Greetings! (And your van opinion?)

[Vic]

Greetings all!<br />I've been reading this forum for the past few days and sincerely appreciate the supportive atmosphere. &nbsp;I'm strongly considering jumping into van living, but the biggest thing that makes me nervous is that I am not mechanically inclined at all.<br /><br />I've located a dealer who sells used Dodge 1500's. &nbsp;He gets all of his vans from Verizon. &nbsp;He has several available that are 2000 or 2001 with between 50,000 - 75,000 miles. &nbsp;Prices range between $3500 - $4300.<br /><br />The specific one I am considering is a 2000 with 72,000 miles for $3700. &nbsp;Is the Dodge 1500 a good choice? &nbsp;Are there any known maintenance problems that the model is known for? &nbsp;Any advice that anyone has regarding later model Dodge 1500's would be greatly appreciated.<br /><br />Many thanks,<br />Vic

 

[dborla01]

Good morning, Vic. and welcome, from Darrell. This is a great site and supportive folks with alot of knowledge about this lifestyle, etc. Others with more knowledge concerning your possible purchase will chime in soon. Sounds like you are being careful before taking the plunge.&nbsp; Have a good day.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" /> Darrell

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<p>Welcome.Go online to Edmonds or other car review sites.&nbsp; Type in the year, model etc. YOU WILL FIND REVIEWS AND KNOWN PROBLEMS. aLL WILL HAVE KNOW PROBLEMS, KNOW WHAT YOU CAN ACCEPT.<br />sorry, cap locked and to lazy to retype.<br /><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff;">Dragonfly</span></strong></p>

 

[happy2bcamping]

Hello Everyone!&nbsp; Great forum! Lots of wonderful tips and shared experiences. Been practicing semi-self sufficient camping for sometime and am excited 2 complete my goal of a 6 month trial run. I love being self sufficient and hate spending my resources on keeping big corporations in business. Also know that I love the solitude and beauty of nature but also like to meet people and share stories. Live on Vancouver Island. Right now the rain is falling non-stop! Looking forward to visiting Arizona and Utah to get 1st hand experience of what is possible in preparation for my trial run.

 

[Pikachu711]

Welcome to the group Vic! You'll find that there's quite a bit of useful information here about the "van dwelling" lifestyle. Enjoy the group!

 

[HoboBerg]

Welcome to the tribe Vic<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif" />&nbsp;my 89 dodge Turtle Top van is still running great!

 

[lampliter]

Arizona is somewhere to be explored---take your time and look around when you get there.

 

[user 423]

