Shopping for another van

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Apr 15, 2016 | 10:58 AM

turbogus

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 996

Likes: 5

From: Albany, Good Ol' USA

Shopping for another van

While I'm waiting for State Farm to pay my claim on 'Easy Bake' my '81 E-150 Panel van, I'm shopping on Craigslst for her replacement. Being as I'm somewhat familiar with that series of E vans I'm hoping to find another from therein. In case I am forced to go with another series of Econoline, are there any good/bad years to avoid within the 3rd or 4th generation? Any information would be great! Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid for your responses!

Apr 15, 2016 | 09:38 PM

WorldCommander

Mountain Pass

Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 225

Likes: 25

Definitely a much later model than you had previously. How's your budget?

Apr 16, 2016 | 05:03 AM

Wildman25

Laughing Gas

Joined: Apr 2014

Posts: 1,100

Likes: 8

Watching you other thread...........
If your really "stuck" on this era van, then stay with it.
Your range can be from '75-'91 on the body style as the same.
But mid '92+ offered better power plants and overdrive tranny's

One thing........if the insurance company offers you a "buy-back" you might want to consider that for salvaging parts off your "Totaled" vehicle

That's a added plus for the newer parts you added and can use as replacements in something similar. That's if you have the time and place to store the "donor" vehicle?

Apr 16, 2016 | 09:11 AM

turbogus

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 996

Likes: 5

From: Albany, Good Ol' USA

My bare funds start at about $2800 until I can finalize the insurance claim then may get a $1500-$2200 bump.
I'd like to go the salvage route but I work 7 days a week and with the CJ laid up in the shop (bad intake valve) ALL of my day is full already and will be for some time to come.
I'd like to put it out there that this shop owner not only has taken pity on me by letting me park indoors in his shop, taking up one of his service bays, allow his mehanics to take time to answer my questions AND borrow tools !?!
and if that don't beat all, he loaned me His GMC Suburban that he's eventually selling. Why can't there be more compassionate folks out there like this?

Apr 16, 2016 | 09:40 AM

WorldCommander

Mountain Pass

Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 225

Likes: 25

That's awesome man! There have been less than a handful of people in my life that have been kind, caring and giving like that, yet asked nothing in return. I'll never forget them and frequently send a well-focused thought and a Thank You attached to their name out into the Universe.

Apr 17, 2016 | 03:33 PM

turbogus

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 996

Likes: 5

From: Albany, Good Ol' USA

So, yesterday my wife and I went to what we thought was the best potential van, a '93 Glaval converted E-150. I performed an LTI and everything checked out except the rusted exhaust was dangling from the headpipe. A test drive found it to have good pick up and it stopped straight from 30 mph, but at almost $3000 I didn't absolve the exhaust, likely a $500-600 expense so I lowballed at $1200 but they declined. My wife found an odd smell in the cabin and she likened the car lot to "Helping Hand" from the 1984 Repo Man film https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=AwrBT9sP8RNX42UAoBlXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMj B0aG5zBGNvbG

YmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=movie+repo+man+emilio+estevez&back=https%3A%2F% 2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dmovie%2Brepo%2Bm an%2Bemilio%2Bestevez%26fp%3D1%26ei%3DUTF-8&fr=%26fr%3Dyfp-t-571-s&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOV P.Vd470b15d952f406a21f706eb743f0b13%26pid%3D15.1&r url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDL GrXGEMOSo&tit=Repo+Man+%281984%29+-+Original+Theatrical+Trailer+in+HD&l=146&vid=b20a8 8ecb136788d90ef9e7b58d367d3&sigr=11bus3d14&sigb=12 dv3psve&sigt=11jj3nvfu&sigi=12bd8bcs9

Apr 17, 2016 | 03:48 PM

turbogus

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 996

Likes: 5

From: Albany, Good Ol' USA

... on the other hand I may be switching gears. We took that borrowed 1996 GMC Suburban to Portland to look at that van and my wife likes it (although she doesn't drive) and it performed well, save for the AC wasn't blowing cold and a service engine soon light came on, I'm thinking an O2 sensor or two.