NEWBIE van buying advice

[DanBDS]

Hi all,

firstly thank you for this forum and all the useful information! I've read through the sticky in the mechanicals section and followed some of the threads on buying a van. 

Can I ask the ppl's advice on some options? I'd be grateful for any help!


I'm Australian, thinking to travel/live with the van for a few months in US and Mexico and then resell it in the US.   

Right now I'm looking at a 1999 Chevy Express 1500, 350 5.7l v8, 197k miles. One owner since 2000, pics look like great condition but I'm yet to see it in person. Seller's ask is $6000.

This price seems expensive to me, even for west coast. Does this sound like good value? (Nada puts the retail value at $3750)

Assuming good condition and no major accidents, what do people think would be resale value on west coast, prob southern Ca?  

Some alternatives in the same are much cheaper, is there anything that would definitely justify the higher price on the 99 Chevy? 

eg
Chevy 92 G20 v8 (don't know which v8) 212k miles $2500
Ford 91 Econoline 5.0L v8 124k miles $1950

Many thanks
Dan

 

[deadwood]

$6000 seems like a lot for that many miles. I would be trying to find a lower mileage van if I could. Will you be able to look at the van before buying it or were you planning on buying sight unseen and then coming over to get it. I wouldn't feel good buying one unless I could look it over, drive it and maybe take it to a mechanic to check it out.

I think that the more vans you look at (even just searching online) it will give you a feel for what seems like a fair price.

 

[DanBDS]

$6000 seems like a lot for that many miles. I would be trying to find a lower mileage van if I could. Will you be able to look at the van before buying it or were you planning on buying sight unseen and then coming over to get it. I wouldn't feel good buying one unless I could look it over, drive it and maybe take it to a mechanic to check it out.

I think that the more vans you look at (even just searching online) it will give you a feel for what seems like a fair price.

Thanks deadwood! I thought so also. I can go see the van and test drive it, so (assuming mechanicals all ok) it's mostly about whether that kind of price is reasonable and setting an expectation for what the resale value might be.

 

[Ballenxj]

Right now I'm looking at a 1999 Chevy Express 1500, 350 5.7l v8, 197k miles. One owner since 2000, pics look like great condition but I'm yet to see it in person. Seller's ask is $6000.

This price seems expensive to me, even for west coast. Does this sound like good value? (Nada puts the retail value at $3750)

Hi Dan, asking and getting are two different things. Don't ever be afraid of making an offer of what you feel is reasonable.
Yes, that price seems high, especially for a 1500 series which is light duty, 1/2 ton. Not saying it wouldn't work, but think about how you're going to build the inside in terms of weight. Also, do you plan on towing anything with it?
Just my .02 cents.

 

[user 423]

If you can add links to the online ads, it would be easier for us on the forum to evaluate what you're considering. There are many,many fake ads on Craigslist these days also. For some they can be hard to spot.

Don't just consider the retail value. Private sales should be closer to the Trade in Value, especially with the high miles. In other words that 18 year old van is worth closer to $2000 unless it has some (lots) of extra features,camping stuff, new Michelins,whatever. I plugged the '99 into the NADA site and got $2050 for a trade in value. It 'might' be worth somewhere between that and full retail.

Many private sellers aren't knowledgeable about the car market and ask way too much because they "paid $34,000 for it" years ago.

 

[Gideon33w]

Gee, $6,000 is my ASKING price for my van which is already modified and in the Trading Post section of this forum. Two years older but 15,000 fewer miles. Almost the exact same van except mine is a 2500 (higher weight rating). Not bugging you to buy mine just saying value-wise it would be a better option considering it already has a vandwelling interior, solar, etc.

Cali prices are always high. Check down here in Arizona. Plenty of vans, no rust issues since it's the desert, and the prices are cheaper.

 

[drysailor]

Hi all,

firstly thank you for this forum and all the useful information! I've read through the sticky in the mechanicals section and followed some of the threads on buying a van.
Chevy 92 G20 v8 (don't know which v8) 212k miles $2500
Ford 91 Econoline 5.0L v8 124k miles $1950

Many thanks
Dan

That price could be a little high, but so much depends on the condition of the van and how it's been maintained.
There's also one like that, a 97 I think, already built out as a camper, on the Trading Post page at the bottom of these forums.

 

[Gideon33w]

That price could be a little high, but so much depends on the condition of the van and how it's been maintained.
There's also one like that, a 97 I think, already built out as a camper, on the Trading Post page at the bottom of these forums.

