Would a strong mildew smell be a dealbreaker for you?

[NickTheoBennett]

There's an '87 Dodge factory conversion van near me that is priced at $995.  However, when you open it up you get a blast of mildew stench.   Would I ever be able to get that out?  I imagine I could replace the seats and carpets (unless there is an easier way), but the smell also implies that there either is a leak or has been one in the past, and I'm less sure how to deal with that.  

What do you think? No pictures because I saw it while I was driving and didn't have a camera.

 

[SternWake]

I'd pass. Mildew also indicates mold, and mold can be a health hazard.

Unless the Van is is in good mechanical condition and you plan on ripping out the entire interior, and having the seats steam cleaned, pass.

When you rip out the carpet, you might find hideous amounts of rust.

Climb under the back and look at the rearward leaf spring perches.

 

[BigT]

The issue could certainly be addressed, but why bother? Better off buying something else and not having to deal with that mess at all.

 

[Reducto]

Absolutely a dealbreaker for something I'd be planning on living in. You really don't want to be breathing moldy air for a significant part of the day. If it were a cargo van with limited carpet/cloth I might make an exception but many conversion vans have nasty fabric and padding glued to every interior surface. It's a pain to remove it all and makes it difficult to look for rust underneath before you buy.

 

[NickTheoBennett]

I didn't think of the rust issue, but it makes sense. The breathability is also a big issue. I'll definitely be passing, I guess I just hoped it was an easier task. Thanks

 

[Milk Hauler]

Like Stern Wake says. That mold will "F" you up. There are hundreds of vans for sale on Craigslist or Ebay for less than $1000. Even the holy grail of vans "The Quigley" is not worth your health.

 

[SoulRaven]

If I remember right, there is some sort of an air purifier or ozone type thing that will kill all mold, and the smell and health risk. You'd have to do some research on it, but if I remember right it only took like 48 hours in vehicles.

When I was driving truck up in AK, they resurrected a truck that had been parked for years. you could REALLY smell the mold/mildew big time, even though there was nothing really visible. The mechanic stuck an Ionic Breeze thing in it for 2 days, and the smell was totally gone. I drove that truck for several months and the smell never returned.

 

[mockturtle]

I'd pass.

 

[Queen]

For me, complete deal breaker as I have a big mold allergy. And even if you don't, breathing in that stuff is seriously not good for your health.

 

[Canine]

Let's see, which recent nationwide news reported flood did this van come from? Oklahoma? Houston? Austin?

Didn't I see that van bobbing down the Brazos river on channel 5 news a month ago? Sure looks like the same one!

 

[Queen]

Let's see, which recent nationwide news reported flood did this van come from? Oklahoma? Houston? Austin?

Didn't I see that van bobbing down the Brazos river on channel 5 news a month ago? Sure looks like the same one!

Oh man, I remember the Katrina cars! Went truck shopping, pulled out a screwdriver to loosen the molding so I could look under the carpet and the salesman got very agitated, he kept saying "you don't need to do that, if you mess it up you're liable". Under the carpet was all mold and rust.

 

[offroad]

Still think we all do not check aggressively enough for mold. Any old apartment, house, RV, car, that has cloth for anything can get mold growing on it. Any time you find it, run away. Really think my allergies are getting more sensitive as I get older, as sleep is more difficult if you are fighting some mold spores getting into your airways. This is one thing where I like the great white north for, is the cold. The cold tends to kill off a lot of the mold (not all) so things are fresh in the spring.

 

[Canine]

Hmmm, "mold in igloos" didn't bring up what I thought, the term "mold" was for how to build one.  
"Mold in jungle" brought up lots more...
Who'd have guessed?


Was this the back seat of the vehicle??



Just a guess there was some mold...

 

[Almost There]

No mold smell doesn't guarantee that there isn't any.

There was no mold smell in the van when I bought it last September. I found the mold when I was stripping out the ugly halfassed interior that the PO had put in. The mold was under the plywood, then the layer of pink fiberglass insulation. The good thing is that it was confined to the insulation which I removed and a few spots on the high top which got sprayed and scrubbed then allowed to dry in the open air.

The underpad on the floor was soaking wet and probably had some mold spores in it. It also didn't smell bad but it was coming out anyways.

Any area(s) where moisture (doesn't have to be liquid or water) is allowed to exist for more than a few days can be subject to molding. All the more reason IMO to strip those interiors and floor mats out of the conversion vans and get back to bare metal. Only at the bare metal stage can you be sure you're not carrying around anything noxious.

 

[Canine]

Another plus for a cargo van I suppose.

 

[Almost There]

Another plus for a cargo van I suppose.

Doesn't matter if it's a cargo van or a window van. The insulation that is put in the conversion vans is inferior at best and the design layout they use takes up ever so much space that is wasted. Any van I've seen that's over a few years old could probably do best with a complete strip of the interior carpet/floor mats and anything that was put inside of it on the walls anyways.

If all the windows are what a person wants then buying a window van makes sense. I've had both and truthfully all the windows just meant more heat entry on a hot day unless you block them up with reflectix. If you do that you defeat the purpose of having a window van and you may as well have bought a cargo van. OTOH it's nice to have all those windows to look out of on a nice day or sitting inside on a rainy day.

When shopping for a van there are far more important things to consider than how many windows it does or doesn't have....like mechanical and body condition, mileage and price for starters! Windows can always be added if you really need them.

Now if I was buying a motorhome, I'd be way more picky about the number, size and placement of the windows!!

 

[SoulRaven]

No mold smell doesn't guarantee that there isn't any.

There was no mold smell in the van when I bought it last September. I found the mold when I was stripping out the ugly halfassed interior that the PO had put in. The mold was under the plywood, then the layer of pink fiberglass insulation. The good thing is that it was confined to the insulation which I removed and a few spots on the high top which got sprayed and scrubbed then allowed to dry in the open air.

The underpad on the floor was soaking wet and probably had some mold spores in it. It also didn't smell bad but it was coming out anyways.

Any area(s) where moisture (doesn't have to be liquid or water) is allowed to exist for more than a few days can be subject to molding. All the more reason IMO to strip those interiors and floor mats out of the conversion vans and get back to bare metal. Only at the bare metal stage can you be sure you're not carrying around anything noxious.

ANY van that has added non factory insulation is much more likely to have mold and rust issues whether you can see them or smell them or not.  Adding any sort of insulation that isn't designed to let it totally breathe is a recipe for disaster.

Most passenger vehicles are designed to not let moisture accumulate.  They are designed so everything can breathe.

 

[SoulRaven]

Another plus for a cargo van I suppose.

Then you're creating your own mold and rust issues...

 

[LeeRevell]

I have wondered if anyone got rooked into buying one of the flooded School Buses from Nawlins after Katrina, when they were being offered via Ebay, and converted to live-ins?   They showed a large parkinglot filled with them.  Some had visible high water marks on them......    :s

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah if you can smell the mold it has gotten pretty bad. the factory insulation under the carpet is like a sponge. I tear it out no matter what. also the fiberglass insulation that many conversion companies use is also a problem, it doesn't absorb water so to speak but it holds water and is a terrible choice for insulation. highdesertranger