Topic: Thinking about buying a van ... Got one!

[Scott S]

 I was at a friends house the other day and he showed me his ex-work/cargo van that he uses to haul his bikes around in and, sometimes, camp out of.
 It's a somewhat newer Dodge that he got cheap from Craigslist. I have no real preference for Dodge/Chevy/Ford, etc., personally. Unless you can convince me that there are certain models to stay away from.

 I can find plenty of work/cargo vans for ~$3,000 or less, but many of them have very high miles. I'd also prefer a regular wheel base vs. extended....ro would I ?

 I also see a few deals on conversion vans, but I'd fell sorta wasteful throwing out the carpet, captains chairs, etc.

 Any thoughts or ideas on a van for hauling bikes and maybe sleeping in at times? I have other vehicles and wouldn't put many miles on it. What do you have? What kind of MPG do you get?

[MoMo]

May want to stay away from the Chrysler products, they are a great van with a lousy transmission. I have had two Voyagers with 5 transmissions .  But they are awesome in snow and ice and everything else on it was stone reliable...Larry

[Scott S]

 The Voyager is a min-van, right? I'm thinking full size, rear wheel drive. Can you even fit a bike in a mini van?

[weekend_junkie]

I know that my CB350F fit quite nicely into the back of my fathers 1992 Dodge Ram 150 once I removed the mirrors.

[MoMo]

Voyager is a minivan and you can get a bike in but a full size would be better- I had a GMC a long time ago and that was reliable.  Bad gas mileage but if you only plan to use a full size on occasion that should not matter. Good luck with whatever you choose...Larry

[cb650]

I have a older dodge full size and love it.  The rear end did crap out and its been sitting but its a future project and going to keep it.  Been cross country camping a couple times and it hauled the race bike.

[Scott S]

 I'd like something I could fit two bikes in, so I'll probably be avoiding the mini-vans.

[fmctm1sw]

I hauled 4 bikes in the back of a hollowed out '87 Dodge hi top conversion van a few years back.  I slept with my head under the engine of an old TX500 I had in there.    More recently, I hauled two basket case CB550s in my '93 conversion van.  One behind the rear bench seat/bed and the other in front of the two rear captains chairs!  All with two kids and luggage from Pennsylvania to Florida!  As far as MPG, I don't know I usually got 16-18 with it.  There was a guy down the road selling an old bread truck a while back and the thought crossed my mind to use it to haul or camp in.  But as little as I haul (or camp), the cost of insurance and registration wouldn't be worth it.

*edit*  Oh, and I fit a CT90 lengthwise in front of the two rear captains chairs on time too...

[faux fiddy]

I drive an Astro AWD, it runs pretty good, gets as much as 19 per gallon. I think the two wheel drive should do a bit better on mileage.  Mine's on the third fuel pump and the power locks seem to fail, but other than that it's a good runner. 

I had some transmission issues, a hard shift into first developing, so I did the regular maintainence- filter and fluid and added a transmission cooler.  Had no problems since. The van has had regular oil changes since new and has 120k on it. I have heard of Astro's with  nearly 300k on them that still ran good.

There is a pretty good forum support with good information to be had.

I fit a bike in the back, and could probably get two in if I removed the rear captain's chairs.

[Really?]

I kinda wished these would come back in style.  I had many a good time in one of these.

[brooze72]

I've used my buddy's Chevy Express 2500, it's a very nice full size van, only had to remove the mirrors to get the bike up on the centre stand & there was lot's of room, probably coulda fit another bike in as well.  Horrible gas mileage tho, have to use a very light foot, guess that's why it has a 120 litre tank!

[curemode2002]

I have a nice '89 Chevy G35 Conversion Van she gets about 13mpg but I bought her for 700.00 cash with only 69000 on the clock a couple years back when they were doing the cash for clunkers thing.
I found a company called Gear Vendors that builds an overdrive I am saving up for that as it should get me to around 17-19mpg. 
But the best part is that I can tow just about anything and even load 4 full size bikes in it if I remove the rear seat. That still gives me four passenger seats plus the driver.

[Damfino]

A used one of these would be awesome!!

