Advice on Chevy van from Florida?

[AlexK90]

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Howdy there,

I could use some feedback on this van.  I've been looking for a few months now and I think this might be it - it's just about ideal.

It's a 2004 Chevy Express 3500 Extended (20ft long) with a fiberglass hi-top installed and 4wd.  6.0L V8 engine.  It's spacious enough for me to live in full-time, and it'll be easily serviced unlike the Sprinters I was looking at.  It's got 126k miles, which isn't exactly low, but I'm OK with it for the price.  

I have a couple of questions - first, it was used as a commercial van in Florida for the first 10 years of its life.  I don't know much about Florida - what are the issues I need to be aware of?  I'm guessing it'll be in generally better condition than some of the other Northeast vans I've been looking at (warmer weather, no salt on the roads)...but I don't know what the humidity does.  I'm guessing rust?

Also, from what I can tell, the fiberglass top doesn't have metal strips installed.  I was told that this might be a problem when it came to installing insulation/siding etc.  Is that true?  Is there some kind of workaround?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GotSmart]

How much?

 

[LeeRevell]

Lifelong Floridian here. If it has been used on or near the coast, salt water rust is a real danger. The winds blow the sea air inland. I have seen a once nice yellow Camaro turned into a huge block of swiss cheese.
My Dad's van, which I now have, has major rust issues down inside the engine bay. So much that I have decided to finally junk it.
Can you determine if it saw mostly local stop&go driving, or mostly ighway miles?

 

[Gary68]

would be great if the price is right

 

[AlexK90]

How much?

They're asking 10k even. With the 4wd and the hi top, it seems fair-ish to me (buying from a dealer)

 

[frater secessus]

I like the van, if rust-free.  Would be much happier paying $5k than $10k though.  KBB shows $4.1K for a private sale in good condition and add some in for the high top.  

I am guessing it was an icecream van or something based on the big side vent.  Also looks like the front bumper has been pushed in a bit.

EDITED:  just saw it was 4WD.  So let's add another grand.  I'd be happy at $6k, and would probably go $7k.

 

[Matlock]

Ask the Dealer to put it up on a rack so you and his best mechanic can look it over together. Tell the Dealer you need to know what it's going to cost to have everything in tip-top shape to drive coast to coast next month and that you'd like any work (front end, 4WD, brakes, Transmission, Tires, etc) that might need attention, taken care of after you buy it. They'll give you a write-up of things that need attention.
#1. If there's a bunch of rust, then pass.
#2. If they can't give you an estimate in writing, then pass.
#3. If Transmission and 4WD are good with not much rust then it's worth what they are asking.

As to the question about the top. I'm not familiar with them. However, adding additional support and glassing them in isn't to difficult.

Afterthought.... See if it's marked or if the Dealer can tell you if it's a Factory 4X4 or is it a Quigley 4X4.

Just my 2¢ worth.

 

[AlexK90]

re: frater secessus...I did a KBB eval with my zipcode and got around $7k as a dealer quote. Add in the 4X4 and the hi top and I'd consider $8k or $9k as a good price (but it's so rare to find a 4x4 Chevy van that I'd probably just suck it up and pay full price if they don't come down...if it has no mechanical problems that is.)

Matlock, thanks for the advice!  I will definitely get it inspected (if my own mechanic can't do it I'll go with the dealer's)

I happen to know it is a Quigley 4x4...is that better or worse than factory 4x4?

 

[Matlock]

Better or Worse? I'd say they are equal if used/misused to the same degree.
Any 4x4, if not serviced will eventually be a problem.
On a Quigley of that year you'll need to Google it for more info from owners.

 

[Johnston]

There is no factory 4x4 Chevy van like that. There were AWD 1500 vans for a while, but this is a 2500 or 3500 so it basically has to be a Quigley. Now the cool thing is that Quigley uses lots of parts from a similar year Chevy pickup so it shouldn't be too hard to service. And the company is very active so you can contact them with questions.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Did you buy it?

In Arizona, dealerships sell 'lemons' from California; have to be careful. Carfax is a great *issue* checker; how often in for service and items indicated. I was looking at a car online the other day...looked fantastic, good price but my gosh, list was endless. Have them give you a carfax report.

 

[AlexK90]

I put a deposit on it, but haven't bought it yet.  I happen to have the Carfax (the dealer gave it to me) and there's no evidence of odometer rollbacks.

I took it to my mechanic today, but he wasn't able to put it up on a lift because of the height.  With that said, everything seems to be in good working order.  I found out the transmission was rebuilt fairly recently.  He wasn't crazy about it - because of the age and the miles.  He said it's about at the point where stuff will start breaking down and he'd be concerned about doing long distance driving in it. 

Personally the age isn't as much of an issue as the miles - my current truck is a 1994 Ford and it's still going strong. I might try to take it to a different mechanic and have it put up on a lift so they can get a better look at it.  If I thought it could last for 200K miles I'd go for it.

My mechanic said he has a 2015 Ford Transit he can sell me, but it was in an accident and has a salvage title (he rebuilt it), so I feel like the damage was probably pretty extensive.

 

[GotSmart]

If the air bag goes off, It is automatically totaled. 

That transit is worth looking at.