Rust?

[lifemonkey]

In this photo, there looks to be rust on the undercarriage.. I don't know what those long metal pieces are for, but they appear to have rust too.. 
I'm assuming I should just forget this van as an option, or should I have it more closely inspected by a mechanic? 

I've also read all the info about the Big 3, and by eliminating ford's from year 1997-2008, it really reduces my options for an affordable van. So I decided to still keep the ford's in the mix and just be really careful and have the engine checked out before I decide. 

But I really like this van because of the color and it's camo with forests. Just not sure about the rust thing. It's lived in the bay area all its life (which explains the rust), is a 2004 E350 5.4L V8 w\ 95k miles and they're asking $5990

Thoughts?

 

[Gideon33w]

The long pieces of metal are your leaf springs. Part of the suspension.
Looks like surface rust which is not really an issue but hard to tell from pic.
Having a mechanic check it over is not a bad idea.
Especially given the lack of auto knowledge you're starting with.

 

[lenny flank]

But I really like this van because of the color and it's camo with forests.

One thing I learned long ago...... One buys a vehicle for the way it WORKS, not for the way it LOOKS.

Particularly a vehicle in which one is planning on living and traveling 24/7.

 

[lifemonkey]

One thing I learned long ago...... One buys a vehicle for the way it WORKS, not for the way it LOOKS.

Particularly a vehicle in which one is planning on living and traveling 24/7.

Point taken.. however, in thinking about stealth as well as everything else, I have found several bright yellow vans that I feel fit everything I am looking for (price, quality, model, mechanics, etc) but am uncertain about whether yellow is the best stealth option. The eye is drawn to that color in a sea of white, blues and greys... 
Personally, if I am picking out a vehicle I am going to be living in I would like to have something I am also proud of and not embarrassed by.. as well as properly functioning mechanics. 
I love the yellow, but I also know I will be spending a quality amount of time in more mountain regions. 
If I could find a reasonably priced white van, it would be OK too..

 

[lifemonkey]

The long pieces of metal are your leaf springs. Part of the suspension.

Thought so, but didn't want to type it and be wrong.. I looked up some pics of suspension but those didn't show up in any. 

Thank you

 

[steamjam1]

In this photo, there looks to be rust on the undercarriage.. I don't know what those long metal pieces are for, but they appear to have rust too.. 
I'm assuming I should just forget this van as an option, or should I have it more closely inspected by a mechanic? 

I've also read all the info about the Big 3, and by eliminating ford's from year 1997-2008, it really reduces my options for an affordable van. So I decided to still keep the ford's in the mix and just be really careful and have the engine checked out before I decide. 

But I really like this van because of the color and it's camo with forests. Just not sure about the rust thing. It's lived in the bay area all its life (which explains the rust), is a 2004 E350 5.4L V8 w\ 95k miles and they're asking $5990

Thoughts?

If your referring to the San Francisco Bay Area, then that's more rust then I would expect to see. My Ford van is 18 years older then that (originally sold in San Jose) and the frame is still in it's original paint with zero rust anywhere. I gotta do some cutting/welding under the battery tray soon because of rust, but the frame is rock solid...

 

[lifemonkey]

If your referring to the San Francisco Bay Area, then that's more rust then I would expect to see. My Ford van is 18 years older then that (originally sold in San Jose)  and the frame is still in it's original paint with zero rust anywhere. I gotta do some cutting/welding under the battery tray soon because of rust, but the frame is rock solid...

Yes, SF Bay Area... according to the carfax, it was in Alameda and is currently being sold out of Newark - all much closer to the bay waters than San Jose. Thank you for bringing up the comparison.. 

I'll give the dealer a call back and see if they'll fess up about the amount of rust under there.. if they hem n haw, i'll take that as a sign it's more than I care to deal with. Unfortunately, I'm in southern CA so I can't just pop over and look for myself and don't want to spend the money on a mechanic unless I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy..

 

[Gideon33w]

I'd much rather buy a good yellow van and paint it green than buy a crap green van and deal with the mechanical implications ...

 

[lifemonkey]

I'd much rather buy a good yellow van and paint it green than buy a crap green van and deal with the mechanical implications ...

lol - yes, true. Paint is much cheaper and less painful. 

Here is one close by, but it is a government vehicle and based on the other gals thread, I am now not so sure a good find. Though it does have considerably less miles. 

2000 GMC Savana 2500
$4,500
Mileage: 113,000

There is only one pic, but was going to give 'em a call for more, then go check it out.

 

[highdesertranger]

I was going to mention that about the paint but Gideon beat me to it. if you want to blend in paint it with military paint, it's cheap. highdesertranger

 

[steamjam1]

Yes, SF Bay Area... according to the carfax, it was in Alameda and is currently being sold out of Newark - all much closer to the bay waters than San Jose. Thank you for bringing up the comparison.. 

I'll give the dealer a call back and see if they'll fess up about the amount of rust under there.. if they hem n haw, i'll take that as a sign it's more than I care to deal with. Unfortunately, I'm in southern CA so I can't just pop over and look for myself and don't want to spend the money on a mechanic unless I'm pretty sure i'm going to buy..

