highdesertranger
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works fine just like Gary said. lately I ask for their DL # and write that on their too. that way I see their ID. highdesertranger
Van Shopping in Phoenix - Help Welcomed
- Thread starter Vagabound
- Start date
Help Support Van Living Forum:
frater secessus
Well-known member
highdesertranger said:
When I have sold vehicles before I advertised a $100 discount for CHL holders. People will gladly volunteer their ID for a $100 discount, plus you are getting a higher percentage of buyers with a clean background.
highdesertranger
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yes what does CHL stand for? I was going to ask earlier. maybe a misprint CDL? highdesertranger
Optimistic Paranoid
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highdesertranger said:
Probably Concealed Handgun License.
OK, if we're done with hockey and handguns, just want to say a thing or two.
Starting to believe that mystery flu-like thing # 2 isn't going to kill me after all. Beginning to feel better. While I was in the stage of groaning and pondering my mortality in the middle of the night, I had a chance to think about this forum and the people who participate here. Yeah, when you're feeling like crap, you'll think about anything to distract yourself! ;-)
My general view of humanity is pretty dim. That view existed long before, but it wasn't improved in the last week or so, when an older, disabled, wheelchair guy who I was trying to help stole about $70 from me. If you can't safely help that kind of a guy, who can you help? Jeez. Anyway, I said that to say this:
The people on this forum have been a rare example of the opposite of that. People helping people with no thought of significant gain for themselves. Just sharing information, troubleshooting problems, and in the case of very public events like Jamie's Havasu build-out party, and unknown private efforts, a lot of very tangible help to begin or improve this mobile life for people.
One simple example: Gary68 has been periodically sending me Craigslist links for vans for sale. I'm sure that strikes some people as unnecessary (why can't he do that himself???). I can and I do. However, just getting back into the country means I have a huge task list every day of stuff necessary just to get on my feet, and ironically, little of that is related to buying a van. So, I'm struggling to find time to van shop. However, that is improving each day as the "other stuff" gets done.
My point is that even small kindnesses like the one that Gary is doing, that I could at least in theory do for myself, are very helpful. I can't use every link he sends, sometimes too late, sometimes don't get to it. But I do use them and they save me that little bit of time that might make the difference. And he has a good eye for used vehicles ... surely better than mine. So, to Gary, I say again, thanks a ton. And to everyone else who is helping out, know that I really appreciate your help, thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, etc. Even you, Brad! ;-)
Back to our regular programming ...
Vagabound
Starting to believe that mystery flu-like thing # 2 isn't going to kill me after all. Beginning to feel better. While I was in the stage of groaning and pondering my mortality in the middle of the night, I had a chance to think about this forum and the people who participate here. Yeah, when you're feeling like crap, you'll think about anything to distract yourself! ;-)
My general view of humanity is pretty dim. That view existed long before, but it wasn't improved in the last week or so, when an older, disabled, wheelchair guy who I was trying to help stole about $70 from me. If you can't safely help that kind of a guy, who can you help? Jeez. Anyway, I said that to say this:
The people on this forum have been a rare example of the opposite of that. People helping people with no thought of significant gain for themselves. Just sharing information, troubleshooting problems, and in the case of very public events like Jamie's Havasu build-out party, and unknown private efforts, a lot of very tangible help to begin or improve this mobile life for people.
One simple example: Gary68 has been periodically sending me Craigslist links for vans for sale. I'm sure that strikes some people as unnecessary (why can't he do that himself???). I can and I do. However, just getting back into the country means I have a huge task list every day of stuff necessary just to get on my feet, and ironically, little of that is related to buying a van. So, I'm struggling to find time to van shop. However, that is improving each day as the "other stuff" gets done.
My point is that even small kindnesses like the one that Gary is doing, that I could at least in theory do for myself, are very helpful. I can't use every link he sends, sometimes too late, sometimes don't get to it. But I do use them and they save me that little bit of time that might make the difference. And he has a good eye for used vehicles ... surely better than mine. So, to Gary, I say again, thanks a ton. And to everyone else who is helping out, know that I really appreciate your help, thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, etc. Even you, Brad! ;-)
Back to our regular programming ...
Vagabound
Solitary Spell
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Vagabound said:
Vagabound, where are you staying while all this is going on?? Are you at the Y? I hope you feel better and find a van/home soon!!
Solitary Spell said:
Thanks. Yes, staying at the Y. Only the one smack dab in the middle of downtown has residences (translation: dormitory rooms). Better than most would probably think; worse than some. Different than I thought in a few ways, re: interaction with downtown element, and the impact of that on operations and staff attitudes. Grist for the writing mill on another day.
