Full size passenger van-Page 2| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/10/21 8:07 p.m.

John Welsh said:
Here's what you probably want to know the most... you can resell it and get your money back pretty easy if it turns out you don't like it.

Other than that, it's a big metal box but this one has carpet and stuff throughout.

A cutting edge design in 1996 (25 years ago)

I rather have a sienna (doesn't fit my needs) or NV 3500 (don't want to spend that now)

on paper a used 3500 checks all my needs

scheduled inspection and drive tomorrow. Will report back .

in a hot market it's been on sale 16 days. Not every one wants it I guess

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/10/21 8:08 p.m.

californiamilleghia said:
I made sure I got the sliding side door , was easier for me to load things in a parking lot ,

there is tons of room in them , and the spare tire is stored under the back area and removed from the bottom , the jack is in the back passenger corner.

mine is not extended , but if you need me to measure anything just ask :)

Appreciate it my friend

sliding door is a must. I already have fj cruiser with clamshell don't need another

wish it had dual sliding - but not a deal killer

like that on 3500 extended wheel base is not all after the rear wheels. Thus proportion looks fine

seems as long as my new DCLB tacoma , which is good

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/10/21 8:09 p.m.

Cadman5 said:
In reply to mr2s2000elise :

You could give the front wheels a shake to check bearings and steering, but frankly, it's all so big and stiff that I could hear the bearing but couldn't really feel any looseness. You might be able to see/feel really bad ball joints, but again, big and stiff, so sometimes hard to tell unless really bad. Just plan on front bearings/hubs and idle arm/pitman/tie rod ends soon.

Thanks! Will keep an ear out on test drive tmrw

Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/10/21 8:30 p.m.

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to mr2s2000elise :

From the description the price sounds a bit high, but if it's really nice maybe not.

A local place had an E250 that had no rockers at all and generally looked beat to E36 M3, with $6000 on the windshield, and it was gone within two days, so... probably not?

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/10/21 9:42 p.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Wow! I don't see many passenger vans on marketplace here, but early-mid 00's E-series are rarely that expensive - and they're not usually rusted out here either(unless it's the roof).

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/10/21 9:45 p.m.

Anybody have a right number for this that I should offer ?

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/11/21 11:12 p.m.

Cadman5 said:
In reply to mr2s2000elise :

You could give the front wheels a shake to check bearings and steering, but frankly, it's all so big and stiff that I could hear the bearing but couldn't really feel any looseness. You might be able to see/feel really bad ball joints, but again, big and stiff, so sometimes hard to tell unless really bad. Just plan on front bearings/hubs and idle arm/pitman/tie rod ends soon.

Are you able to measure the cargo area behind the last row?

I am trying to see if nissan nv3500 has more or less luggage space.

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/11/21 11:15 p.m.

Test drive

oil was a bit dark.
roof faded
headlights faded
van is mint inside
outside the front and rear door both has long scratches in paint. Almost looks keyed. He bought it that way
drive fantastic. My first time in a 6.0L in at least 5 years. Trans shifted great
no leaks
ac cold
power front seats
tow package
there is a loud squeak/rattle from rear door. Research says they all do that.

Guy won't negotiate a dime. Said been online for week. Few calls. Nobody came to look yet

Cadman5 Reader
6/12/21 12:11 a.m.

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Sorry, all my seats are out right now for moving a college kid. The very last row in mine (15 passenger) is pretty much right against the rear doors.
If you measure from the back of one of the other seats to the back of the one in front of it, that's how much is behind your last row.

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/12/21 1:02 a.m.

Great thanks

debating pulling the trigger. We are about $2500 apart

John Welsh Mod Squad
6/12/21 3:29 a.m.

mr2s2000elise said:
Gotta love that VIN plate says "BUS, but NOT a school bus"

I can't read the entire tag for tire size but I can see that the van calls for E load range tires.

In my experience, these GM vans are hard on front tires. When I super zoom in on the tire photos, I see worn outside shoulders on the front tires. I can make out the partial word, Discover on the tires, this means Cooper Brand tires. Popular tires but not my favorites.

More so, I suspect these are not really E load tires but lesser load range tires. As a 3500 van, these are heavy beasts.

In summary, it is just my guess from pictures that you may need 4 tires. Expect a real tire replacement cost of $225 per tire, mounted or $900, rounded to $1k.

The rear tires might show good remaining tread but if they are not really E load tires you're rolling unsafe on an under-spec tire. What that could mean is faster wear and more prone to a blown tire. If reliability is your number 1 priority, then road side tire repair is probably something you'd like to avoid. Furthermore, avoid the accidents caused by the failure of an under spec tire.

Maybe use that as negotiation.

To me, from the 2:00 to 4:00 positions of this tire, the outermost tread block looks completely rounded off

The tires are probably HT3s but notice how the outermost tread block should look. Cooper's site does say these HT3s are offered in E load also.

So, maybe not wrong spec but I still suspect very worn outer block.

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
6/12/21 5:47 a.m.

In reply to John Welsh :

Fwiw I just put new E-range A/T tires on the E250 in April & it was just over $800. Non-A/T tires would have been quite a bit cheaper though.

Also, Fords are definitely known for chewing up front tires, but I'd not heard that about GM. Although I owned my 99 Chevy Express 3500 longer, I've put more miles on the 06 E250.

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/12/21 8:44 a.m.

In reply to John Welsh :

Very good point! Definitely worn tires on outer.

245/75/16 OEM size

these are tires currently on it

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Cooper&tireModel=Discoverer+HT3&partnum=475R6DHT3&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Chevrolet&autoYear=2009&autoModel=Express+Van&autoModClar=G3500+8-Lug%2C+Single+Rear+Wheel&autoMake=Chevrolet&autoYear=2009&autoModel=Express+Van&autoModClar=G3500+8-Lug%2C+Single+Rear+Wheel

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/12/21 8:51 a.m.

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

Which brand tires did you buy?

John Welsh Mod Squad
6/12/21 8:55 a.m.

Not to pile on but why so worn tire shoulder?

Worn front end parts?

I like shopping cars with old tires. If the seller slaps on new tires, this can often hide the visible evidence of other issues.

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/12/21 9:00 a.m.

John Welsh said:
Not to pile on but why so worn tire shoulder?

Worn front end parts?

I like shopping cars with old tires. If the seller slaps on new tires, this can often hide the visible evidence of other issues.

Possible. But nothing was amiss on the drive

but I didn't really was able to inspect anything on his driveway

other than - underneath was clean, no leaks

maybe as cadman says above "Just plan on front bearings/hubs and idle arm/pitman/tie rod ends soon. "

if that's the case - maybe I just save my pennies for a newer NV3500

John Welsh Mod Squad
6/12/21 9:16 a.m.

I'm not trying to scare you off this red van, I'm just trying to give you ammo for negotiating a price reduction.

$1k off for tires and maybe another $1k off for front end questions.

You might have reasonable evidence to get the seller to move on his price.

mr2s2000elise UltraDork
6/12/21 9:19 a.m.

In reply to John Welsh :

Thanks John! I will try in 2 hours when I have a call scheduled