http://justvan.ytmnd.com/
My parents (and I) let it sit outside and rot for years. Now every seal and gasket is toast. It starts and moves but it sounds like a metal drum full of baseball bats. They offered it to me for free but it will need at least $1500 of work, so it has been donated. The wheelchair lift in the back was awesome too. RIP.
In the meantime, I've been abusing the Seville and my cousin's Geo Prizm, using them for warehouse runs. The Geo's rear suspension is shot, and the Seville's rear air suspension is about gone too.
I've been sniffing around for a truck, wagon, or van I can drive locally and beat on for under two grand. The used car market is terrible right now. Thanks to Cash for Clunkers and its artificial restriction of supply, vehicles that should be damn near free are now asking two grand or more.
No need for 4WD. The Saab and the Cadillac are perfectly sufficient for the fast-melting snow we get here.
--How are mid 90s Pathfinders? I know they're badly prone to rust, but are they electrically and mechanically sound?
--Astros and Safaris? The Vortec 4.3 is well reputed. My dad had one as a work vehicle back in the 90s. It was a beast in the snow. Dont know much else about them.
--Among Ford Rangers, the I-4 manual is the way to go, right?
--Ford Explorers seem to be less reliable the newer they get.
--Dodges eat their transmissions, but I assume anything with a recently rebuilt unit could be trustworthy.
--I like GMT400 (88-97) Silverados/Sierras/CKs. Seems like their only ailment is cab corner rust.
--Jimmys and Blazers seem kind of junky.
--Top Gear USA drove resale values on Buick Roadmaster wagons through the roof. Otherwise an Olds/Chevy/Buick full size wagon would be perfect, with a robust enough rear suspension to handle 800-1000lbs of weight.
--And then there's Jeep Cherokees.
I missed out on an 02 Chevy 2500 HD Crew Cab for $1750 (226k). It sold within an hour of being listed.
Did I leave out anything else in my search?
