Men (,ladies...):
I've tried the resources that I'd expect to have this info (kbb, edmunds)with no luck so I turn to you.

I'm a week or two away from being able to buy a van for work and save what used to be my personal truck from the daily wear and tear that self-employment in a trade dishes out and to allow me to be more productive.

I can and always have done my own mechanical repairs so a used van intuitively makes more sense to me as far as cost over a five year period, with lower depreciation in dollars and lower registration costs and superior tax deductability.

I've shopped around lightly and can already see that finding a used van is going to be a frustrating experience for all the usual reasons. With zero percent financing still a reality, I'm wanting to do the math on a new van, figuring to put down what I would spend on a used one and finance the rest.

Knowing what I might expect my $24000 van to be worth in 5 years is necessary in order for me to make a sound decision. I can easily find current values for all the years that I'd consider buying but I can't find what they cost new.

Does anybody know what the new suggested retail prices for 1996-1998 Ford E250 standard and extended cargo vans was or where I can find the information without spending all my free time on it for the next month?