2005 Express worth the price?

[Bebo]

Hello everyone, I have been lurking for a while now and I was hoping you could give me your opinions on a van I found for sale. It is a 2005 Chevy Express 2500 4.8L V8 with 56,000 miles. The body looks to be in good condition except for what he describes as "paint imperfections" on the roof. The engine and transmission are supposedly in good condition. Asking price is $9,000.<br><br> I have not had a chance to check it out or talk to the guy yet but I would like to know what you think before I make the trip to examine it (It is pretty far from me, the only deal I have found so far where they are not asking 5k more that it is worth). Mileage is low but I am worried that is too much money for an '05 which is getting a up there in years. I know it is impossible to tell without checking it out in person but I would appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Van-Tramp]

I don't think I would agree that '05 is "getting up there in years". That is only 8 years old. Heck, it's no where near middle-age for a car. <br>If it were a human, it would be in it's late 20's to early 30's.<br><br>Kelly Blue Book gives an estimate private party price in the $8,500 - $10,000 range for that vehicle with that mileage.

 

[Opa]

I would get the Carfax report for piece of mind.<br>I think it is well worth the $20. When I check out vehicles I show up an hour early<br>so the owner can not warm up the vehicle. A cold vehicle sound can tell me more then <br>a&nbsp;warm&nbsp;one.

 

[MrNoodly]

The question I would have is why the mileage is low. It's about half what it would typically be. Maybe there's a good reason.&nbsp;<br><br>As far as price goes, I bought a, '07 Express with the same engine, regular length, windowless sliding door, roof rack and shelves, 115k miles, not beat up, good paint, for $8000. That was a good value for a van like that in my neck of the woods. And I looked at and drove a lot of contenders. <br><br>So it's a matter of over-all condition. The low mileage is a bonus, if there's a good reason for it (as opposed to it having spent a lot of time in the shop or something). See if you can bargain the seller down a little.

 

[Bebo]

I wish I could find a deal that good MrNoodly, I have looked at hundreds of ads and it seems like everyone is trying to screw you over. I agree about the mileage, low is nice but I do not want it if it has been sitting for a long time. <br><br>I will get the VIN number and run a report if everything else sounds good Opa. Interesting tip about showing up early, I had not thought about that.

 

[MrNoodly]

Some sellers like to meet at a neutral location (shopping center parking lot, or example) in order to keep who-knows-what kind of buyers away from their home or business. In cases like that, being there early doesn't accomplish anything.