Retired fleet vehicles can be good or not so good. Police cars and cabs run 24 hours a day and may have lower mileage but have sat idling for hours and hours so the mileage doesn't really accurately reveal the amount of wear on the engine,etc. How were the Verizon vans used?&nbsp; The '00 you mention has averaged only 6k miles per year but in a hot climate they might sit for long periods with the AC on. On top of that, the Verizon employees may not be so worried about treating these vans with much care, so it's kind of like buying an ex-rental car. <br /><br />Even though the fleet vehicles supposedly get regular oil changes,etc. the service they receive may not be so good. I bought a Ford Taurus from a state auction and found several examples of poor servicing. There were&nbsp; 4 stripped wheel lug nuts that had to be ground off because of over-torquing. Luckily, I found this out before having a flat. Also, the air cleaner box&nbsp; had been put on crooked so dirty air got past the filter element and I found it had pure anti-freeze in it instead of the recommended 50/50 mix. Not good for aluminum engine and cooling system components.<br /><br />If it checks out with a mechanic and most major items look OK, then you may be fine but sock away extra cash for future repairs. If you're not mechanically inclined, any used vehicle will be a crapshoot.<br /><br />You may want to ask your question here:<br /><br /><a href="/post/Retired%20fleet%20vehicles%20can%20be%20good%20or%20not%20so%20good.%20Police%20cars%20and%20cabs%20run%2024%20hours%20a%20day%20and%20may%20have%20lower%20mileage%20but%20have%20sat%20idling%20for%20hours%20and%20hours%20so%20the%20mileage%20doesn%27t%20really%20accurately%20reveal%20the%20amount%20of%20wear%20on%20the%20engine,etc.%20How%20were%20the%20Verizon%20vans%20used?%20%20The%20%2700%20you%20mention%20has%20averaged%20only%206k%20miles%20per%20year%20but%20in%20a%20hot%20climate%20they%20might%20sit%20for%20long%20periods%20with%20the%20AC%20on.%20On%20top%20of%20that,%20whoever%20drives%20them%20may%20not%20be%20so%20worried%20about%20treating%20it%20right...kind%20of%20like%20buying%20a%20rental%20car.%20%20%20Even%20though%20the%20fleet%20vehicles%20supposedly%20get%20regular%20oil%20changes,etc.%20the%20service%20they%20receive%20may%20not%20be%20so%20good.%20I%20bought%20a%20Ford%20Taurus%20from%20a%20state%20auction%20and%20found%20several%20examples%20of%20poor%20servicing.%20There%20were%20%204%20stripped%20wheel%20lug%20nuts%20that%20had%20to%20be%20ground%20off%20because%20of%20over-torquing.%20Luckily,%20I%20found%20this%20out%20before%20having%20a%20flat.%20Also,%20the%20air%20cleaner%20box%20%20had%20been%20put%20on%20crooked%20so%20dirty%20air%20got%20past%20the%20filter%20element%20and%20I%20found%20it%20had%20pure%20anti-freeze%20in%20it%20instead%20of%20the%20recommended%2050/50%20mix.%20%20%20But%20if%20it%20checks%20out%20with%20a%20mechanic%20and%20most%20major%20items%20look%20OK,%20then%20you%20may%20be%20fine%20but%20sock%20away%20extra%20cash%20for%20future%20repairs.%20If%20you%27re%20not%20mechanically%20inclined,%20any%20used%20vehicle%20will%20be%20a%20crapshoot.%20%20You%20may%20want%20to%20ask%20your%20question%20here:%20%20http:/www.dodgetalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=278">http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=278</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[Pikachu711]

I'll echo what Slowday mentions about buying retired fleet vehicles. When you buy a retired fleet vehicle you may be getting a vehicle that may have been used by a great many different drivers. This is especially true for some fleet vans, sedans, etc.

I had a buddy who worked for a local paramedic service here in Vegas. One day I asked him what they did with the retired vehicles in their fleet. He told me that buying a retired fleet vehicle is a gamble at best. Unless you have a mechanic check out the vehicle before buying it you could be buying a VERY high mileage vehicle in need of repairs.

He told me the biggest issues with fleet vehicles is that they:
(1) Are driven by MANY different drivers
(2) Some vehicles are used & abused during their time in use
(3) Are retired when it's not affordable to maintain them
(4) The biggest vehicle expenses was engines & transmissions

Yes, there are cases where you could be buying a vehicle that was well maintained and has many more miles left in their useful life. But that has to be determined by a mechanic. Never assume that a retired fleet vehicle is a good deal until your mechanic as gone through the vehicle for any problem areas.

If the van you want to buy gets a mechanics approval that there are no major issues, then you have a good deal.

Bottom line, have ANY vehicle you want to buy inspected by a mechanic. Since this will be more than just your vehicle, but your home on wheels, buy an hour of a mechanics time and have the van inspected.

 

[Les H]

Hi Vic, welcome. Ive bought 3 retired service vehicles, my bus, an 01 Blazer and a 95 F150 4x4. All recieved at least SOME service and maintenance, which is more than i can say about several that i bought at dealers that wer " rode hard and put away wet". ANY vehicle, new or used, is a gamble, but i wouldnt hesitate to look at another service vehicle-if i were looking

 

[VanTrekker]

<p>Hi Vic,<br /><br />Nice to meet you and welcome aboard!&nbsp; I'm driving a former fleet vehicle and so far so good... Maybe I was lucky?&nbsp; Maybe it was because it was a 2007 with 69,000 miles on it.&nbsp; I got it in 2011.&nbsp; Could be&nbsp; good or bad but it did get driven a fair amount in that time.&nbsp; I sleep in it 7 days a week and love it!</p><p>V.T.</p>

 

[WanderingRain]

Hello Vic. I am not as mechanicaly expert as well. I just have another mechanic look it over before buying. And make sure you get one you can stand in. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">