[seanbarney41]

I got a '95 Chevy g(somethin?).  It's the little stubby one that corners and parks easy.  It's nice to be able to haul bikes and stuff around, but, man the mileage really stinks (12-15mpg).  I'd recommend getting a v8.  Mine's a v6 and is a total slug, and the mileage gain from the v6 is minimal, if any.  Before this chevy, I had a Dodge with a 318 v8 and it was peppy but got 12mpg no matter how you drive, no matter where you drive, weather, whatever...

[weekend_junkie]

A used one of these would be awesome!!

I hear you can fit a mini cooper in the back of those.

[brooze72]

Maybe new ones come with a Smart car??  

Had a buddy that converted a Greyhound bus to an RV & he chopped an old Mini to a two seater length, made the windshield removable & stored it in the cargo hold with ramps & a winch! It was way cool, but he complained about the crowds it drew at the campgrounds on the way to Daytona & sold the rig. 

[Gordon]

Have you considered a trailer, or even a small truck that can tow a trailer if needed?  Think about how often you'll need the enclosed cargo space of a full-size van versus the cost of purchasing and owning/maintaining one.  A small pickup can carry a bike in the bed, or a full camper, or a cover that you can sleep under, and it can tow a cheap, rented trailer if you need to move more than one bike at a time, and it gets much better mileage than a V8 van. 

Think about your overall and long-term needs.  What vehicle is the most cost-effective for what you really need?  It may even turn out that it would cost less to just rent a cargo van when you need one rather than owning, maintaining and paying registration and insurance on one only to use it occasionally. 

[BeSeeingYou]

The Voyager is a min-van, right? I'm thinking full size, rear wheel drive. Can you even fit a bike in a mini van?

recently hauled an XS650 in my 95 Dodge Caravan, so yes you can.

[faux fiddy]

The trailer is a good idea. As a work vehicle you often end up with the same paint fumes/toxics inside your ride that you have been breathing and splashing on yerself all day.

My mentor has a really nice BIG ford van, powerstroke diesel that he has had and rebuilt since the eighties. (BTW, the napa-crap valve keepers failed less than 3,000 miles after the first rebuild, and the originals went back in after it dropped a valve.)  15 MPG diesel, precombustion chamber so it did pretty good on cooking oil in warm summer climate. New heavier springs now so it doesn't wander and bounce out of the lane anymore, goes straight down the road and had a firm ride with a huge load in addition to GVW.   I think it's going to be straight from the pump diesel since the last fuel distributor went in a few months ago. it will be a million mile van I figure...


Look for it at Barber, one with a big pipe bumper that sticks out three feet, designed for loading BIKES.

BTW, these battlax tires are still available ,,,

[Prolap]

Go BIG. Just like your garage a van will fill up fast and will never seem to be large enough. Get a V8 (5.2L +) any less is a slug with weight on hills, power steering for when you get banged up riding, large gas tank to cut travel time stopping for fuel and hinged doors vs. a slider, easier to lock and they will make less noise going down the road. speaking of noise, insulate and carpet as much as possible for a quiet ride.  that's all i have based upon personal experience.   

[faux fiddy]

Go BIG.  hinged doors vs. a slider, easier to lock and they will make less noise going down the road. speaking of noise, insulate and carpet as much as possible for a quiet ride.  that's all i have based upon personal experience.

Actually the doors on the side of that Ford above rattle like crazy loud.

[fmctm1sw]

Like said..  1200+ miles with two kids and luggage!

[CaféElite]

http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/2632945739.html

[Gordon]

http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/2632945739.html

Drool...

I would live in that thing!

[Scott S]

 Bringing this one back from the dead.

 I've been kicking around the idea on and off for a couple of years now. There's a '97 Ford E-150 just down the road from me; about 100K but 67K on a rebuilt engine (with paperwork). The tires are dry rotted and need replacing. Small spot of surface rust above drivers door (I can fix that myself). He's asking $2K, but I think I can get it for less. It has the 4.2L (I think that's the right displacement) V-6 engine.
 I looked into renting and, for example, to take a van from my house in SC to Barber and back would cost me over $500. That's a third of the way to owning this van! We've been to a few places along the coast and mountains that are within a days drive from my house that had camping facilities....I could talk myself into hauling the bikes, setting up camp, and sleeping in the van on an air mattress. I'm not one for sleeping on the ground.
 I think I could definitely get my moneys worth out of a van , even if I only used it four or five times a year.