Your opinion on this van

[SolarSoda]

Ok, CRVL members, let me know what you think -- 

We just put a down payment down on a van that is the best we've seen for meeting our needs, but we haven't signed the dotted line yet. We're taking it to the mechanic tomorrow, we're having a very experienced friend come with us to test drive it, etc. ... 

It's a 1999 Ford E-350 Super Duty extended cargo van, with the 7.3L diesel engine (over 250k miles on it). It was a transport vehicle for a children's home, so the inside still has the seats in it. If for some reason that doesn't work, it's Lantern Motors in Fort Myers, FL on Cleveland Ave. $9000

So please, tell us -- is this worth it?? Are we making a horrible mistake?? Please let us know your opinions!!! Thank you!!!



For more pics, head over to their website.

 

[DannyB1954]

I think this may be the link for other pictures. http://www.lanternmotors.com/invent...y& 1999 Ford E-350 Super Duty - Fort Myers FL

Found another link for it. and the price is less! http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/ctd/5947861620.html I was looking on Craigslist in your area to see if there was a better deal out there.

If you can get insurance on it, these make nice campers http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/ctd/5940229811.html

 

[AbuelaLoca]

It looks awesome! It's not a diesel, though... the specs say gas. If it checks out mechanically I'd buy it!! LOL

 

[SolarSoda]

DannyB - nice work finding the cheaper ad!!! We set our search criteria to max out at $8000 so that's how it escaped us.

AbuelaLoca - it definitely has a diesel engine in it. The dealer turned it on and although I'm not experienced with diesel engines, I've never heard a gas engine sound like that one did when he turned it on! Also the dealer went on and on and on about how great the engine is. And on and on. He said the 7.3s are the best out there. Bob Wells also says in his book (under the section "My Recommendations", #4) that for a box/step van, in his opinion the "very best choice" would be a Ford with the 7.3L diesel engine. I mean, I'll double check when we test drive it tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure it's diesel. Where did you see that it's gas? I am not seeing that.

 

[SolarSoda]

AbuelaLoca - never mind, I saw it. You did say "specs", lol. Anyway, I'll definitely ask the dealer about that tomorrow!

 

[DannyB1954]

If you can get a credit union loan, this one is ready to live in http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/rvs/5963686833.html

 

[AbuelaLoca]

That diesel engine is the best (so my mechanic friends all tell me... none of whom work on diesels LOL), and I've searched for one myself!!

 

[SolarSoda]

AbuelaLoca - I know, every time I mention it I seem to get the same response: "that's a good engine". I hope so!! I hope there aren't any bad surprises lurking beneath it, because it's more than we imagined we'd be able to get financed for. 

DannyB - there is no way a credit union will finance us. As it is this place is financing us themselves because they said a bank (and by extension credit union) won't. But if we do wind up signing the dotted line on this one, we know we have a lot of work ahead of us with mods, and making it livable. We don't care, we're just happy to have a roof over our heads at this point, lol! A roof of our own, too, that's a big one, and not having to rent a room from someone, which we've done before, and hated it, lol.

 

[Gary68]

250k on a 7.3 is getting up there,250k on the trans and rearend means they are there at dead,ask about any repairs/replacement cause at that mileage it all needs it

with this info i wouldn't go more than $2-3k with the expectation of a rebuilt trans,rearend and anything else that rotates

if they can bring up some receipts that would change

over all a real good van to start with

 

[Gary68]

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/chl/rvs/5960752594.html

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/5922855043.html

 

[hepcat]

250k on a 7.3 is getting up there,250k on the trans and rearend means they are there at dead,ask about any repairs/replacement cause at that mileage it all needs it

with this info i wouldn't go more than $2-3k with the expectation of a rebuilt trans,rearend and anything else that rotates

if they can bring up some receipts that would change

over all a real good van to start with

Solar, I'm with Gary on this one. I'm not a fan of diesels for other than commercial needs for several reasons.   Diesels in general are pretty costly to buy, and are costly to maintain.  You never recover the initial purchase price or operating expenses on fuel savings alone, unless it's in fleet use and you can depreciate it as an asset.  The 7.3 was probably the best diesel built for small trucks...  but this one is getting elderly, and you can drop $4k into work on a broken one pretty quickly.   And you can bet that this one's 250k miles were HARD miles... this van wasn't owned by some soccer mom who drove 50 freeway miles to work each day.

Look at prices for a similarly equipped, similar age gasser and you'll find that this one is priced with a premium...  probably BECAUSE it's got the 7.3.  I don't know whether the handicapped equipment raises the value or drops it.  It's certainly a special market unit.  

Were it me, I'd pass on this one and find a nice gas high-top with less mileage.  As Gary has linked to, you can buy ready-to-live in Class B mohos for the kind of money they're asking for this van.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide!

 

[CautionToTheWind]

The most I'd pay is $4,000, and that's on the high end. A well maintained diesel, more hwy driving miles than not, can last 350k or so.

 

[jonsun]

I'm with other poster $3k is about max I would pay maybe $4k with all receipts

 

[Canine]

Good job Gary, you gave the OP several really good options vs the original van for nearly $9K. Me, I like the older Dodge class B. People do have to remember that the 7.3's aren't all the same, aren't the older ones non-turbo? That's what Wiki indicates: "The 7.3L Power Stroke diesel was made available for 1995 models in Ford Econoline vans, the SUV Ford Excursion and Ford heavy duty pickups. It effectively replaced the 7.3 IDI with which it shared nothing other than displacement size."

Shows what is available in Fl. Too bad that's 2000 miles from me.

 

[TooManyDogs]

Here is a hightop van in middle TN for $3000. It's been posted before so you might be able to negotiate the price down. V8 with 130k miles, according to the ad. (It's not mine.)

http://www.lsn.com/01-dodge-3500-van--3000/5281171.html