Best place to buy a van?

[Delta223]

Hi all, I'm planning on buying a van just for a sleep/clothes changing area. Budget is very important though; Ideally I want something under $1,000, $2,000 is the absolute ceiling. Where is a good place to find a basic van?<br><br>Thanks

 

[BC Guy]

Craigslist.&nbsp; Click the "by owner" button.

 

[MK7]

hopefully you don't end up with a piece of junk that won't go anywhere or leave you stranded. a transmission is $1000-4000, parts and labor. if you don't know where to buy them, then you definitely should spend $50-100 to have it looked at by a mechanic...but then, this could get very expensive should they tell you it's not good and you still have to pay them for their time.

 

[adi]

For that price, 'by owner' is going to be your main option. Craigslist and autotrader are good places to start.

I bought mine from a van dealer, and had no worries driving it 3,000 miles back home, but I also had a higher budget.

 

[Jack Grit]

Has anyone had any luck buying a van off of eBay? They seem to have safeguards in place plus buyer can check out feedback etc. I'm looking for a Dodge 318 around here (metropolitan area) and can't find a thing!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/confused.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[user 423]

I bought an older Class B camper van off eBay a few years ago that needed bodywork. It was nearby, so I was able to check it out. It was right before a holiday and the guy jumped at a cash offer and ended the auction early. I would hesitate to buy one that I couldn't check out personally though.

 

[Jack Grit]

Yeah...it blows my mind when I see people forking tens of thousands of dollars for a vehicle they haven't seen. I'm going to research eBay policy thoroughly. Maybe it's set up where you can have a local mechanic, <em>of your choice</em>, check it out etc.<br> I don't know, I'm really getting tired of looking and this is the last road I'd choose but I need a Van. Life isn't planning on waiting forever for this adventure to take a turn for the better.<br><span id="tinymce" class="mceContentBody " dir="ltr"><br></span>

 

[idn88]

For less than 2K your only real option is craigslist, IMHO. &nbsp;At that price if it runs at all, its just someone looking to get rid of something they no longer need.<br><br>I know a couple people who have purchased on ebay, with varying success. &nbsp;I personally would never buy without looking at it myself, and perhaps a mechanic if your not fairly mechanically inclined as well.<br><br>Older vans, while plentiful - seem to have a price floor because someone is always looking for one as a work van, etc. &nbsp;You may wish to extend your search to other vehicles - say a minivan or pickup with a cap. &nbsp;For that price you need to look for a deal, and be flexible.<br><br><br>

 

[Don Genaro]

if you keep yours eyes open on Craigslist, you can get a good deal..that means checking it often. I feel I got a great deal on a 98 E-250 with 124,000 miles for $1900..It was a 1 owner, I was just the first person who called, so I had first crack at it and I got it..

 

[whitewolf]

I bought a Ranger on eBay for a thousand bucks and ran it for 5 years. So it can be done. Craigslist has gotten bigger since then so it's probably the best deal going now. In rural areas like where I am, a lot of people still use the paper classifieds. We have something called "The Horse Trader". It's online too. And you just reminded me about it, thanks.

 

[roadWarrior]

Craigslist is great because lots of people are willing to trade. I stumbled upon a guy who is willing to trade me a 2001 Dodge 2500 for my old pickup truck. To me, it seems like a good trade for what I want to do with it. If you dont have anything to trade I guess your stuck with how much money you have saved. Also, keep an eye out on the free sections around the country, I have heard stories of people literally giving vehicles away for free or things of significant value too.