My main beef at the moment is just that I'm feeding them money that I'd much rather be putting into a van build-out, even if it means sleeping on the floor on an unfinished van. Gotta redirect that money flow ASAP.
We've all been conditioned by our society to expect rapid resolution to everything. Lord knows I wanted this part finished already. My original plan was to arrive, look at 3-5 vans in the first few days, pick the one most suitable for me, buy it, load my stuff into it, and be on my way. Naive? Maybe. More likely just unsuitable for the current location, and maybe even the times, now that Craigslist seems to be all-powerful in the car buying/selling field. So, sometimes those quick results don't happen and you just need to keep doing what you're doing. Even when it's slow. I appreciate the patience of the forum contibutors as I slog through this.
Appreciate the well-wishes, SS. Onward ...
Vagabound
highdesertranger
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we are all pulling for you. highdesertranger
Hi Everybody,
Well, the search ...
... is finally ...
... OVER !!!
INSERT PHOTO HERE
ADD PHOTO HERE
My new-to-me 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck
I don't want to bore you with the details too much, but I bought this truck at the beginning of last week and have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since, trying to get basic maintenance done and buy supplies for heading out. In a reversal of method, I had it inspected by mechanics _after_ I bought it! Yeah, I know, but circumstances didn't allow otherwise. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so ... When in Craigslistopia, do as the Craigslistians do.
As it turned out, it seems to be mechanically sound, especially for a 23-year-old truck. One nice surprise during the mechhanical inspection is that about ten or so years ago, the engine and transmission were both replaced with Jasper equivalents. So, those components are much newer than the truck overall. And being the heart and soul of the truck, I consider myself lucky. Although it started its life on the East Coast, as did every box truck I viewed in Phoenix, it has spent the past 9 years in the desert (and most of that dust is still in the cab!).
It surely has warts. The box is in good shape, with aluminim roof (not translucent). The box walls are good with the exception of one area near the back that needs new plywood in the wall. There is some rust underneath, but surprising little. The interior of the cab will need some work, and the interior of the box is nearly as it was originally, just older.. The paint is in reasonable shape in almost all places, except the roof of the cab, where Ford inconceivably built five mini-birdbath depressions in the roof -- just enough to capture mosture and lead to premature rust. Easily paintable though. It has a receiver hitch and is wired to tow. It is strong, but it sucks gas like a camel sucks water in an oasis.
Here's the coolest part -- because it is older, it has a 14 foot box. Why is 14' cooler than 12' or 16'? Good question. Well, it is the shortest box that is also capable of standing room and horizontal bed placement for me. It's about 8 feet wide and about 7 feet tall inside the box. Woohoo!
I had my trusty mechanic do about $600 worth of maintenance on it (which my Rip Van Winkle disease had me think would be about $300) and then I put a new set of tires on it ($950 -- ouch! -- its a dualie) and finally got an alignment. So, I think I have enough money left for a breakfast special at McDonalds! ;-) All told, I think the truck is mechanically ready for the road! That just leaves an entire build-out project to come, starting in a few days.
I want to say thank you to everyone for all of the help that I received while doing this one-month vehicle shopping blitz / flu / crazy city expedition. Most of it was a blur, but what is crystal clear is the giving nature of the people in this forum. I sincerely thank all of the contributors to this thread, and others behind the scenes, but it would be negligent of me not to highlight Gary68 and Fluffhead as major contributors to my success in this purchase. Thank you two from the bottom of my heart.
Somewhere, I'll probably start a thread about the build-out project. Still pondering that.
Well, it has been an exhausting, rollercoaster, but eventually successful ride this last month. Today is "Goodbye, Phoenix" and not a moment too soon. In addition to the fact that I've been ready for that for the last 29 days, I'm certain that I was due to be evicted from Arizona as my guest pass had expired. Seems you can't stay longer than 30 days without a tattoo! ;-)
Vagabound
Well, the search ...
... is finally ...
... OVER !!!
INSERT PHOTO HERE
ADD PHOTO HERE
My new-to-me 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck
I don't want to bore you with the details too much, but I bought this truck at the beginning of last week and have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since, trying to get basic maintenance done and buy supplies for heading out. In a reversal of method, I had it inspected by mechanics _after_ I bought it! Yeah, I know, but circumstances didn't allow otherwise. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so ... When in Craigslistopia, do as the Craigslistians do.
As it turned out, it seems to be mechanically sound, especially for a 23-year-old truck. One nice surprise during the mechhanical inspection is that about ten or so years ago, the engine and transmission were both replaced with Jasper equivalents. So, those components are much newer than the truck overall. And being the heart and soul of the truck, I consider myself lucky. Although it started its life on the East Coast, as did every box truck I viewed in Phoenix, it has spent the past 9 years in the desert (and most of that dust is still in the cab!).