That's mine. Mostly used it to give him an idea on value but if he's interested it is technically still for sale. Sadly, I'd have to sell VERY soon or I am forced to keep it due to circumstances (don't know if you read my build thread). 

Anyways, no way I would spend $6k for a stock van only two years newer than mine with MORE miles. If I remember right, the Kelly Blue Book value on mine is something like $2,000-$2,500. The rest of the price is for the vandwelling mods and labor.

 

[DanBDS]

If you can add links to the online ads, it would be easier for us on the forum to evaluate what you're considering. There are many,many fake ads on Craigslist these days also. For some they can be hard to spot.

Don't just consider the retail value. Private sales should be closer to the Trade in Value, especially with the high miles. In other words that 18 year old van is worth closer to $2000 unless it has some (lots) of extra features,camping stuff, new Michelins,whatever. I plugged the '99 into the NADA site and got $2050 for a trade in value. It 'might' be worth somewhere between that and full retail.

Many private sellers aren't knowledgeable about the car market and ask way too much because they "paid $34,000 for it" years ago.

Thanks slow2day! Keen for your opinion..

Here's the 99 Chevy: https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/6191526412.html
 It doesn't seem to have a lot of extra features, camping stuff 

The others I mentioned:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/d/conversion-van-chevrolet/6223673180.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/d/ford-conversion-van-extended/6199417814.html

 

[DanBDS]

Gee, $6,000 is my ASKING price for my van which is already modified and in the Trading Post section of this forum. Two years older but 15,000 fewer miles. Almost the exact same van except mine is a 2500 (higher weight rating). Not bugging you to buy mine just saying value-wise it would be a better option considering it already has a vandwelling interior, solar, etc.

Cali prices are always high. Check down here in Arizona. Plenty of vans, no rust issues since it's the desert, and the prices are cheaper.

Thanks Gideon! Your van sounds awesome. But actually I'm in Seattle, not Cali, so AZ is pretty far away.

Here's a link to the craiglist ad. I'd be grateful for your best guest at what it's worth https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/6191526412.html

 

[Gideon33w]

Id drop the price enough to cover a plane ticket plus some ... But it would pretty much have to be Sunday :-/

 

[Gideon33w]

Also, if it helps, Im the one who wrote that sticky you read in the mechanical section. Haha

 

[user 423]

Thanks slow2day! Keen for your opinion..

Here's the 99 Chevy: https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/6191526412.html
 It doesn't seem to have a lot of extra features, camping stuff 

The others I mentioned:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/d/conversion-van-chevrolet/6223673180.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/d/ford-conversion-van-extended/6199417814.html

The 99 looks OK but it's pretty high mileage for $6000. I don't think it's worth anymore than half that. A big tipoff to that fact is that it's been listed for over a month and that's in prime travel time...no takers. Hitches on used vehicles are a mixed bag; they're nice to have but you always have to wonder how much they've towed with it.

Many vehicles can go over 200k and be fine but you'd be taking a big chance on the 92 Chevy. They say it's for sale by "a family,no dealer" but it has a dealer paper tag on the back. The engine bay has been very much cleaned up; used car dealers like to do that to make them look pretty. Also, you can tell from the pics it's at a car lot, fenced, located on a busy corner. Dealers are supposed to stay on the CL dealer list but they don't. I'd pass on that one.

The last ad was flagged; many times that happens because the locals know that it's a scam or a dealer who keeps posting on the FSBO list...

 

[Gideon33w]

Hitches on used vehicles are a mixed bag; they're nice to have but you always have to wonder how much they've towed with it.

^ THIS ^
Check the inside of the hitch to see how intact (or not) the paint/metal is. 
I've seen plenty of vehicles with hitches that have clearly never been used.
Also seen some hitches so beat up it's clear the vehicle spent its life towing.


My Express van has the heavy duty tow package but the owner was just a guy with 9 kids (not joking). Since things don't really rust here in AZ it was clear from looking at the hitch that it wasn't used for towing (possibly ever). Just hauling around his Brady Bunch.

 

[user 423]

In your situation DanBDS, if you paid more for than what a van might be worth but then saved gobs of money on lodging while you're visiting, and then got most of your money back when it's sold, then you'd be doing OK.

It's just that breakdowns could really throw a wrench into the plan. Depends a lot on your budget and reserve funds.