HOW many miles??

[JD GUMBEE]

I asked a friend of mine who allows his vans to "fully play out" in his fleet for a few of his memorable units top miles.
(If people make lofty claims, why not add a few redheaded step-children to the internet mix.)
This is what he sent me. (With a message saying: "...and counting." Still runs good.)

Look closely at the odometer.

 

[ssminnow]

I knew it wasn't going to say ford on the steering wheel! LOL

 

[Firtree]

Engine? 1500, 2500, 3500? Age?

 

[MrNoodly]

Too small for me to read.

 

[Vesper]

Too small for me to read.

407,105 miles.

 

[ssminnow]

I bet the 4.6. It is a special engine.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

If it's like the rest of them, it is either a 5.3 or 6.0 liter V8.
Not sure which year. Not even sure who the driver of the van is or where.

(Nor should folks go out and spend thousands on a 300K mile GM van because of this photo. 250-300K and its time to move on, as they become no longer worthwhile to repair.)

 

[popcorn2007]

Umm yea, at what point is buying a van with alot of miles a bad option? Folks, i got too much stuff on my plate and am falling over myself. I see alot of cheap ford vans and pricey chevy vans. The cheaper chevy van have 200k miles. And yea, i'm looking for something local.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Study up on what you want.
Fords are LOADED with issues that will bite you in the tukus.
There is a reason why you see that pricing.

Be careful about the brand new GM engine with the new injection.
Based on godly tech, but till it proves itself, give me an old style any day. (I would buy a leftover.)
That cam driven direct injection may end up being wonderful...or a freaking nightmare. Time will tell...in about 4 more years.

One of the 50,000 mile ish GM vans can be had in awesome shape for 10-12K. Worth every single penny of it, too.

 

[popcorn2007]

Umm, i have a question.....
There is a 1 ton chevy van (3500) with 150k miles for a decent price. Looks like it was a plumbing van. Whats that comment - suggestion on buying a plumbing van? I think it has to do with lugging all that weight in the back.

Yea, there is no chevy van under 80k for $10k or less in my area. All the chevy vans are pricy(low mileage) or have over 200k miles and under $5k

 

[Wanderer]

Umm, i have a question.....
There is a 1 ton chevy van (3500) with 150k miles for a decent price. Looks like it was a plumbing van. Whats that comment - suggestion on buying a plumbing van? I think it has to do with lugging all that weight in the back.

Yea, there is no chevy van  under 80k for $10k or less in my area. All the chevy vans are pricy(low mileage) or have over 200k miles and under $5k

Plumbing vans carry very heavy loads. I saw a box van that a plumber used for several years for sale. You could see the rear was even lower than the front end. Those vans I'd steer clear of....

I got lucky, got a 3500 for $9,300 with 95K miles on it... Guy actually had it at 12K and when I called, had dropped it down that week... It was from a college, so they didn't beat it to death...

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Yea, there is no chevy van under 80k for $10k or less in my area. All the chevy vans are pricy(low mileage) or have over 200k miles and under $5k

You gave no year.

"In your area" is a loaded statement.
Go through the auctions listed here under marketplace.
A trip of even 1500 miles to get a 10-12K 50,000 mile govt maintained GM van is a tiny hassle compared to years of trouble free use. CList pricing does not usually come close to GSA. (Or they are garbage...with hidden defects.)

Plumbing companies rarely dump vans of that mileage for no reason, brother.
GSA does though...

 

[Gr8ful]

I like diesels & have lots of experience with Cummins 5.9 12 valve. Have a 12' 1 ton dually flat bed with 115k & it's the last month they made them. Found my ambulance with the last full year of the IDI 7.3 & thought maybe it wasn't as good as a power stroke but after reading up on it & talking to owners I'll never own a power stroke with all their issues, 7.3 or 6.0. The IDI is well proven & has plenty of power, good milage with 80k actual on the whole unit & the proper mainenance it had should go a long time. I may have mentioned it on here or another forum but I checked injecter prices on my Cummins & my IDI & a power stroke, my 2 engines were under $300 a set the power stroke was over $3,000 so I know where 1/2 the name came from. I just love the ambulance. So much better than a RV but look what they cost new. Best $2000 I could have spent but low milage ones not owned by an ambulance company are hard to find but the thrill of hunt is the part I like. I had a mouse get into my F150 & ruin the computer, PATS system or wiring harness with mouse pee which I've seen eat right thru aluminum airplanes. But had storage insurance & the insurance co bought it. Both my ambulance & flatbed are non computer another thing I like. If you get a 12 valve Cummins you can double the HP & torque just by a 1/2 day of tuning. Diesel magazine ran the whole article but if it's in a Dodge like mine you need to spend about $500 1st on the tranny. For a box truck look for one with a Grumman aluminum body, 5.9 Cummins 12 valve with a Allison automatic trans. I had found a school bus with a Cummins & Allison with 112k for $1200 in Indiana but in Michigan it was 4x for insurance as they said school busses were the most dangerous vehicles on the road due to tip overs which seemed crazy to me. I worked out better with the ambulance as no build out needed, just take storage out.

 

[popcorn2007]

You gave no year.

"In your area" is a loaded statement.
Go through the auctions listed here under marketplace.
A trip of even 1500 miles to get a 10-12K 50,000 mile govt maintained GM van is a tiny hassle compared to years of trouble free use. CList pricing does not usually come close to GSA. (Or they are garbage...with hidden defects.)

Plumbing companies rarely dump vans of that mileage for no reason, brother.
GSA does though...






chevy van under 10 years old for less then 10k .. as i recall
I just checked the gsa site and there was no vans listed at this  time. There was several trucks though.
Yea, i might start looking at silverados with shells. Theres a 2005 3/4 ton express with roughly 220k for less then 5k i might bite on. There is also a silverado with a shell  with less miles for less then 4k

 

[JD GUMBEE]

If you are in that price range, did you see the "ugly duckling" van with the rusty front bumper that just ended??
https://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/auci...CI19025014
90% chance the top bidder gets it offered for the $2500.

The miles of the trucks you mentioned are a lot higher than makes sense to buy.
Especially if they do not come with full maintenance records.

If you are a little patient, you can get something like that duckling van.
Even if that one cost you 1500 to go get it and needed tires put on it...you would be a lot better off than 200K vans.
700R4 or L60 trannies will pop around 130-160K ish and the rebuilts do not live as long on average as factory units.
Flushing it around 75-100K and using synthetic fluid can extend this greatly.
Many of the 1/2 ton GM's with these make the auction (they are run to 265,000+ now) without needing a trans.
VERY few Fords have done this. (2014 and older)

That said, these are the units that fit the following criteria:
1 One driver, doing mainly highway miles with average loads. (Copier repair, School vans, Child services/Red Cross, Wheelchair transport...)
2 Maintained impeccably and flushed as I outlined.
(Do not think because my info reports this...that Joe Blow who bought it three hands down took care of it the same way...or drive it the same way.)

Best of luck.

 

[DKNZ]

Still the original engine on it?

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Still the original engine on it?

Far as I know, it has never been touched. (But the picture provider takes care of a lot of vehicles, so he was not super detailed about it. I know he said the driver refused his new unit and wanted to keep that one.)
This mileage is not as rare as some might think.
There are a load of them that get cycled with 300,000 miles, still running like new.
Usually, they start to use oil over a verrrrrry long, slow decline but keep on keeping on. (Usually.)
The end comes when the oil consumption becomes insane...or they plug the cats solid.