What is "the deal" I should be looking for for $3000 to $5000?

[citytravelfotos]

What is "the deal" I should be looking for, in the budget range of $3000 to $5000? &nbsp;What should my expectations be? &nbsp; Year, amount of miles, number of owners, amount of existing issues, expectation of longevity, etc...<br><br><br>

 

[bpeck]

For $3000, my dad found me a pretty nice van near him in Florida. &nbsp;1994 Ford E150 high-top conversion by MarkIII, ~105k miles at the time, in used but not abused shape. &nbsp;No rust and the engine runs strong, so those were the two biggest points for me. &nbsp;You're probably gonna have to buy an older van in that budget, but I don't mind older stuff - I like things from the 90s as I feel they were still built to last. &nbsp;Spend some time looking for one with lower miles (but not too low) and a strong running, leak-free engine and you'll be happy.

 

[user 423]

So the '00 Ford is a no-go for $4500?&nbsp; The reality is that you will be taking a chance with ANY used van in that price range. At this point you should just go for it and take that chance.