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Invisiblezee_werp
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Questions for van owners...need tips
    #5305610 - 02/16/06 06:06 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Hi all
Well this post is mainly going out to those of you who live in North America, and own a van, or know a little about vans.

I live in NZ but this year I am heading over to North America for a few months. The goal is to buy a van and drive around. But the problem is you guys have different cars over there than what we have here. So I don't know whats what when it comes to vans.

Here in NZ, the trusty van of choice is the Toyota Hiace. Its just your stock standard that is known for its reliability.

I intend to put a bed in the van, and probably a little stove, maybe some shelves etc.

What I want to know is, what are the types of good, reliable, and relatively common vans in North America? What could I expect to pick up for say, $3000 CAD?

Any tips and advice on my hunt for a van would be much appreciated. Thanks!!!


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InvisibleOneMoreRobot3021
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5305633 - 02/16/06 06:20 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)



--------------------
Acid doesn't give you truths; it builds machines that push the envelope of perception. Whatever revelations came to me then have dissolved like skywriting. All I really know is that those few years saddled me with a faith in the redemptive potential of the imagination which, however flat, stale and unprofitable the world seems to me now, I cannot for the life of me shake.

-Erik Davis


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InvisibleTM
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5305634 - 02/16/06 06:21 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Well, first off, I personally wouldn't want to put my trust in any van that cheap.
You should expect to pay at least twice that much for a van that will be reliable and not bleed you dry in repairs.
Here, we have mostly mini-vans that are family oriented vehicles for soccer moms, but I suppose you might be able to make that work for you if you remove the rear seats.

Utility vans here are all American made. They would suit your purpose much better. I'd suggest looking for a GMC Vandura above all else. You can probably find a decent one for 5-8000 CAD.

Cost shouldn't be so much of an issue, as you'll most likely recover most of it when you sell it and go back home.


--------------------
================================================



"Have some congratulatory drugs." - C. Montgomery Burns

I'll probably always do drugs, so that just contributes to the addiction to The Shroomery... It's a vicious circle of bliss. :tongue2:

TM™ :cool:


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: TM]
    #5305644 - 02/16/06 06:28 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

OneMoreRobot, that van looks damn cool, but also looks like a damn gas guzzler!! Not going there...

Aren't GMC's major gas guzzlers too? I was told that Mazda vans are pretty popular over there. I sure as hell don't want a soccer mom mobile, nor do I want one of those stupid bullet shaped pieces of shit. I don't care about looks, I just want reliablitly and reasonable fuel economy.

Yes TripMeister you are right, if I can't find anything solid for 3000 I will go higher as I can hopefully get most of it back like you said, when I sell the van. Here's hoping I don't crash it.

I'm planning to drive pretty much the whole west coast between San Fran and the top of BC, as well as all the way across Canada to the east coast. So you can see why I need something reliable. And fuel efficient. I've got a pretty tight budget.


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InvisibleTM
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5305660 - 02/16/06 06:38 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Well, I can see more problems in your future. Insurance and registration. Without being a resident of the state you want to register the vehicle in, you can't register the vehicle.

Also, unless you have an international drivers' license, you need to get a state license, which also requires a residential address which must be PROVEN. You need a valid license just to register the vehicle, nevermind driving it.

Unless you have a friend or family member in the SF area who'd be willing to do it all in their name, I'd think about reversing your trip and starting from home and taking a round route.


--------------------
================================================



"Have some congratulatory drugs." - C. Montgomery Burns

I'll probably always do drugs, so that just contributes to the addiction to The Shroomery... It's a vicious circle of bliss. :tongue2:

TM™ :cool:


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: TM]
    #5305667 - 02/16/06 06:44 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

I'm basing my trip from Vancouver BC. I'm a Canadian citizen cause my dad lives there, I can use his place as my address since thats where I'll be 'living' when I'm not driving around. Still have to look into drivers liscence issues and the rest of it. All valid points.

I just had a quick look on Canadian ebay. It seems like all the vans you guys have are like big fucking bedford style things with huge engines. Here in NZ this is what we call a van. Is there anything more along these lines over there? Obviously I am looking for a modernised version, probably mid-90's, as apposed to this one which is mid-80's. (We have a lot of old school cars and shit over here)


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InvisibleTM
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5305715 - 02/16/06 07:10 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Okay, after searching ebay and craigslist, I found that what you're looking for is VERY tough to find.
My suggestion of a Vandura would be easy and inexpensive, but all of them have V-8 engines.
SOOO... The best choice would be a GMC Astro or Safari with a V-6, but those are VERY hard to come by.

The Mazda MPV is also available, but it's a soccer-mom van.

I wish you luck in your search and if the ad doesn't state the mileage on the odometer, assume it's well over 200,000 miles.


--------------------
================================================



"Have some congratulatory drugs." - C. Montgomery Burns

I'll probably always do drugs, so that just contributes to the addiction to The Shroomery... It's a vicious circle of bliss. :tongue2:

TM™ :cool:


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: TM]
    #5305726 - 02/16/06 07:15 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Thanks a lot for your input TripMeister. Helpful, although not what I want to hear. Fucking North America and its oversized car engines. Here a V8 is seen as something only for the rich. A shock to the system for me looking at this van market up there.

What about those VW Wesfalia? Too old? Fuck. This might be harder than I thought. If I bought a V8 or probably even a V6 I'd end up spending double what I intend to on fuel.

