super cheap older van vs. newer van

[highdesertranger]

ok in kalifornia all gas vehicles from 1976 to present need smog certificates. all diesels from 1998 to present need a smog certificate. it is true that older vehicle are allowed laxer standards but all factory smog equipment must be on and working. so any vehicle that's between strait carburation and fuel injection(electric carbs, and spark control, first generation computers) can and will be a problem. the main issue is kalifornia cuts you very little leeway if you vehicle came with this junk that barely worked when new, it must still be there and functional. face it kalifornia wants old vehicles off the road and they are doing a pretty good job of getting rid of them. highdesertranger

 

[steveh2112]

thanks HDR, so with that in mind, i'm leaning towards an Astro or a E250 van. given that i will be buying in CA (my US base is the bay area and i fly into SFO) do you happen to know which model years in your words 'any vehicle that's between strait carburation and fuel injection(electric carbs, and spark control, first generation computers) can and will be a problem'

 

[highdesertranger]

once they switched to fuel injection, throttle body or common rail. by this time they had a lot of the bugs worked out. highdesertranger

 

[steveh2112]

once they switched to fuel injection,  throttle body or common rail.  by this time they had a lot of the bugs worked out.  highdesertranger

sorry to keep banging on about this, but what years are we talking about? when i look at ads, that stuff isn't usually mentioned and i'm having a hard time finding that level of detail on google.

i noticed an astro van forum, maybe i need to ask on there

 

[highdesertranger]

this is kinda hard to answer because there is not a hard line that says everything before this date is this, and everything after this date is that. on chevy pickups the date seems to be 1987 but I have seen heavy duty 1 tons that were 1988 with a carb. but in the chevy chassis motor homes the date seems to be 1989. as far as the van goes I don't know, somewhere around this time. I would just ask the seller if it's FI. sorry I couldn't be more specific, but Detroit won't let me. highdesertranger

 

[steveh2112]

ok, so if we are talking 80's and 90' no issue then to me because i'm looking for something around 2002-2005

so as far as you know, the fuel injection will be a give on that age then. all the other comments about carbs are easier to fix is somewhat irrelevant in that age range.

the CA DMV website is a little confusing to me. it looks like a vehicle has to have a smog certificate issued within the last 90 days to sell it. that's the way i read it anyhow. so i don't have to worry about smog when i buy, but since i only plan to keep it 5 months, it will become an issue when i try to sell. i guess in need to hope that in 5 months, nothing goes massively wrong.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah you are clear in those years. as far as smog goes it must be smog with change of ownership. if it was smogged within 90 days of you buying it, you don't need to smog it. if it hasn't been smogged within the last 90 days you need to smog it. most dealers take care of the smog, I think it's the law. but private parties don't have to so it's up to the buyer, I would insist the seller gets the smog done. highdesertranger

 

[steveh2112]

ok, that clears up the smog thing (so to speak) thanks.

interesting comment about dealers having to provide it with recent smog. i've mostly been looking at private party listings assuming dealers are just adding a few hundred bucks to pay for their salesmen's crappy suits and bad toupees, but i wonder if there are other benefits to buying from a dealer?

 

[highdesertranger]

be very careful when dealing with used car dealers. highdesertranger

 

[cdiggy]

ok, that clears up the smog thing (so to speak) thanks.

interesting comment about dealers having to provide it with recent smog. i've mostly been looking at private party listings assuming dealers are just adding a few hundred bucks to pay for their salesmen's crappy suits and bad toupees, but i wonder if there are other benefits to buying from a dealer?

Many used dealers buy cars from auctions, detail them and put new tires and break pads on them plus whatever band aids the cars needs and then bend you over your trade in. They cannot be trusted. However you can find good vehicles if you are careful and scrutinize everything.

 

[steveh2112]

i never thought about auctions. i'm not sure they have them in the bay area, i guess they do, i should look into it.

so i guess the ideal seller is a owner operator of a traveling business like this http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4941080556.html
"This was a carpenter work van for the last couple years. Im retiring and selling everything. "

so i would guess a guy like that takes care of his van since his lively hood depends on it

PS, i think the 'Steel Tires' will make for a hard ride

 

[steveh2112]

there is an auction close to me http://www.acauction.com/ runs once a month but timing doesn't work well for me.

plus, i think it best left to the pros, amateurs like me would probably get eaten alive