'87 Chevy G30 - 34k miles

[bkrunaway]

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for all the guidance thus far. After my last seller cancelled on me (found out he decided to finish his conversion so I'm happy for him) I've come across another van that feels like it's about the right size for me. Seller says he can stand in it at 6ft!

1987 Chevy G30 with 34k miles. https://buffalo.craigslist.org/cto/6115885326.html

Carfax came back great, so I have two questions: 

• Thoughts on the van?
• If I have proof of inspection, what I am looking for if I were to bring it to a mechanic to check it out? Is it just that I'd have a chance to hear about potential problem areas that are still passable for inspections? Traveling to check out vans makes coordinating to find and bring to the mechanic a bit difficult but also seems very necessary. 

Additional description from email: "The van is essentially an EMT van with all the former equipment cut out and turned into a cargo van. I used it to haul my dirt bike and motorcycles around.   It's bare bones but runs well. It's currently on the road and inspected. It comes with 2 sets of wheels in addition to the set on it. I just want to be as honest as possible.    As I don't know what you are intending on using it for. It's big machine with a large engine and 1 ton suspension. The work I did with it was a complete tune up last year. (New plugs, distributor cap, plugs).  I changed the front brake pads and I put a new length of pipe for the exhaust on it. I have driven it to Cleveland, Pittsburgh , Syracuse with no problems whatsoever. It's not the prettiest thing, doesn't have a lot of amenities, and it is an 87.  But it does run well and the body is very good for its age."  

 

[John61CT]

First question, 34K really? And if so, why >100 miles per month over its lifetime?

Stored for years at a time with no use brings its own problems.

No question thorough inspection of the drivetrain required.

 

[bkrunaway]

No data from '87-05' on carfax. Does that mean it wasn't registered or inspected and just sitting? According to the report, only 7k miles put on from '87-'05. Then 1.3k total '04-'11. Since 2011 they've added about 2-4k miles every year since then.

Thanks for the input. Looking for a mechanic up there right now. If anyone has any input on mechanics up near buffalo, ny I would appreciate it!

 

[Dgorila1]

He says it was formally the ambulance. This may explain the low mileage, if it was used in a low-volume emergency setting.

 

[hangtownmatt]

You do realize that odometer rolls over to "0" after 99,999.

 

[highdesertranger]

don't take Carfax as the last word. a lot of stuff doesn't show up on Carfax. highdesertranger

 

[masterplumber]

It was an EMT vehicle, not an ambulance. That means they didn't transport patients in it, just showed up with the equipment to provide care and assess if an ambulance is needed for transport. Many fire departments have these vehicles, though usually they are a truck or suburban type, not a van. In my area they have now incorporated this into the firetrucks. So given it's specialized use, I can see it only having the miles posted. It probably mostly sat for years, with only rare use, so they finally decided to auction it off. It sounds like the guy who has it now has taken decent care of it, I'd just check all the rubber parts like hoses and seals for rot from sitting, or just plan on replacing them as preventive maintenance. A vehicle that age will probably need that regardless of whether it has 34,000 or 340,000 miles.

 

[bkrunaway]

Hangtownmatt, I do know about the mileage rollover considering there's only 5 digits. 2011-now makes sense but it's really the pre-2005 era that's a mystery. Nothing in carfax from '87-'05. Thanks highdeserstranger for the carfax info. What have you seen left off those reports before, inspections?

Just got pics of the under carriage and this rust is making me second guess my excitement.

 

[highdesertranger]

any number of things could be left off the reports. keep in mind the vast majority of mechanic shops do not report to Carfax, same with a lot of body shops. anything that was done by DIYers will not appear. used car dealers don't want anything they do to show up on the reports except routine maintenance. highdesertranger

 

[bkrunaway]

Thanks highdesertstranger and masterplumber. I thought there'd at least be inspection records to show mileage etc. Perhaps there aren't a lot of centralized electronic records before 2005.   

The seller seems very honest and concerned with me having all the information before I get up there (if I were to go). I asked him to send me pics of all rust spots. 

I'm thinking this rust is too much, but interested to get your perspectives. 

 

[GotSmart]

OUCH!

The rust might just be a deal killer

Until that It looked like a great platform.

 

[decodancer]

Same thing with my 87 van. No registrations for 12 years and only 64000 miles on it when I bought it. Still running good four years and 25000 miles later so my guess is that the mileage was valid.

 

[John61CT]

Yes Buffalo, 30 years, rust galore.

But for the money, even if it only last a couple years more, make sure you do the build-out modular to transfer to the next one.

And maybe it goes another decade?

Make sure the rust isn't dangerously threatening structural safety bits.

 

[bkrunaway]

Will do

 

[Alcatraz]

No data from '87-05' on carfax. Does that mean it wasn't registered or inspected and just sitting? According to the report, only 7k miles put on from '87-'05. Then 1.3k total '04-'11. Since 2011 they've added about 2-4k miles every year since then.

Thanks for the input. Looking for a mechanic up there right now. If anyone has any input on mechanics up near buffalo, ny I would appreciate it!

If it belong to an EMT company they would do their own in house maintence and would not report it to anyone.
Not saying that is the case here, just pointing it out.

 

[Alcatraz]

Its definetly going to need U-joints soon.
I would poke the heck out of it everywhere with a screwdriver, when the owner was not looking.
The title is a dead giveaway for rollovers.
Box A The Mileage stated reflects the actual mileage
Box B The Mileage stated is in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits
Box C The odometer reading is not the actual mileage. Mileage is unknown and may exceed the vechicles capability.

Not all states do this, so check with your state.

 

[steamjam1]

When it comes to rust... THATS FRICKING NOTHING. Have the front end of the frame inspected. Thats the key