What do you think of this van?

[highdesertranger]

Bob my E-mail to you was sent back undelivered. I also sent you a PM with my phone number. highdesertranger

 

[jonthebru]

Bob my E-mail to you was sent back undelivered.  I also sent you a PM with my phone number.  highdesertranger

Did you use this one? [email protected]

 

[Ballenxj]

So...... what's going on with the Savanas???  Cheap junk?  Built-in problems?  Something new that didn't work out, and now they're unloading them because they keep needing repairs?  

I would try to find an honest person who knows them and find out what's happening here.

Is it possible that the new models coming out just around the corner time wise are going to be a radically different design, so they want to dump all of these soon to be old and obsolete ones? I mean there was a thread somewhere on this forum about their doing away with the old school rear wheel drive models, and going with the Euro style vans with front wheel drive.

 

[akrvbob]

I ended up buying a 2015 Savanah with 12,000 miles for $19,500. It also was a rental, not sure who with and I couldn't see any problems with it at all. It did have a couple dings on the rear quarter panel, no big deal. He said it was pretty typical for rental places to keep them for a year and then let them go at auction, cars they keep longer but not vans.

It does have power windows and locks and crusie control. I was certain I wanted cruise control! It also has barn doors with windows in the side doors, I think that is a huge plus! It looks like the factory puts 1x4s on the ribs of the walls now because a lot of them had them. That will make it easier to insulate and panel. It does have a factory divider wall but I'm not sure if I'll keep it, that too makes it much easier to insulate and does make it more secure. The door bolts shut, if I keep it I'll put in a plywood hinged door.

The Chevy/GMC factory warranty is transferable, so mine still has almost 2 years and 24,000 miles on the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty. The drivetrain comes with a 5 year, 100,000 warranty, so it has almost 3 years and 90,000 miles warranty on drivetrain.

It's a 2500 and 135 inch wheelbase (which is normal length, extended is 155 inch) I currently have a 3500 extended and I do love the ride and room, but the turning radius is a nightmare. My goal is to put a locker on it in a few years after the warranty runs out, but the turning radius is so bad it is terrible in the backcountry so regular length is the better trade-off for me.

I'm thinking I'll put a hightop on it next year or the year after. May wait for the factory warranty to run out on that as well.

I don't have it yet. I had to deposit a check to pay cash so I have to wait for it to clear. I gave them $2000 cash and signed the contract for it though. Should have it by the weekend. I plan to take it to Ehrenberg to do the build.

 

[GotSmart]

Bob;  That sounds like a wise choice.  After doing this for a year or 20, you should know what will work for you.  

Trainchaser;  Uhaul gets vans at a fleet price.  It charges 59 cents a mile for mileage.  That is about $12,000 in mileage fees alone for 20,000 miles.  They then flip the van at auction, and probly get close to the original cost.  Add in the depreciation tax break.~~~ This way they keep nice new vans for the customers, and make $10 to 15 K per vehicle. They have a lot of vans. This has been forced by a number of lawsuits on them renting old unsafe equipment.

 

[waldenbound]

Right on Bob. Looks like we'll have some new van porn to look at!

 

[Ballenxj]

I ended up buying a 2015 Savanah with 12,000 miles for $19,500.
<----snip---->
I don't have it yet. I had to deposit a check to pay cash so I have to wait for it to clear. I gave them $2000 cash and signed the contract for it though. Should have it by the weekend. I plan to take it to Ehrenberg to do the build.

Ah, sounds like a good choice.  
I too will be looking forward to the build, as well as your thoughts on the van after you drive it home.

 

[Mobilesport]

akrvbob wrote
"I'm thinking I'll put a hightop on it next year or the year after. May wait for the factory warranty to run out on that as well."

Personally I would say screw the warranty when it comes to adding the hightop and get to the gettin and add it Asap.     Live like a King with all that storage.

 

[BigT]

I ended up buying a 2015 Savanah with 12,000 miles for $19,500. 

I would be interested to know what sort of MPG numbers you end up with in the new van (pre-high top).  

I was going to take a look at the 2015 Savana 2500 I linked to earlier in this thread, but the estimated 11 mpg city scared me away.  
That's half what I'm getting now, and generally, at least in my experience, those numbers are often extremely optimistic..   :s

I have to say though, I really like the way they pre-mount those wooden planks to the interior, as it looks like a terrific way to mount walls and insulation.  
I also like the 4 wheel disc brakes and extra room (compared to a Transit Connect).  

Congrats on the new purchase.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Congrats on the new purchase. I've been scouring the prices of new Chevy vans for a year now and I'd say you got between 4 and 7k off the price of a new one depending on when and where you shopped. With only 12k miles on it, for all intensive purposes it's a new van. Great buy and virtually risk free with all that factory warranty remaining. Nothing like the factory warranty in my eyes.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Great deal, congrats Bob!

 

[Crow]

Inspired by the deal you got, I went looking and am now all but locked in on a 2014 Savana 2500 former U-Haul rental with 24k for 16650. It looks about identical to yours. Just waiting to hear back what he'll give me on my trade in, should complete the deal tomorrow and pick it up later this week, its 400 miles away. Thanks Bob!

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[mayble]

i'm so jealous!

 

[jimindenver]

Nice truck Bob. Looking forward to the build.

 

[akrvbob]

Inspired by the deal you got, I went looking and am now all but locked in on a 2014 Savana 2500 former U-Haul rental with 24k for 16650.    It looks about identical to yours.  Just waiting to hear back what he'll give me on my trade in, should complete the deal tomorrow and pick it up later this week, its 400 miles away.  Thanks Bob!

You got a really great deal and it will even have some factory drivetrain warranty left on it! You can't really go wrong!

 

[BradKW]

That will be a great upgrade I bet! I'm curious about the reasoning behind waiting to do the high-top and how that might impact a warranty?

 

[akrvbob]

More money than I had right now.

 

[Campor99]

More money than I had right now.

Was nice meeting you prior to RTR. Happy for you and your new rig, sure it makes you smile.

 

[Mobilesport]

That will be a great upgrade I bet! I'm curious about the reasoning behind waiting to do the high-top and how that might impact a warranty?

I was wondering about how waiting to do the hightop would effect the build , I would 
think you would have to do alot of things twice.
Roof vent, ceiling insulation , solar panels etc. Come to mind.

 

[DannyB1954]

I have seen some very nice home made high tops. I have considered getting a row boat and turning it upside down and mounting it. Problem there is getting the right sized boat. Stitch and glue boat building is not hard. Maybe that is a way to go. Another ting that comes to mind is make one out of foam and then do either fiberglass, or the window screen and gripper primer.