hello
bought one late last year 2003 160k miles. $5000. Excellent mechanical Weak paint. Dont pay over $7k after you have inspected prior to buying. peace
Seeking advice on a Chevy Express / GMC Savana
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bought one late last year 2003 160k miles. $5000. Excellent mechanical Weak paint. Dont pay over $7k after you have inspected prior to buying. peace
Many used car stealers, er dealers, are taking full advantage of the worldwide chip shortage and new vehicle shortages and raise their prices way above "book" value.
Unless there is verifiable recent major mechanical maintenance done to justify above "book" price, I'd stay away from their lot.
Major mechanical = engine and/or transmission.
Good luck going forward...
Unless there is verifiable recent major mechanical maintenance done to justify above "book" price, I'd stay away from their lot.
Major mechanical = engine and/or transmission.
Good luck going forward...
Still working on this project, still looking to buy new with the hopes that dealers will move away from the MSRP + dealer markup.
I would like to ask the community to help me spec a van.
I currently have a 4runner that goes everywhere, I understand that a van might not go everywhere my 4R goes, but would still like to go to moderate offroad trails and boondock away from civilization.
I am thinking a 2500 with rear diff lock and a 6L engine (or is it 6.6?). I can do the inside living space myself, maybe hire an expert to do a proper insulation.
Any input appreciated.
Thanks!
I would like to ask the community to help me spec a van.
I currently have a 4runner that goes everywhere, I understand that a van might not go everywhere my 4R goes, but would still like to go to moderate offroad trails and boondock away from civilization.
I am thinking a 2500 with rear diff lock and a 6L engine (or is it 6.6?). I can do the inside living space myself, maybe hire an expert to do a proper insulation.
Any input appreciated.
Thanks!
When you say "rear diff lock" do you mean the option code (on the build sheet) for the G80 Locking rear differential?
as seen in this video?
I understand your concern about going to a dealer and them not wanting to budge on the "covid price gouging fee" Lol. That's why I made up my mind to buy something relatively new ~5 yrs or so~ and private party Lol. No dealer.
@Aesop - yes that's what I am talking about Aesop. However the video talks about this being "Automatic", I thought it's manually engaged by the driver. Either way, that's a very good feature.
My problem with buying used is that I don't know how it was maintained. Oil change intervals concern me (10k miles intervals are too much, engines gets destroyeed by that, s/b 5k miles maximum), and also don't want to end up with a problem engine or transmission.
My problem with buying used is that I don't know how it was maintained. Oil change intervals concern me (10k miles intervals are too much, engines gets destroyeed by that, s/b 5k miles maximum), and also don't want to end up with a problem engine or transmission.
1
probably a rare feature, that's just a guess. Plus, it would get old rather quickly having to send each vin on a prospect and hope they send you a build sheet back. Unless you hound the dealer and make sure they send you a build sheet back.
maybe you're thinking of the older perhaps 90's era gm trucks? that must have had manual everything, 4x4, locking rear diff, etc. Lol
cause I've always known the newer (post 2010?) gm vans to have an automatic locking rear diff option, never manual.
Yeah, AFAIK, the only way to tell if it has the g80 option for the Eaton automatic locking rear diff is by giving the vin to a gm or chevy dealer and they look it up for you and give you the build sheet.
probably a rare feature, that's just a guess. Plus, it would get old rather quickly having to send each vin on a prospect and hope they send you a build sheet back. Unless you hound the dealer and make sure they send you a build sheet back.
maybe you're thinking of the older perhaps 90's era gm trucks? that must have had manual everything, 4x4, locking rear diff, etc. Lol
cause I've always known the newer (post 2010?) gm vans to have an automatic locking rear diff option, never manual.
Happy Camper
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If you can hang in there for a few months, prices are going to be coming down. It's starting in the used cars, and those prices coming down will help calm down new prices.
And with money not being free anymore with super low interest rates, along with fears of recession, sales are slowing down. Soon the market will flip back to a buyers market.
When inventory was low, used cars were selling for as much as new. Hence the ability for dealers to markup new cars with justification. With used car prices dropping, that leverage goes away.
The dealership that hold onto this model for too long will suffer long term. Those that adjust quickly will thrive in a bad market.
As someone that was in the middle of the industry during the boom and bang of the mid 2000s car and financial market, I see this as a repeat of sorts.
And with money not being free anymore with super low interest rates, along with fears of recession, sales are slowing down. Soon the market will flip back to a buyers market.
When inventory was low, used cars were selling for as much as new. Hence the ability for dealers to markup new cars with justification. With used car prices dropping, that leverage goes away.
The dealership that hold onto this model for too long will suffer long term. Those that adjust quickly will thrive in a bad market.
As someone that was in the middle of the industry during the boom and bang of the mid 2000s car and financial market, I see this as a repeat of sorts.
@Aesop - I actually saw last year a few nev vans with the window sticke mentioning rear locking diff. It looked to me thsat that is an option you can add, or order from the factory.
@Happy Camper - I am not in a rush, retirement is a few years away anyway, will follow the prices and save some more.
The annoying thisng is there are vans parked at this Chevy dealer, but they won't sell them unless I have a company.
At least that's what they told me.
But again, you can order one of these vans as a private person. Confusing.
Wait and see is the name of the game.
@Happy Camper - I am not in a rush, retirement is a few years away anyway, will follow the prices and save some more.
The annoying thisng is there are vans parked at this Chevy dealer, but they won't sell them unless I have a company.
At least that's what they told me.
But again, you can order one of these vans as a private person. Confusing.
Wait and see is the name of the game.
Happy Camper
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Those vans are reserved for fleet/commercial deals. It's part of the allocation they get from GM.
