Chasing the horizon

[MyOwnConfusion]

Hey everyone!

I decided to pursue the vandwelling lifestyle after a recent trip in Ireland and France, but it's only been in the last month that I've really locked down on making it a reality. I'm not mechanically-minded whatsoever, and I live in Kansas City, MO, which means that most of the local cargo vans are corroded by salt, so my search has been difficult. I've checked out every website that I can think of, usually daily, and can find only what I consider to be awful deals. Today I drove 40 minutes away to look at a van that I ultimately didn't feel good about upon inspection. I'm only a month into the search and it already feels like I'm beating my head against a wall.

My goal is to sell my 2010 Kia Forte (which has some substantial cosmetic wear but runs great and has only 55,000 miles), buy a van, do some very basic conversion, and drive it out to the Pacific Northwest with enough funds to live off of until I find a job (I'm an experienced server but I'd love to work in parks, if possible). All of this by summer. So I've got some time, but I'm also feeling a bit of pressure. I work part-time at a pet store and make hardly anything worth talking about. I'm trying to find a second job but it's proving difficult to fit it in. I can only buy a van due to the fact that I own a valuable car and a few meager inheritances. With that in mind, I'm desperate to keep the price low, but also have reliability. Kind of a paradox, right?

So sites like this are really a lifesaver. The vandwelling community is so unique and amazing, and I'm eager to eventually be a real part of it. I'm looking for a minimalist van, considering that I'll be doing a lot of urban living and working a full-time job (not internet-based, mind you). I'm open to full-sized but as far as I can tell, the small size of Astros/Safaris is a big priority for living in cities like Portland and Seattle.

To get an idea of what I'm dealing with in my area, this is the best option I've found:

http://www.carfax.com/vehicles/1GTDM19W9WB537935-used-1998-gmc-safari--kansas-city

There's a weird story behind this van. It was supposedly owned by a toy company that used it only occasionally but kept it well-maintained. Before that it was owned in Texas and was also used only semi-regularly. Yet when I went in to give it a test drive and have it checked by my mechanic neighbor, the dealer said it was being used that day by the toy company. Why would it be on sale in a dealer's lot yet still used by the previous owner? It also really strains my budget considering that I'm hoping to get $6000 for my Kia. The salesman has been helpful but I never feel good about those guys. He said he's willing to go down to $6500, which still feels like a lot.

Even so, after looking at it I can honestly say that it seems to fit his story. It looks used but only barely, the tires are good, there's minimal cosmetic wear, and its Carfax record looks solid. It's hard to beat 52,000 miles, too. I don't want to buy something out of desperation, but of all the options, this feels very attractive and I'm almost willing to go for it. 


What are your opinions? What's too much to pay for an Astro/Safari within this range of year and miles? Should I even bother with dealers, and if not, can I really just wait for the right private sale to show up? 

You're all the best, and I really appreciate all that you do to help those with less experience! Thanks a million!

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome to CRVL

No opinion on that van.

I can tell you about a different option though .,

If you can't find anything good there maybe try somewhere else?

You can get a job (probably in your chosen field as a server) for a national park concessionaire. They pay pretty well+ tips and have discounted dorm housing as well as a meal program. You can use your car to get there and look for your van locally or even among the other employees.

 

[cyndi]

I like to keep my purchases below or close to the kelley blue book or edmunds

I shopped for 4 years when looking for my moho. I sold that and shopped for 2 years to find my van. A month or 2 is nothing.

 

[cyndi]

And welcome to the CRVL forums, MOC! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[PatsyG]

Welcome!
It's confusing because it's new and different.
I think rvpopeye may have a good idea. If it were me, I would certainly want to check it out.

 

[SaltySeaWitch]

Hello and welcome! You will always pay more at a car lot verses a private sale. It's frustrating looking but since you have some time I would just keep looking until you find the right van at the right price. RVPopeye's idea is also a good one.

 

[Tinman74]

Prices on vans are different in different parts of the country. In the North East, a nice clean, low mileage van usually brings a higher than Blue book price.
My son, just this past summer finally found a nice "98" Ford van after about a year of looking. He was looking for high top conversions and the prices were all real HIGH. Even the ones with high mileage were higher than one would expect. Nice low mileage vans are hard to come by, at least in these parts.

Another Bob

 

[nobodyG17]

Hi, welcome, and best of luck in your search.  Let us know what you go with.

It's a clean looking van.

 

[MyOwnConfusion]

Thanks for the welcoming vibes! I really love the consistency of this community.

You can get a job (probably in your chosen field as a server) for a national park concessionaire. They pay pretty well+ tips and have discounted dorm housing as well as a meal program. You can use your car to get there and look for your van locally or even among the other employees.

I have considered that and if nothing else works out I probably will go down that route. The big draw for me getting a van here is that I currently live with my stepdad who has a ton of tools and space for me to work on converting the van. I'm also a bit iffy about potentially lessening the value of my Kia Forte by driving it long distance, though it's served me well on more than a few road trips.

Mt. Rainier National Park is hiring in the guest services field but between housing and their meal program I'd be paying around $400 a month, as well as having to drive my Kia around in the snow (Rainier commonly gets snow all the way into June). I'm sure there are other options but that would be pretty tight for me.

As for that GMC Safari, I agree that it'd be much more comforting to buy at least somewhat close to the KBB price. I'd be willing to pay more for something with low miles but it's essential that I be able to put away some of what I make off of the Kia so that I can live while trying to find a job out west. So I'll probably be passing that one up.

I was previously avoiding Dodge but after reading about a lot of people's positive experiences, I opened my heart and found this:

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/5431236724.html

Gas would sting, as would stealth, but neither are extremely high on my list. Frankly, I'd almost rather have a non-white, tinted windowed van if I'm going to be living in Portland and Seattle. Auto crime is pretty rough in those parts and cargo vans are enticing targets.