It surely has warts. The box is in good shape, with aluminim roof (not translucent). The box walls are good with the exception of one area near the back that needs new plywood in the wall. There is some rust underneath, but surprising little. The interior of the cab will need some work, and the interior of the box is nearly as it was originally, just older.. The paint is in reasonable shape in almost all places, except the roof of the cab, where Ford inconceivably built five mini-birdbath depressions in the roof -- just enough to capture mosture and lead to premature rust. Easily paintable though. It has a receiver hitch and is wired to tow. It is strong, but it sucks gas like a camel sucks water in an oasis.
Here's the coolest part -- because it is older, it has a 14 foot box. Why is 14' cooler than 12' or 16'? Good question. Well, it is the shortest box that is also capable of standing room and horizontal bed placement for me. It's about 8 feet wide and about 7 feet tall inside the box. Woohoo!
I had my trusty mechanic do about $600 worth of maintenance on it (which my Rip Van Winkle disease had me think would be about $300) and then I put a new set of tires on it ($950 -- ouch! -- its a dualie) and finally got an alignment. So, I think I have enough money left for a breakfast special at McDonalds! ;-) All told, I think the truck is mechanically ready for the road! That just leaves an entire build-out project to come, starting in a few days.
I want to say thank you to everyone for all of the help that I received while doing this one-month vehicle shopping blitz / flu / crazy city expedition. Most of it was a blur, but what is crystal clear is the giving nature of the people in this forum. I sincerely thank all of the contributors to this thread, and others behind the scenes, but it would be negligent of me not to highlight Gary68 and Fluffhead as major contributors to my success in this purchase. Thank you two from the bottom of my heart.
Somewhere, I'll probably start a thread about the build-out project. Still pondering that.
Well, it has been an exhausting, rollercoaster, but eventually successful ride this last month. Today is "Goodbye, Phoenix" and not a moment too soon. In addition to the fact that I've been ready for that for the last 29 days, I'm certain that I was due to be evicted from Arizona as my guest pass had expired. Seems you can't stay longer than 30 days without a tattoo! ;-)
Vagabound
Attachments
Hi Everybody,
Well, the search ...
... is finally ...
... OVER !!!
My new-to-me 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck
I don't want to bore you with the details too much, but I bought this truck at the beginning of last week and have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since, trying to get basic maintenance done and buy supplies for heading out. In a reversal of method, I had it inspected by mechanics _after_ I bought it! Yeah, I know, but circumstances didn't allow otherwise. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so ... When in Craigslistopia, do as the Craigslistians do.
As it turned out, it seems to be mechanically sound, especially for a 23-year-old truck. One nice surprise during the mechhanical inspection is that about ten or so years ago, the engine and transmission were both replaced with Jasper equivalents. So, those components are much newer than the truck overall. And being the heart and soul of the truck, I consider myself lucky. Although it started its life on the East Coast, as did every box truck I viewed in Phoenix, it has spent the past 9 years in the desert (and most of that dust is still in the cab!).
It surely has warts. The box is in good shape, with aluminim roof (not translucent). The box walls are good with the exception of one area near the back that needs new plywood in the wall. There is some rust underneath, but surprising little. The interior of the cab will need some work, and the interior of the box is nearly as it was originally, just older.. The paint is in reasonable shape in almost all places, except the roof of the cab, where Ford inconceivably built five mini-birdbath depressions in the roof -- just enough to capture mosture and lead to premature rust. Easily paintable though. It has a receiver hitch and is wired to tow. It is strong, but it sucks gas like a camel sucks water in an oasis.
Here's the coolest part -- because it is older, it has a 14 foot box. Why is 14' cooler than 12' or 16'? Good question. Well, it is the shortest box that is also capable of standing room and horizontal bed placement for me. It's about 8 feet wide and about 7 feet tall inside the box. Woohoo!
I had my trusty mechanic do about $600 worth of maintenance on it (which my Rip Van Winkle disease had me think would be about $300) and then I put a new set of tires on it ($950 -- ouch! -- its a dualie) and finally got an alignment. So, I think I have enough money left for a breakfast special at McDonalds! ;-) All told, I think the truck is mechanically ready for the road! That just leaves an entire build-out project to come, starting in a few days.
I want to say thank you to everyone for all of the help that I received while doing this one-month vehicle shopping blitz / flu / crazy city expedition. Most of it was a blur, but what is crystal clear is the giving nature of the people in this forum. I sincerely thank all of the contributors to this thread, and others behind the scenes, but it would be negligent of me not to highlight Gary68 and Fluffhead as major contributors to my success in this purchase. Thank you two from the bottom of my heart.
