [4.3].  Luckily my Mom and then my brother when she could no longer see to the oil changes, tune ups etc kept the maintenance up on it.  The motor and tranny etc are good with only a little over 100,000 miles on it.  Shorts in the lighting systems has been the hardest thing to get fixed so far. Also needed Ac parts, right front window motor, and the right rear door handle and lock needed to be replaced.  Also the tires were 10yrs old, they were the single largest purchase so far.  I think this all this stuff was just wore out and I was the lucky one to deal with it.  That's O.K.  My mom bought it new so I know the history on it.  Also I had totally given up hopes of finding a decent van that I could afford.

If I was looking at the Astro one thing I would ask about is why no interior rear seats and what were the changes for?  If it checks out mechanically you may have found your rig

Jewellann

 

[vfourmax]

I have a '98 Chevy AWD Astro van with 185,000 miles on it. I love it and it runs and drives great and gets reasonable fuel mileage for what it is. I do know the history from new as friends had bought it new and drove it 20 years until I purchased it from them. This one was a factory conversion van, standard roof not hi rise and had never had a hitch or been used to tow anything until I got it. I removed all the seats except the front two and left the back open.

The only problem I have is the rear hatch leaks and the factory rubber needs to be replaced. So far I have not been able to find a source to obtain all the factory seals and may have to adapt some type of universal seals to eliminate my leakage problem. I keep it parked under a carport and and these days only take it out on nice days. I can find the seals for the barn doors but not for the upper hatch with the dutch doors like I have.

I will be using this for camping purposes (tent) and am setting up my utility trailer to be able to haul both my canoe and my 650 klr motorcycle.
I think an Astro is a great van if it offers the room and weight hauling capacity you need.

 

[saracatherine]

Thanks all - seller dropped off the face of the earth and my attention wandered elsewhere. I appreciate all the responses!