A camp down the street has one of their vans up for sale asking $1500. A 1990 Dodge Ram 350. Extended Window Van. Auto. 5.9 engine 47,000 miles, stored winters so no rust. Typical Chrysler grey paint fade and spot.
Van was only used for hauling kids around and always maintained well. Pretty tight vehicle.
Thinking about a work van maybe instead of a trailer. Don’t know. Is the Chrysler 5.9 the equivalent of the old, what was it, 360?
The windows give me a problem for a work van but his last bid on it was $1,000 and he’s getting ready to sell.
Any opinions?
Edited 10/29/2004 6:52 pm ET by rez
Edited 10/29/2004 6:55 pm ET by rez
Replies
Buy it.
You didn't say what year. Throttle body? 5.2 is the old 318, ours has 225k. About to be my "new" ride. You can always panel over the windows, or paper them.
Change the tranny filter and oil as soon as you get it. Adjust the bands while you're in there. That's the weakest point.
Ours came with peeling paint and a lot of rust on the top. Painted it in the driveway while DW was in Orlando at the PGA show one year. Blew her away. $125 worth of supplies and it still looks good.
These are simple trucks. They go and go and go and .... If you change your mind you can always sell it to somebody else.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Ya, I reread and edited while you were posting. Yep, the top has the surface rust.
I remember hearing stories of Chrysler paint peeling and fading after the first couple years and the manufacturers wouldn't cover it under warranty 'cause they blamed it on...
...acid rain! Roar! Couldn't believe they say something like that. Folks had to fight tooth and nail to get a paint job.
Don't know what a 'throttle body' is. This one has the about 2 ft added on the back of the body with the extra seats. 15 passenger I believe.
They have two other newer vans the run and want to get a truck so this is up for sale.
So the trannys are a bit on the shakey side?
First there were carbs, then throttle body fuel injection, then fuel injection. I've never gotten along well with carbs. Ours has throttle body, no problems. Fuel injection's even better. As ours is also 1990, I assume you have the same, just a larger engine and heavier van.
I wouldn't say the trannys are shakey, just that engines seem to outlast them. We just bought a 2004 Ford for DW. I'm going to be more diligent in tranny fluid changes and see if it'll last as long as the engine. Changing the fluid isn't fun and something easy to avoid. That's why I suggested you get on with it.
You should be able to easily go 150k with minimal maintenance. That's a cheap ride. And why I'm going to drive ours. It isn't worth much and runs great.
Get some paint. I sandblasted the top, it was so bad. We paid $2k in '99 with a little over 100k. Came with a used tranny- still going. Don't know what happened to the original one. 3 spd with overdrive. Had the torque converter break at the neck a few weeks ago. Took it apart and replaced the bushing in the tranny pump that the torque converter rides on. Kind of wondered, with so many miles, but so far so good.
Buy it.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Thats not much to pay for what you described.
Im fixing to spend 600 on tires, so go figgure.
Tim Mooney
Edited 10/29/2004 7:56 pm ET by Tim Mooney
Fast eddie from cleve had a couple of the 90's vintage dodge vans. One door or two in the back? Seems I remember that both you couldn't get a 4' wide sheet in flat..........but you could stand 'em up I think I'm remembering. He also used to haul tile, mortar and such, rear ends needed work a few times. Might have been his bad luck. Just some info for you. Owned 2 window vans hauling tools, never camped out at a bar at night and kept to better neighborhoods, never parked at home depot's.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Single door in back. Still tight with no sag cause not used much. A 4x8 won't slide in there, aye?
rez, it was one way or the other. Looked at a dodge van myself in the 90's, wondered why dodge bothered to build a van that you couldn't get a 4x8 into.........just don't remember which way was bogus. Make sure, could ruin your plan for the thing.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Just measured ours, single door also, 49".PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
ah, the plot thickens.
if single door has a retaining strap between hinges w tapered stainless pin, tap pin up and out w hammer, slide strap to side and door opens fully 4x8 sheet w fit in
save some fuel, replace oxygen sensor in exhaust "y" pipe below exhaust manifolds; sends info to computer, adjusts fuel/air mix burnout every 35-40k miles was good for 3-4 mpg gain on my dodge
here in pa you can register that as a passenger car (cheap)
just paint the windows
sounds like a deal
carpenter in transition
I'd but it ...
and I'm a Chevy/GMC guy ...
but I'd jump at that deal.
