Emergency question, opinion needed quickly please

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Found a 2013 Chevy 3500 van, extended cargo, 201500 miles, price is right, but its 90 miles away and need to leave in an hour to get it. It's a fleet van, well maintained and in very good condition, looks new. Only rear drive, 3.42 rear end, flex fuel.

My concern is in 2 areas, 200K on miles and gas mileage ???


How dependable would this thing be with those miles, is it time for engine and/or tranny issues?

Just found out, its a 6.0 engine. Comments please......:smiley_drive:
 
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adam88

Explorer
My honest advice to you would be unless it is an ABSOLUTE STEAL to simply avoid it, or at best, don't jump into any pressure situations. Go look at it, and take a real detailed look at it. Drive it, listen as it shifts through gears. Get out and check the oil once it is hot. If you like the way it drives, spend $100 to get it professionally looked over by CAA (or whoever does it in your area). They will do a full inspection.

200,000 miles is a lot... and being fleet doesn't guarantee anything other than it was probably maintained but fleet vans are often driven hard and left idling a lot. So 200,000 miles = how much idling?

FInally, as my old man would say ... these things are a dime a dozen. And he would be right. There's fleet vans EVERYWHERE. Unless this one is perfect, purrs like a kitten, and has a very good condition body, then why settle? I see these vans for sale all the time. And really, 200,000 miles is a lot for a gasser.
 

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Thanks guys, I did look and drove it! I wasn't impressed and thought I had blown my afternoon.

Not entirely, I called my contact in the used car world to ask his general opinion over the phone. He said about what you guys said but then said;

"I'm surprised you'd be looking at anything over a hundred thousand miles"

So, I told him that I was wanting a used cargo van to convert for camping and to keep it under $10,000. I told him I had bought an 01 Astro that was good mechanically but it had a brake issue and for what I really wanted was something bigger that could pull my trailer.

The conversation went on and he told me he had a 2011 Ford E-150 that was high mileage (201K) but in great shape.

So, he has had some medical issues and doesn't really go to his lot, but he met me there later. He pulled a car fax and his records. It was a fleet lease to a large health care company, Maintenance records showed the van went to the Ford dealership here in town. Last service was in April and there were no issues to address.

Stickers inside indicate it was used to deliver oxygen tanks and associated supplies, the van has 2 storage racks and a divider with a door behind the front seats.

Not a paint scratch anywhere, the dash is dusty/dirty but no scratches or issues usually seen on commercial vehicles (like holes from mounting radios or tracking devices) even the steering wheel shows little wear. The side of the brake pedal pad is worn down, an easy fix and the passenger side mirror glass is cracked.

The engine purrs and is very quiet, the transmission was rebuilt past January and is under warranty. I drove it, drives straight and solid, the racks and the divider door rattle. I checked the oil after a 10 minute run on the expressway, running 65-70, and it looks good. I shut it down and let it sit in my driveway, it spent the night with me. No fluids leaking, engine is dry, tranny and rear end are dry, universals are tight (may have been replaced with the transmission rebuild as they looked newer). I didn't check the brakes, but they perform well and are quiet. Good Firestone tires and the full size spare looks new, just dirty. The seats are in very good shape, the driver must not have been very big because with those miles, a butt breakdown is usually evident, no rips, tears, stains and they are firm. I'd swear the A/C blows ice cubes, it was over a hundred with the heat index and I had to turn the air off of max to normal for fear of frost bite on my arms and face.

Well, he gave me more than I paid for the Astro and the boot was $3500, putting me in the Ford at under $7 grand, counting tires and shackles I had put on the Astro.

12.000 or 12 month warranty from him to me, I've bought 5 vehicles from this guy over the years and took in a few other buyers.

So, yes, I bought it. Wish it had the AWD like the Astro, but I never really got that stuck in my Dodge 3/4 van going in the woods and along the rivers back in the day. I'm not a rock climber so it might be more of an adventure van with RWD, LOL
:)
Didn't know Ford put premium radios with blue tooth and MP3 players in cargo vans!
 

adam88

Explorer
So you phoned a used car dealer... he told you that you shouldn't be looking at anything with over 100,000 miles... then he ended up selling you a van with 201,000 miles on it. I guess it's okay for you to buy a van with more than 100,000 miles as long as you buy it from HIM :) lol.

I'm just joking. It sounds like a nice van. If you're happy with it, that's good. Ford makes excellent vans and is way better than Chevy or Dodge - no comparison when it comes to vans. But that being said, the E150 is an interesting choice. What are your plans for it? You'd be surprised how poorly these E150's handle large amounts of weight. What's the payload with a full tank of gas and 2 people in it?
 

Robert Bills

Explorer
How was this an emergency?

An emergency is a situation where there is imminent risk to life, limb or property.

This was nothing more than a guy who doesn't know what he is doing trying to buy a used van with money burning a hole in his pocket.
 

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Adam, yes, that's a hoot, LOL, he doesn't talk me into anything, I've bought vehicles from him before and he's the only dealer inn my area that sells a vehicle "as is" and then fixes it free of charge if it isn't what he said it is. He's more than just a car dealer and I know the family......so......he wasn't out to sell me so much as informing me and he thinks this Ford is a good that meets the needs and the budget, so I bought it.

Payload, almost 3,000 lbs, it has a 33 gallon tank so the range should be close to 500 miles at 15 MPG, hope it gets that on the highway!

It's getting camperized, 2 of us with our Boxer, all ready have a motorized folding couch bed (queen size) I'm fitting today, have to get one of the storage racks out of the van before that bed will fit.

I'll do a build thread later, but it gets a 12V Truck fridge, water, stove, on board air, genny, battery bank, 120-200 watt solar, batteries, inverter, lights, interior build, side tent, awning, tires later (the ones on it are good) and roof rack.

Looks like someone didn't have sugar on their cereal this morning, :ar15: :coffeedrink:

Never heard of anyone dying or injured in a forum. Danger to property, potential financial loss arising from or out of property ownership, lol. So, the property was identified, target acquired, safety off ready to fire, simply asked for confirmation before incurring any loss, answers provided insight to seek expert advice, advice confirmed, stand down, do not fire! Thanks :)
 
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