buy used van from dealer or owner?

[doublegregg]

hi all

i'm trying to take the plunge into getting my van.  i'm going to look on CL. should i look at dealers who are selling some used vans? i'm figuring their prices would be higher than a private party, and they won't know anything about what the vehicle went through.... it just seems trickier than buying from a private party. at least with a private party, i'll be able to look at their records, ask them questions, judge the person on how truthful (or desperate) they seem.

then there's fleet sales, like uhaul.  they seem a lot pricier, and i'd be concerned about drilling holes and cutting openings (for fans, etc) in a one or two year expensive vehicle..........

i'm looking at nv 1500's, and cargo vans. i've already posted a thread about how difficult it might be to get at the engines in the standard CV. that's still a concern of mine, hence the nv 1500s. the nv's seem that much bigger than a CV, and i'm not comfortable driving bigger vehicles. i want a windowless van (for security). where i live, people commonly window shop. (smash out window, check out that bag on seat, walk away). for me, security is a really big issue, although i wonder how living in a windowless little box will feel........ 

i've looked at my brother in law's 1980 dodge van, and on that one you get at the whole motor quite easily. but i guess it's simply because it's 1980's vintage. i am probably leaning way away from anything under 2000's due to fuel economy, and i don't want things constantly breaking down........ am i wrong about that?

in terms of windowless boxes, lots of people use step vans, which literally are windowless big boxes, and they seem to like them a lot. of course, they have a lot of space in them boxes.... but, that's probably way too big for me. i can't quite picture driving around some of those small, touristy towns and areas in a big van like that, unless i had a moped in it to use for travelling around.

thank you!

 

[B and C]

A 1500 is a very light duty van. If you are building it out you can easily overload it unless using very light weight building methods. The weight of your gear adds up pretty fast too. If you are a minimalist without a buildout, you should be OK.

Most people don't want to spend the extra money for a heavier duty vehicle. Overloaded vehicles are not safe to drive. Brakes too small, tires not rated for the weight and the suspension not stout enough to name a few. There are reasons the heavier duty vehicles cost more.

 

[bullfrog]

If your going for an apartment on wheels anything will weigh a lot more and be big. If you can live out of a backpack a small car works. As said above you are the one that needs to know what it takes to make you happy but that may mean you have to change or your stuff has to go. The more stuff the bigger the vehicle and the more skills you need to obtain to deal with it, ain't nothing easy about it unless you obtain the skills first. Try some backpacking or go drive a truck your choice.

 

[Campor99]

Have gone both ways bought from private and dealer, in my case got better vehicle from
dealer and at price I was comfortable with, plus a 30 day warranty, not needed I may add.

I have never heard anyone say I wish I had a smaller vehicle!

If going the van route I would get a 3/4 ton unit. Also I would stick with US big 3 vehicles
getting a foreign vehicle repaired in Tim buk too would be a stressful situation.

I have over 50k of exploring our country and wish you good luck on your adventure!

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Buying from a dealer saves the hassle of going to the DMV and working about getting ripped off. Buying from a private party usually means you can low-ball the receipt and pay lower taxes. I had so many problems dealing with private parties that I eventually bought from a dealer. It was a lot easy and, so far, I am very satisfied.

 

[doublegregg]

Buying from a dealer saves the hassle of going  to the DMV and working about getting ripped off. Buying from a private party usually means you can low-ball the receipt and pay lower taxes. I had so many problems dealing with private parties that I eventually bought from a dealer. It was a lot easy and, so far, I am very satisfied.

glad to hear you're satisfied........ did you do much back and forth on the price, and was the ask for price in line with private parties? sounds like you felt a dealer is not going to rip you off like certain private parties.

 

[doublegregg]

Have gone both ways bought from private and dealer, in my case got better vehicle from
dealer and at price I was comfortable with, plus a 30 day warranty, not needed I may add.

I have never heard anyone say I wish I had a smaller vehicle!

If going the van route I would get a 3/4 ton unit.  Also I would stick with US big 3 vehicles
getting a foreign vehicle repaired in Tim buk too would be a stressful situation.

