Have I lost my mind? Thinking of trading Dodge 2500 for Eurovan!

[Cole]

Buy a Sprinter if you want a van. They are not much more expensive than a Eurovan.

Where are you finding these?

I have found more than a dozen sub $3k Eurovans and many in the sub $2k range. The cheapest Sprinter I have found was a 350,000 mile beat up retiring deliver truck for $8,500. ( which is way out of my budget for this)

As I also mentioned above. I can't park something that looks like a RV or commercial vehicle at my house. So a Sprinter really doesn't help me there either.

 

[cnskate]

The 93 5 cylinder 5 speed is pretty bullet proof from what I've heard. I just drove one and didn't think it was too underpowered. It was friggin supercharged compared to my old aircooled Vanagon Westy. Gas mileage in the low 20's. The MV's have a bigger than queen size fold out bench seat. Real AC, and all for around $3K. I'm contemplating building one up with BFG AT's and a slight lift :drool:

 

[Cole]

There is a 1993 5 speed 5 cyl near Salt Lake that is listed for $2000. It's on Craigslist. I made them a $1200 offer and they countered with $1600. I found a VR6 that is too hard to pass up so if anyone wants the 5 speed it's available.

 

[Christian P.]

There is a 1993 5 speed 5 cyl near Salt Lake that is listed for $2000. It's on Craigslist. I made them a $1200 offer and they counted with $1600. I found a VR6 that is too hard to pass up so if anyone wants the 5 speed it's available.

sorry I got confused. I thought you were looking at pop-top Eurovan Weekender/Westfalia with VR6, which are hard to find under 10K - hence my reference to a Sprinter.

yes you can find cheaper older Eurovan with the 5 cyl, or even VR6 for much lower than a Sprinter.

 

[Cole]

I've been doing some research on the UK T4 forums. Guys there are making some awesome campers out of the hardtop vans.

The conversion kits (and shipping) to make a hardtop into a pop top cost less than the price difference I'm seeing between a factory hardtop and pop top.

So far the cheapest (not totally rusted through, beat to hell, needs everything) pop top weekender I have found is $5900 with 250k miles on it. And it's not even really available since the owner only randomly responds to his ad.

Most of the pop tops I'm seeing are still around $16k +\- and the full campers are upwards of $30k.

Odd that a vehicle so commonly thought of as unreliable is so frequently priced so high. I've seen people asking $20+k for a 19year old camper version.

 

[Christian P.]

I've been doing some research on the UK T4 forums. Guys there are making some awesome campers out of the hardtop vans.

The conversion kits (and shipping) to make a hardtop into a pop top cost less than the price difference I'm seeing between a factory hardtop and pop top.

So far the cheapest (not totally rusted through, beat to hell, needs everything) pop top weekender I have found is $5900 with 250k miles on it. And it's not even really available since the owner only randomly responds to his ad.

Most of the pop tops I'm seeing are still around $16k +\- and the full campers are upwards of $30k.

Odd that a vehicle so commonly thought of as unreliable is so frequently priced so high. I've seen people asking $20+k for a 19year old camper version.

yep, you are starting to get a sense of the Eurovan market. the high price comes because there is not really any other comparable option out there - it is certainly not associated to their reliability, unlike a Toyota for instance.

one thing you have to consider is that if you are going to invest a lot of time building your own camper, you may want to start with a good platform.

 

[Cole]

Well, partly I want something different. I also tend to never leave anything alone. So no matter what comes in it, it will probably change.

I'm sure over time this van will get a syncro manual swap and maybe even a TDI. None of which came to the USA so it will make it a fun build. Unlike just buying a plain old cargo van like a Sprinter:sombrero:

 

[Cole]

I haven't picked up the Eurovan yet. But I found a deal that will let (and require) the Dodge to stay. At least for now.

 

[Cole]

Here is the update.

I stumbled on a one owner 2002 Eurovan GLS that was diagnosed as needing a timing chain replaced. Total cost with getting it to my door was about $2,200

I'm in the process of doing my own diagnostic of the idle issue before jut blindly replacing the chain. No biggy if I have to. I have the tools and the skills to do it.

I also stumbled on a slightly wrecked 1993 Eurovan Weekender Popup that I will be picking up today for $1,250

The plan is to take all the Weekender parts and pop top from the wrecked van and fit them to the 2002. All the rest of the extra parts will be sold in a fire sale or taken to the dump ASAP.

Here is a picture of the 2002.

 

[Victorian]

Nice looking van!!
When I bought mine it had an idle/smooth running issue also. The former owner spend thousands at the dealer ship to get the almost everything in the engine compartment replaced! But the problem remained...
I took it to a "free vw garage" and within an hour he found the problem! A relay was burned out and gave the wrong voltage to the computer. At the end it cost me maybe $150 and it was fixed. Maybe you are dealing with the same issue?

Other then that, over the span of two years i had the timingbelt replaced, the shifter linkage replaced (after it fell out and left me stranded) and normal servicing.

Have fun with your van and please take more pictures when everything is done.

 

[Cole]

I also bought this van to steal the poptop and weekender interior out of.

 

[Cole]

 

[Cole]

Done! Hauling to scrap tomorrow!