Somewhere, I'll probably start a thread about the build-out project. Still pondering that.
Well, it has been an exhausting, rollercoaster, but eventually successful ride this last month. Today is "Goodbye, Phoenix" and not a moment too soon. In addition to the fact that I've been ready for that for the last 29 days, I'm certain that I was due to be evicted from Arizona as my guest pass had expired. Seems you can't stay longer than 30 days without a tattoo! ;-)
Vagabound
Well, the search ...
... is finally ...
... OVER !!!
My new-to-me 1993 Ford E350 Box Truck
I don't want to bore you with the details too much, but I bought this truck at the beginning of last week and have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since, trying to get basic maintenance done and buy supplies for heading out. In a reversal of method, I had it inspected by mechanics _after_ I bought it! Yeah, I know, but circumstances didn't allow otherwise. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so ... When in Craigslistopia, do as the Craigslistians do.
As it turned out, it seems to be mechanically sound, especially for a 23-year-old truck. One nice surprise during the mechhanical inspection is that about ten or so years ago, the engine and transmission were both replaced with Jasper equivalents. So, those components are much newer than the truck overall. And being the heart and soul of the truck, I consider myself lucky. Although it started its life on the East Coast, as did every box truck I viewed in Phoenix, it has spent the past 9 years in the desert (and most of that dust is still in the cab!).
It surely has warts. The box is in good shape, with aluminim roof (not translucent). The box walls are good with the exception of one area near the back that needs new plywood in the wall. There is some rust underneath, but surprising little. The interior of the cab will need some work, and the interior of the box is nearly as it was originally, just older.. The paint is in reasonable shape in almost all places, except the roof of the cab, where Ford inconceivably built five mini-birdbath depressions in the roof -- just enough to capture mosture and lead to premature rust. Easily paintable though. It has a receiver hitch and is wired to tow. It is strong, but it sucks gas like a camel sucks water in an oasis.
Here's the coolest part -- because it is older, it has a 14 foot box. Why is 14' cooler than 12' or 16'? Good question. Well, it is the shortest box that is also capable of standing room and horizontal bed placement for me. It's about 8 feet wide and about 7 feet tall inside the box. Woohoo!
I had my trusty mechanic do about $600 worth of maintenance on it (which my Rip Van Winkle disease had me think would be about $300) and then I put a new set of tires on it ($950 -- ouch! -- its a dualie) and finally got an alignment. So, I think I have enough money left for a breakfast special at McDonalds! ;-) All told, I think the truck is mechanically ready for the road! That just leaves an entire build-out project to come, starting in a few days.
I want to say thank you to everyone for all of the help that I received while doing this one-month vehicle shopping blitz / flu / crazy city expedition. Most of it was a blur, but what is crystal clear is the giving nature of the people in this forum. I sincerely thank all of the contributors to this thread, and others behind the scenes, but it would be negligent of me not to highlight Gary68 and Fluffhead as major contributors to my success in this purchase. Thank you two from the bottom of my heart.
Somewhere, I'll probably start a thread about the build-out project. Still pondering that.
Well, it has been an exhausting, rollercoaster, but eventually successful ride this last month. Today is "Goodbye, Phoenix" and not a moment too soon. In addition to the fact that I've been ready for that for the last 29 days, I'm certain that I was due to be evicted from Arizona as my guest pass had expired. Seems you can't stay longer than 30 days without a tattoo! ;-)
Vagabound
Attachments
Optimistic Paranoid
Well-known member
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- 4,534
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Vagabound said:
Nah. Technically, that law is still on the books, but they stopped enforcing it a couple of years ago!
Next time I see a guy walking around with a bag over his head, I'll be sure to stop you and say Hi!
Good luck with it!
Optimistic Paranoid said:
You do that! Just a bit of fun and Internet shy at the same time.
Thanks for all of your help as well, John. As I've said before, you're always there to provide a level-headed assessment of anything. Hugely helpful. Hat's off to you, buddy.
Vagabound
TooManyDogs
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- 164
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Congrats, Vqgabound. I've been wondering how your search was coming.
Where to next?
Where to next?
Solitary Spell
Well-known member
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- Oct 28, 2016
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Whoooooo hooooooo!!!!! Congratulations Vagabound! That picture brought a big smile. Nice van, signage and paper bag LOL!!
Hope to see build-out updates. Again, great news!
Hope to see build-out updates. Again, great news!
highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
- Joined
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Congrats, I bet that's a load off your mind. highdesertranger
Congratulations! Looks like your hard work payed off and you found a good one!