I have over 50k of exploring our country and wish you good luck on your adventure!

thanks for the good wishes.......... i am looking forward to exploring the country in a vehicle of some sort.... i kind of hate to get a 3/4 ton (i had to look that up, lol) unit, due to the poor mpg's.... i'm planning on having a fridge, batteries... , water......, food, um... probably a lot of food.. i was hoping that would work in a 1500... do you think that's too much for a 1500? uh - and as far as dealers, what kind of dealer did you deal with? i only kind of think of new car dealers. the only used car dealer i know of is a guy i actually know who buys cars from auctions and resells them.

 

[doublegregg]

A 1500 is a very light duty van.  If you are building it out you can easily overload it unless using very light weight building methods.  The weight of your gear adds up pretty fast too.  If you are a minimalist without a buildout, you should be OK.

Most people don't want to spend the extra money for a heavier duty vehicle.  Overloaded vehicles are not safe to drive.  Brakes too small, tires not rated for the weight and the suspension not stout enough to name a few.  There are reasons the heavier duty vehicles cost more.

my build out, i think, will be pretty basic (he said.........). there'll be a floor...... at the start, just insulation? on the walls... it'll look... not that great... what a picture... i think it will be simple, so maybe a 1500 would work? i will have a fridge and or freezer... and food... and water.... that stuff will be heavy. at some point i'd like to bring my vespa, which is 220#. would that vespa addition require the 3/4 ton? of course, then there will be mountains and valleys..........

 

[Almost There]

An overloaded 1500 (1/2 ton) will get worse mileage than a 2500 (3/4 ton) that is not overloaded.

Of course size of engine matters as well. A 6 cylinder in a heavily loaded van of either size will get worse mileage than an 8 cylinder that can do the job.

And of course, terrain plays a part too.

I run a 2500 that weighs in at 7,350 fully loaded and has a 24" high top on it with a 5.7 L engine and get around 16 average including through great mountain terrain on back highways. But then I drive for gas mileage as opposed to speed!

 

[doublegregg]

An overloaded 1500 (1/2 ton) will get worse mileage than a 2500 (3/4 ton) that is not overloaded.

Of course size of engine matters as well. A 6 cylinder in a heavily loaded van of either size will get worse mileage than an 8 cylinder that can do the job.

And of course, terrain plays a part too.

I run a 2500 that weighs in at 7,350 fully loaded and has a 24" high top on it with a 5.7 L engine and get around 16 average including through great mountain terrain on back highways. But then I drive for gas mileage as opposed to speed!

i'm having a hard time thinking of a v8, when i can't recall when i've had a v6.....  do you know what your stuff weighs, excluding your van?  should i start a spread sheet of the stuff i want to put in my van? i'd have to guess-timate the buld out....  it's just probably going to be shelves, some sort of bed......sink......... lights.........a heater..... TY.........

 

[ssminnow]

I definitely get my vehicles from private owners. You can get way better deals from private owners but you do have to be careful and thorough on your inspection of the vehicle because there are some shady characters out there that will take your money if you aren't paying attention!
Try real hard to make the transaction at the D.M.V at the same time you get the Tiitle swapped. Exchange cash in public places and always get all the information off the sellers D.L. on to the Title. If something doesn't look right don't make the transaction until it does. It is a good idea to have a friend with to record L.P. # and be aware of everything.

 

[doublegregg]

I definitely get my vehicles from private owners. You can get way better deals from private owners but you do have to be careful and thorough on your inspection of the vehicle because there are some shady characters out there that will take your money if you aren't paying attention!
Try real hard to make the transaction at the D.M.V at the same time you get the Tiitle swapped. Exchange cash in public places and always get all the information off the sellers D.L. on to the Title. If something doesn't look right don't make the transaction until it does. It is a good idea to have a friend with to record L.P. # and be aware of everything.

thanks, gtk.... yes, it seems like private owners might offer more variable prices. i have read about buyers being robbed of $$... undoubtedly best to steer clear of dubious characters........

