Two vans - Decisions .. Decisions

[vagari]

I've got two vans on my radar. Both can be gotten for about $8,500 right now. They have similar colors/style/windows/doors. Both clean CarFax reports. Both sold by big name dealers with good Internet and BBB reviews.

2010 GMC Savanna 2500 Cargo van
- 130k miles, own owner
- 4.80L Vortec V8 SFI Flex Fuel, 6 speed auto
- $4000 under Nada retail

2006 Chevy Express 2500 Cargo van
- 107k miles
- 4.8L V8, 4 speed auto
- $1500 under Nada retail


Which do you think would be better? I'm leaning towards the 2010 even though it has more miles.

 

[user 423]

I don't now. If the Savanna was used as a delivery vehicle, how hard were those 32,000 miles per year?

 

[vagari]

I know what you mean. Buying a used vehicle is a crap shoot. The last vehicle I bought I had checked by a mechanic and it developed a huge oil leak within the first 5k miles I owned it.

What if the 2006 van was driven 32,000 miles per year for 3 years then sat for 11 years?

 

[kyonu]

I'm no engine person, but I hear a world of blessings about the Vortec engine, plus it's a much newer year, which murphy's law dictates the parts should be of better quality.

 

[PastTense]

Vagari, a 2006 vehicle is 8 years old. There is no way it could have been sitting for 11 years.

You could hire a mechanic to check both of them over.

The consensus here though is that dealers are significantly higher priced than private parties.

 

[Patrick46]

skin me alive before I ever buy anything from a stealership!


you DO realise that they've jacked up the prices an additional 25% to cover their overhead and a healthy profit margin.

Sorry to be the Negative Nancy here...but as you can see...I don't like dealers.

 

[vagari]

If I could find a private party seller with a decent cargo van that would be my preference. It's hard to find cargo vans as private party sales in my area. These are the first two dealer vans I have seen priced under Nada retail.

 

[Patrick46]

If I could find a private party seller with a decent cargo van that would be my preference. It's hard to find cargo vans as private party sales in my area. These are the first two dealer vans I have seen priced under Nada retail.

first, I'd look WAY outside your local area then. So you gotta drive a bit to check it out. No big deal. Drive 100 miles and save acouple thousand??? Easy math to me.

and, there's a reason those vans are priced 'under NADA' guidelines. I'd wanna know why.


drive alittle, and save alot. it's your money friend! Good Luck!!

 

[akrvbob]

I don't mind buying from dealerships. It's a good price or it isn't and that seems like a great price to me.

The one thing that caught my eye was the 4spd trans verses the 6 spd trans. The 6 speed should give it a big boost in MPG and more power to boot. At least in theory, do some research to see if that's true. Should do much better on hills.

But, it's pretty new, is it proven yet? I have no idea if it is or not but getting engines or transmissions new in their life cycles can be a greater risk. I'd do some research on it on chevy or van forums. Four years is plenty of time for it to have a reputation.

I have a 2001 Express 3500 with a 4 spd and it is universally regarded as one of the greatest trannys ever made--bulletproof and ultra reliable. I don't know if that is the same tranny or not in that 2500.

If the 2010 6-speed tranny has a good reputation, I'd get it. Should be better MPG, driveability and power. The 4.8 is a small engine so it needs all the help it can get.
Bob

 

[vagari]

Well the 2010 was a heck of a price. I went down to look at it and its now 11,500. The sales guy said they wrongly priced it as a Safari instead of Savanna. Said if I would have stopped down day before I could have bought it. LOL. I wondered why it was like 4k below Nada!!

 

[karl]

Dealer tactics- bait'nswitch,"yesterday"....
But come on in, we'll sell you a professional lube job!(insert rolling eyes and tongue in cheek)