U can buy window wire grilles that screw on from the inside ...
or ... limo tint ...
or ... as the previous owner did on my first van ...
a can of black spray paint from the inside.
I'm tempted to do the black spray paint trick again ...
didn't look too bad ... and real easy to touch up.
plus ... easily removed if ya want.
get the windows tinted ... and/or the wire screens ... and an alarm.
You'll still be getting off cheap.
MY carpet guy has a new(er) Ford sitting in his driveway and is still driving his old Dodge around ... word is the new Ford is for sale.
Jeff
Jeff
I had a '90 B250 van. I hated that vehicle.
Of course mine was well used even though I bought it with only 67k on it. It was a 3sp auto, 3.9l V6, no air, radio, tilt, etc. I could barely talk on a cell phone with the noise in the cab. It smelled badly and the heat was sporadic at best.
Of course I'm forgetting that I bought it for $1500 when my old Ford PU left me in a bind so it wasn't all that bad. And remember that a work vehicle is just that. Still, I don't miss it.
IIRC, 48" was a tight fit on the flat. 49" MDF would have to go in at an angle which was a pain. On edge I know for sure that a sheet will not slide in w/o a significant lean angle. I had my van full one day at HD, of course I was in a hurry, and I thought I'll just clear out a 6" swath against my shelving and slide my 5 or 6 sheets in. Once again I had the opportunity to unload all my tools in the parking lot to get materials in.
Don't listen to my whining, I'm just bitter.
Jon Blakemore
good for balance in the pros and cons. Thank you.
good for balance in the pros and cons.
This is true. If you want to consistantly transport a lot of sheet goods, a van's not the right one. I can comfortably carry 100 3/4" sheets in my truck. But it's not what most would consider an appropriate work truck. My first Dodge van was a cube van ('70s). Much more practical if the outside height's not a problem.
Our van was a people hauler too. Has all the creature comforts we expected. New van is a work van, much noisier (until I insulate and panel).PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Dont get me started about my old junk dodge van. It was a pile of junk...a menace to society...i thought I was smart driving that old junker around..just because I could. I'm sure I am millions of dollars poorer today because everyone that hired me (I was young and dumb) payed my a lot less than I could have commanded had I presented myself in a more professional manner.
Live and learn.
blue FRAMING ADVICE ALERT!!!! DON'T TAKE ANY FRAMING ADVICE FROM ME. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IF YOU WANT GOOD FRAMING ADVICE, JUST ASK GABE. DON'T ASK ANYONE ELSE....JUST ASK GABE! REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FRAMING...I JUST BS ABOUT IT.
END OF ALERT!
blue- you're a troublemaker saw your posts in another thread can i get framing advice from you?
Yes ed...but take it at your own risk!
blue FRAMING ADVICE ALERT!!!! DON'T TAKE ANY FRAMING ADVICE FROM ME. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IF YOU WANT GOOD FRAMING ADVICE, JUST ASK GABE. DON'T ASK ANYONE ELSE....JUST ASK GABE! REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FRAMING...I JUST BS ABOUT IT.
END OF ALERT!
i drove a 84 dodge window van 125k, it had about 185 on it when i sold it,then bought a 89 window van put almost 225k on it , now in a 99 window,has the 5.9 360,3:75 rear end and pulls a 743 bobcat and trailer and tools with no prob. if you notice all of these are window vans, besides the obvious of more light, easier to see out of. since my first one that i bought in about 87, they have always been loaded with tools and materials, and i don't belive the doors have been locked 10 times. never lost a thing out of them. even though my next door neighbor had his chevy truck broke into 3 times and lost his tools. the thieves look at a window van as a people hauler,they figure the only thing to steal would be some dirty diapers! they see a white cargo van sitting in a driveway they know it's some kinda work type vehicle. on fitting 4x8 into them ,no problem but like someone saidpull the hinge strap and your ready to go.i don't think you could beat this for 1500 for a work vehicle and what the heck if ya don't like it you can sell it to a carpet layer with no problem. larry
Make sure you get one of them stickers, that says, :When my Vans a Rocking Don't Come Knocking!"
Ya wanna here a cryin' song.
Keep thinking about the van. Finally today said you know, it's just a tool go buy the thing and be done with it.
Called the guy.
Just sold it an hour and a half before. Sh!t.
S'ok tho'. I'd rather have a trailer anyhow.
I think.
bwaaa!