Alameda and Newark are East Bay so I would be suspicious of the rust. If that vans a bay area native it has to have come from the Peninsula. San Francisco, Burlingame, Pacifica, or Half Moon Bay where salt water mist kills cars pretty fast. Yeah we don't salt roads here, but the morning fog brings alot of moisture to the Peninsula that is salty..

Fresno, Sacramento, or Bakersfield is a good place to find nice, solid no rust vans...

 

[lifemonkey]

Ok, so again on the topic of rust... 
I found a 2002 E350 passenger super duty 5.4L V8 w/ 83k mile used as a service vehicle for a school. It has regular impeccable service records thru Ford. It has no power anything (locks / windows), but has a/c vent throughout. New tires and it drives, feels, sounds solid. No leaks, very clean. 

On the roof, along the side gutters where water collects it is rusted. There is no rust on the undercarriage, wheels, etc. Just on the roof along the side rails. It doesn't look pitted. 

I figure that can easily be sanded down and painted to protect.. 

Kbb / nada prices this vehicle at 6600k in excellent condition and they are asking 7500. I talked him into 7k out the door. 

I haven't signed anything yet, so just wanted to make sure I was right in thinking I could deal with the rust on the roof.. ?

 

[mr_elijah_gardner]

If it's just surface rust yeah no big deal. Sand it down, spray some rustoleum on it. Swing by autozone to grab some color matched spray paint and touch it up.

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

You need to look at that in person. Sometimes a frame has a layer of surface rust but is rock solid and other times it has been driven in road salt areas and is swiss cheese. It's hard to tell in the side view pic but it looks clean and the body panels in the wheel wells don't seem to be showing any rust/cancer, so I'm inclined to think the frame just has some surface rust.

Also, why would you eliminate all Ford vans from 1997-2008?
In my search I found many good low mile Fords in those years with little or no rust and great mechanicals.

My personal choice was a 2001 E150 with very low miles (80K) and NO body rust at all on the underside or exterior because it was Southern owned/driven (little road salt used if any and rarely driven when road salt was down) and very little frame rust.
Even amongst vans in my area (NJ, roads are white with salt all winter long) I've seen lots of good solid bodies on 20+ year old Ford's. Some had solid bodies but surface rust on the frames similar to your pictures and I wouldn't have hesitated to purchase them because of that.

 

[highdesertranger]

97 to 08 Ford vans/truck have a defect in the cylinder head design. many blow the spark plugs right out of the head when the engine is running, on others the spark plug breaks off when trying to change them. highdesertranger

 

[BinDerSmokDat]

97 to 08 Ford vans/truck have a defect in the cylinder head design.  many blow the spark plugs right out of the head when the engine is running,  on others the spark plug breaks off when trying to change them.  highdesertranger

Yeah I've heard of the issue, with it also happening to a 2001 Mazda Tribute (Ford escape) I owned.
At the time it happened, my mechanic had a Honda in his shop that had the same issue. 
Higher compressions and aluminum heads...it can happen to any engine.

While it has been reported, it's not the kiss of death when it does nor is it a guarantee it will happen.
Looking at the actual numbers of reports and the fact that NHTSA didn't step in, I would say it's a defect only slightly above, maybe even on par with other known mechanical issues that plague all brands.
Also, although the highest concentration seems to be 1997-2003 F-150's, E-150's seem to be lumped in, despite the fact they use different heads and the issues with plugs are different. 

Chevy had issues with fuel pumps about the same years, Dodge vans of the same years have reports of catastrophic engine failures at double or triple the rate of spark plug failures on E-150's. Yeah things happen, but the rates of failures are what is key. When defects get reported and lumped together, they seem worse than they actually are.

I wouldn't let the spark plug issue deter me from considering a Ford in the least. 
And just because I chose a Ford for my build, it was not out of any brand loyalty. 
If it had been a Chevy or Dodge of similar cost, mileage, history and overall condition I would have jumped on it just as willingly.
Whichever fits your needs and budget and is reasonably mechanically sound and maintained, go for it.

 

[UptownSport]

Why pick on just cylinder head- when theres so many other parts on a Ford? LoL

j/k

So it's rusty? You'd be lucky to get to 12yo here w/o rust holes.

Vehicles still work, roads are full of 100s of thousands of rusty cars that go to work, successfully, everday.

At extremes, rust makes vehicles  unserviceable, but that's beyond social courage of most people.

One ton?
Ride like an Army truck, or not too bad?
Maybe take a snap shot of build sheet sticker and post it.
Could have some crazy low gear ratio or Extra HD springs

 

[lifemonkey]

Thanks all! 

I ended up buying the 2002 E350 with minor rusting on the roof. After talking with numerous people about the spark plug issue, I decided I'd take my chances as this vehicle really has quite a good maintenance record. 

I doesn't drive like a tank, no. It's quite smooth and easy to drive. 

Now it's play time.

 

[Motrukdriver]

I'd much rather buy a good yellow van and paint it green than buy a crap green van and deal with the mechanical implications ...

A case of rattle cans, a decent pop on hand spray, Sunday's newspaper and a couple rolls of masking tape and you can make it what ever color you want.  I sprayed an old 66 Ford pickup like that, appliance almond, and couldn't believe the compliments I got.  Of course I was living down in South Georgia at the time so there's that...

 

[CautionToTheWind]

COngrats!