A lot of dealerships have a fleet sales manager that handles those sales, as it's a different sales format in some ways. That being said, a lot of times you can talk to the fleet manager/sales guy and buy it from him. A good percentage of them will sell to normal customers. It just depends on their business model at that dealership, their allocation, and demand for commercial vehicles from them.
Don't bother with the normal sales guys. They can't sell them and make money, so most will redirect you to something they can make money on. Just ask the receptionist for the fleet sales manager.
A lot of dealerships have a fleet sales manager that handles those sales, as it's a different sales format in some ways. That being said, a lot of times you can talk to the fleet manager/sales guy and buy it from him. A good percentage of them will sell to normal customers. It just depends on their business model at that dealership, their allocation, and demand for commercial vehicles from them.
Don't bother with the normal sales guys. They can't sell them and make money, so most will redirect you to something they can make money on. Just ask the receptionist for the fleet sales manager.
If it has G80 rear end it would have G80 on the RPO code label which is usually located in the glove box on most GM pickups and vans.
Happy Camper - I did talk (last year) to the fleet sales manager, very nice lady and helpful, but she was firm on the $5k markup from MSRP.
She even told me I can trade in my curent car, and she can provide financing.
What I'm looking ast will probably get me close to $50k on a new Chevy Express.
Gonna wait a bit.
She even told me I can trade in my curent car, and she can provide financing.
What I'm looking ast will probably get me close to $50k on a new Chevy Express.
Gonna wait a bit.
Happy Camper
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Yeah business can write off the bump in price, so fleet will run with that as long as they can. That's just more margin for them to make their commission on.
LargeMarge
Well-known member
.
a)
Our advice:
* always acquire a used vehicle.
.
b)
Our experience is limited to only three GM vans:
* 1977 Chevrolet 3/4t, low-top, standard wheel-base, 350ci
* (1980?) high-top, 1t, longer wheel-base, 350ci.
.
Each was reliable.
Multiple trips, we traveled from Oregon through Central America for SCUBA and surfing, living aboard full-time.
Each furnished a reasonable mpg (from memory, probably in the low teens).
During this era:
* emissions were minimal.
* no computers.
.
* We also had a 1976 Chevrolet 1t with a 4x4 conversion, 400ci.
Under-powered with that massive engine choked with specialized-duty emissions, it rarely got better than six (6) mpg.
Yikes!
We owned it less than a week.
.
.
c)
Our advice on acquiring any vehicle to convert:
* buy a converted conversion.
Save your time -- irreplaceable.
Save your frustrations for something important.
At a minimum, toss in some car-camping gear, go have fun.
Allow the conversion to evolve organically.
.
.
d)
* Walk a campground, chat with owners of rigs you are considering.
* Join a caravan of experienced travelers, watch their choices for equipment, routes, time to pull off the road and establish camp.
.
.
Irregardless of any decisions for all the right reasons, you will quickly realize:
* your equipment could be different
* your vehicle could be different
* your companions could be perfect if only they would be different...
Yeah, getting and driving a cargo van as a personal vehicle can be a tricky game imo. A lot of financial institutions won't lend on cargo van cause they consider it to be "commercial " cause it has 2 seats smh.
damn shame they're holding firm on the 5k markup. dealers are scum of the earth.
do you know if you can take the g80 Eaton locking rear differential from another gm vehicle and put it in one of these vans? I think that would be costly, probably just best to get one with the g80 locking rear diff already in it.
@LargeMarge - good advice thank you!
Looks like buying used is the only option now. Chevy / GMC dealer close to my house won't even take orders for new vans.
BUT - they had a 2020 Used GMC Savannah for $40k. 18k miles, V8 (6L). Van looked very clean. I think $40k is too much, but they will hold the price because they know you cannot order anymore - at least for now.
Good to know that these vans are reliable.
my biggest gripe with buying used is oil consumption and other lack of maintenance issues.
Looks like buying used is the only option now. Chevy / GMC dealer close to my house won't even take orders for new vans.
BUT - they had a 2020 Used GMC Savannah for $40k. 18k miles, V8 (6L). Van looked very clean. I think $40k is too much, but they will hold the price because they know you cannot order anymore - at least for now.
Good to know that these vans are reliable.
my biggest gripe with buying used is oil consumption and other lack of maintenance issues.
I have a truck with traction control and a G80 rear differential. Under 20mph, if one wheel spins faster than the other, it clunks, locks and you either move or both wheels get bogged deep in the mud. A locked differential can be dangerous at highway speeds, especially in curves when one wheel has to spin faster. Hence the under 20mph feature. The G80 is not for hard-core off-road use.
Traction control helps. If one wheel starts to spin, the brake is automatically applied to the spinning wheel, which transfers power to the non-spinning wheel. I learned that trick on tractors, in the 1950's, with separate brake pedals for left and right. Before traction control, a poor man's version is to lightly apply the brakes to transfer some limited torque to the non-spinning wheel. For the majority of my situations, traction control is sufficient.
To test any differential designed to spin both wheels, put one wheel on a good surface, and the other on a slippery enough surface, accelerate and see what happens.
Traction control helps. If one wheel starts to spin, the brake is automatically applied to the spinning wheel, which transfers power to the non-spinning wheel. I learned that trick on tractors, in the 1950's, with separate brake pedals for left and right. Before traction control, a poor man's version is to lightly apply the brakes to transfer some limited torque to the non-spinning wheel. For the majority of my situations, traction control is sufficient.
To test any differential designed to spin both wheels, put one wheel on a good surface, and the other on a slippery enough surface, accelerate and see what happens.
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