Just found a pic of an Astro, it looks a bit more promising. Are there many of these around?: http://www.auctioneering.com/content/For%20Sale/1999_gmc_astro_van.htm
I wouldn't mind getting one a few years older but with less mileage, I'm assuming 324870km is a lot for one of these vehicles?


Edited by zee_werp (02/16/06 07:23 AM)


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Offlinemediman0078
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5305993 - 02/16/06 09:04 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Yea, most of what your going to find van wise here will be powered by a 350/351 cubic inch V-8 that gets around 15-16 miles per gallon, in full size vans. I had a Ford E-150 Touring van for years that was doing amazingly well if it got 20 miles to the gallon on the highway. Unfortunantly, the automakers think that making fuel efficient touring vans isn't worth the effort here in the states. The mini vans like the Chevy Astro or GMC Safari are probably your best bet, as they don't really give off the mom-with-4-kids look. They are actually kind of nice, once you rip out the rear seats... there's touring conversions for them that are nice too, but will probably cost you more.

324870? wow, i'd be surprised if that thing is still running. Once you start getting upwards of 150000, you're going to have something that'll need fixing. People are lazy and a lot of them don't even know how to change the oil on their own vehicles, so you'll need to watch out... there'll be a lot of neglected hunks of junk with a very few decent fixers in between. Good luck, car fax the heaps, and bring some tools and money for parts. That said, you may find one that'll do that trip without a tic. Just have it looked at first, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of walking.


--------------------
........someday I'll find it.


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InvisibleOneMoreRobot3021
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5306131 - 02/16/06 09:53 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Quote:

zee_werp said:
OneMoreRobot, that van looks damn cool, but also looks like a damn gas guzzler!! Not going there...




I only posted it because it's the A-Team's van. :tongue:


--------------------
Acid doesn't give you truths; it builds machines that push the envelope of perception. Whatever revelations came to me then have dissolved like skywriting. All I really know is that those few years saddled me with a faith in the redemptive potential of the imagination which, however flat, stale and unprofitable the world seems to me now, I cannot for the life of me shake.

-Erik Davis


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Invisiblegoobler
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: OneMoreRobot3021]
    #5306159 - 02/16/06 10:04 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)



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OfflineMeatSpace
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: OneMoreRobot3021]
    #5306169 - 02/16/06 10:08 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Quote:

OneMoreRobot3021 said:
Quote:

zee_werp said:
OneMoreRobot, that van looks damn cool, but also looks like a damn gas guzzler!! Not going there...




I only posted it because it's the A-Team's van. :tongue:




:lol:

That was funny


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:crankey:
/    l    \__:thumbup: ... Hi, I'm Crankey, and I approve this message.


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OfflineShattrdHarlequin
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: MeatSpace]
    #5306453 - 02/16/06 11:20 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

I have a GMC Safari..... Its real nice.... never given me any problems.... pretty spacious if you take out the back seats.... can even manage to sleep in the back with only one of the back seats removed. I like the fact that its somewhere between a soccer-mom van and a total hippie van.... doesn't get me too much negative attention. It gets between 20-25MPG
Picked it up for $3000 only had 100000miles on it. I did know the guy who was selling it though


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: ShattrdHarlequin]
    #5307671 - 02/16/06 04:23 PM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Yeah, I will keep a heads up for Safari's and Astro's when I get there.

Any other suggestions people? Any common problems with mid-90's GMC vans I need to look out for?


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Invisiblebuckwheat
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5307986 - 02/16/06 05:44 PM (17 years, 11 months ago)

You said canada right? i think they have the mercedes sprinter for a lot longer than the US so it might be cheap i dont know we just got it as the dodge sprinter last year so they are still aroung 30 g's.I know for the US the astro or the safari are youre best bet. the safari even comes with awd i think. you could just get a minivan or the vw vans


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: buckwheat]
    #5308157 - 02/16/06 06:37 PM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Yeah, Vancouver is where I will be buying the van.

Those VW westfalia's (newer than Kombi's) seem pretty ideal, I'm just not sure if there are any around that are newer than mid 80's, as I really want something that won't break down and stuff.

Can anyone suggest to me a Canadian based online car selling website? Ebay doesn't seem to have a hell of a lot. There's got to be something there. Or maybe I am just used to the massive 2nd hand car market here in NZ.


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Invisiblezee_werp
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5312539 - 02/18/06 01:31 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

Bumpitiy bump.

Just hoping for some more friendly input on this.

Are there seriously no vans similar to the one I posted a pic of above around? They are honestly common as fuck around here. Never seen one of those big GMC's y'all keep talking about.


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OfflinePhychotron
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: zee_werp]
    #5312641 - 02/18/06 02:33 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

you want one of these

http://www.blazerchalet.com/othercampers.html

check out the top one. the chinook.. those things are bad ass, pop top even... if you can find one... get it..


--------------------
On a mission to prove that the truth gets you no where.
They tried the truth, It didn't work. Then they wrote the bible. 

Only the foolish fear the inevitable.


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OfflinePhychotron
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Re: Questions for van owners...need tips [Re: Phychotron]
    #5312647 - 02/18/06 02:36 AM (17 years, 11 months ago)

here's one in tacoma for 900 right now from craigslist

http://seattle.craigslist.org/car/133288255.html


--------------------
On a mission to prove that the truth gets you no where.
They tried the truth, It didn't work. Then they wrote the bible. 

Only the foolish fear the inevitable.


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