 

[wagoneer]

Your gonna get a variety of opinions, and I am guessing your not mechanically inclined. I always go on the merits of the vehicle. IMHO I would go bigger than 1/2 ton tire pressure and combined weight plays a bigger role in your MPG. And do not shy away from windows, as they can always be covered. and they are wonderful in the wide open spaces, especially opening windows. Go with fuel injection unless you can rebuild a carb, not very hard to do in my opinion. Most of all do not overthink this get your feet wet. It's a pig in a poke kinda experience as long as you don't loose a lot of money. Some of my best buys have been hella cheap vehicles. I bought a one ton GMC Duramax 1986 60k on the clock for 3k, I was getting 18MPG pulling a 1962 Airstream.

 

[highdesertranger]

ah, 1/2 ton verses 3/4. IMO if you want to go full time go with a 3/4 ton you will overload a 1/2 ton, especially if you want to boondock for 2 weeks at a time. you really have to pay attention to not overload a 1/2 ton. highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

You have a friend in the used car business. Why not buy one from him? He should know something about vehicle condition. Always take a used vehicle to a trusted mechanic for a final inspection before plopping down the dough.

 

[Firtree]

Pounding the table.
IMO -Unless one is using a van for daytime picnics or weekend in the woods, without the 220 lb bike you, me, anyone, should get a 3/4 or 1 ton van.
The engine and Tranny maybe the same but the brakes, frame, shocks, maybe radiator are all bigger and stronger.

Had a 3/4 ton and now have a 1/2 ton, same engine, tranny. The 1/2 ton was designed to drive more car. Shocks, etc are softer. Nice ride empty but once loaded and no way over loaded, rode more like a battleship in high seas. Had to put on helper leaf springs to tighten up.
My mechanic said if I wanted a better ride under load, might have to try air shocks at $$$ or “get a 3/4 ton”

 

[Almost There]

To answer your initial question of whether to buy privately or from a dealer - my answer is 'wherever you find the vehicle you are looking for'.

Don't rule out either just because.

Many of us have spent months looking for what we want. It took me 6 months to find my van. I combed CL, stopped at every dealer lot in a 100 mile radius and travelled up to 6 hours to look at something that had only a faint resemblance to the nice picture...

I've bought both ways over the years including going back to the same dealer who gave me a good deal on the previous vehicle. He hadn't steered me wrong the first time, hadn't taken advantage of me (well, that's really hard to do... ) and fixed minor problems for me after purchase. The van I have now was bought privately because that's where I found the one I wanted.

I do have an advantage over some - I know what to look for. If you're not confident that you do, please take someone along who knows what they're doing when purchasing a vehicle. It doesn't matter whether it's a lot or a person, if you don't know what you're looking at, how are you going to know if it's worth the money (or be a money pit)!

 

[doublegregg]

thanks everyone for your opinions........... i'll look at the 3/4 tons......... since i'm concerned about the lack of access to a modern engine in a cargo van --------- should i check out nv2500's? i am not currently thinking of pre 2000 vehicles, which are much simpler. yes, i prefer fuel injection.... no interest in dealing with carbs..........

i do want just a simple build.... fridge..... lots of food (lol)........simple stove....... would love to get to the rtr in a van, but we'll see...... maybe i'll try tenting (ugh) it........ i'll check with my buddy, who sells vehicles...

but how do you get some van you're looking at to your mechanic?

i can kind of look at a vehicle and see what's possibly wrong......... i probably will steer clear of sketchy characters...... sorry i'm rambling all over. this is a lot!

 

[doublegregg]

what kind of mpg can i expect from a 3/4 ton, which i assume is a v8......? and for CV's --- it seems like people like Chevy Express? btw, i'm not planning on full timing it........ but it would be nice to have 2 week trips, or longer......... thanks! good travels...............

 

[ssminnow]

i'm having a hard time thinking of a v8, when i can't recall when i've had a v6.....  do you know what your stuff weighs, excluding your van?  should i start a spread sheet of the stuff i want to put in my van? i'd have to guess-timate the buld out....  it's just probably going to be shelves, some sort of bed......sink......... lights.........a heater..... TY.........

https://mankato.craigslist.org/rvs/d/am-fm-cassette-stereo-tv-vcr/6764459670.html

Mod Edit, the above link is for a Dodge class B. please include a description with your links.