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buying a cargo van to start a business?

mikeshaw2

mikeshaw2

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Minuteman
Jan 16, 2022
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NoVA for now
#1
I'm on what you'd call a budget. As in 'I need to pay cash for something like a Sprinter or Transit to work out of

Checked ebay. SPEN-dee
Checked CL in various cities. Not as spendy as ebay, but nothing really on the market
Edmunds? ditto
carfax? ditto again

There's one Sprinter in TX on the govt surplus auction site that seems affordable, but that's in TX and I'm not.

There are Sprinters and Transits that are older, but not beat to crap? I don't mind fixing something to save the $$

where else is there to check?

??

M
 
#6
mikeshaw2 said:
I'm on what you'd call a budget. As in 'I need to pay cash for something like a Sprinter or Transit to work out of

Checked ebay. SPEN-dee
Checked CL in various cities. Not as spendy as ebay, but nothing really on the market
Edmunds? ditto
carfax? ditto again

There's one Sprinter in TX on the govt surplus auction site that seems affordable, but that's in TX and I'm not.

There are Sprinters and Transits that are older, but not beat to crap? I don't mind fixing something to save the $$

where else is there to check?

??

M
Click to expand...

Odd, I was just thinking of the same post. The sprinters are sweet, but Mercedes are expensive to maintain and work on. I dont know about the quality/repair record do you?

My other choice is the Chevy Express. I have a 2002 iwth 272K that runs well but al the bolt ons are starting to fail. Thinking of replacing it.

The Transit looks nice but....Ford. And 'Dodge' isnt much better.

Ebay motors has more than you can shake a stick at, all over the country. Send me $100 for that.

Seems like a big Sprinter dealer in Philly.
 
#7
Maggot said:
Odd, I was just thinking of the same post. The sprinters are sweet, but Mercedes are expensive to maintain and work on. I dont know about the quality/repair record do you?

My other choice is the Chevy Express. I have a 2002 iwth 272K that runs well but al the bolt ons are starting to fail. Thinking of replacing it.

The Transit looks nice but....Ford. And 'Dodge' isnt much better.

Ebay motors has more than you can shake a stick at, all over the country. Send me $100 for that.

Seems like a big Sprinter dealer in Philly.
Click to expand...
I need to be able to stand up in the back, so high tops are key. Chop me off at the knees and I could use that Express.

I worked out of a 170" WB high top Sprinter for about 3 years. When they need maintenance, it IS pricey, but those vans run and run and run

M
 
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#9
We have 13 f250 transits and 2 f350 transits. All 2016.

Other than the known driveshaft issue and a couple having one of the breaks stick we've had no problems. Most have over 150000 with a few over 250000 and a couple rapidly nearing 300000..
 
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#10
hlee said:
Is AutoTrader still a thing?
Click to expand...
065c194b-ef99-4f25-b757-1c6e5856621a_text.gif
 
#12
I bought a new 2021 Transit 350 in 2021 the high roof was a must. I wanted to buy used, but damn seemed any decent used ones were going for almost as much as the new ones. I just bit the bullet and went new, but I had to drive about 5.5 hrs to find a Ford dealer that had one with the high roof instock. Love it should have bought one 10 yrs ago. Good Luck!
 
#13
sirhrmechanic said:
Last time this happened the dude with the rented Lambo was trying to get into the plowing business…

Oh and that Thread was epic!!!

Fortunately, the OP isn’t him…. So… maybe this thread won’t go sideways

Sirhr
Click to expand...
give it a few more posts

The Jo Momma section of ADVRider is even more likely to go sideways. I spent lots of time there helping threads derail so I'm expecting it

M
 
#14
Steel+Killer said:
I bought a new 2021 Transit 350 in 2021 the high roof was a must. I wanted to buy used, but damn seemed any decent used ones were going for almost as much as the new ones. I just bit the bullet and went new, but I had to drive about 5.5 hrs to find a Ford dealer that had one with the high roof instock. Love it should have bought one 10 yrs ago. Good Luck!
Click to expand...
the first van I drove for the company I was working for was the extra high roof, 170" WB extended. That thing was HUGE! inside. With a capital HUGE!

Could fit several families of SE Asian decent in that one!

M
 
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#15
sirhrmechanic said:
Last time this happened the dude with the rented Lambo was trying to get into the plowing business…

Oh and that Thread was epic!!!

Fortunately, the OP isn’t him…. So… maybe this thread won’t go sideways

Sirhr
Click to expand...
The PickleBunny was good for a laugh, wasnt he. I wonder if he ever sniped those gangsters in Haiti?
 
#16
Any mid-sized city in the country is going to have 1-4 custom van "builders" that are buying all of the used inventory to hoard them for eventual build-outs. We've got three here in town and every time I drive by or talk to anyone from those shops they've got more just sitting around.

Fuckin #vanlifers
 
#19
mikeshaw2 said:
the first van I drove for the company I was working for was the extra high roof, 170" WB extended. That thing was HUGE! inside. With a capital HUGE!

Could fit several families of SE Asian decent in that one!

M
Click to expand...
It is definitely big, but for me it drives smaller than it looks. If I didn't have it rigged out as a work van, I would take it hunting with me and use it to camp in for sure.
 
#20
theLBC said:
if you hire midgets you can fit more in sideways.
Click to expand...
If you get the super sized on you could partition it off and make the whores cook meth in the other half when their not tricking in the back. Finance it for as long as possible and insure it for double indemnity in case of fire.
 
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Reactions: theLBC and Steel+Killer
#22
mikeshaw2 said:
I'm on what you'd call a budget. As in 'I need to pay cash for something like a Sprinter or Transit to work out of

Checked ebay. SPEN-dee
Checked CL in various cities. Not as spendy as ebay, but nothing really on the market
Edmunds? ditto
carfax? ditto again

There's one Sprinter in TX on the govt surplus auction site that seems affordable, but that's in TX and I'm not.

There are Sprinters and Transits that are older, but not beat to crap? I don't mind fixing something to save the $$

where else is there to check?

??

M
Click to expand...
Look at auction sites like Municibid, Govplanet, Equipmentfacts, Publicsurplus, etc. A couple of years ago I bought a nice looking E350 box van (American Cargo body) with 7.3L Powerstroke, 190k miles, zero rust, well maintained with records for $3800 from the City of Hampton Roads VA. You need to be patient with auctions, stick to your limits and try again until you score.

BTW: Sprinters rust like crazy if there is any salt on the roads and are overpriced due to the #vanlife crowd. They are also not towing a 10k trailer over the Eastern Divide aka Appalachian ridge.
 
Last edited:
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#25
I ride in a lot of vans when I am at work traveling. Hotel vans and other vans used for transport...

The Ford Transit vans are always in way better condition.

Chevy vans always...ALWAYS are way worse off than the Ford vans. Interiors are shit, doors wont fucking close right, ride like shit, etc...

I am sure some of that is how the hotel or transport company maintains their shit, but the Chevy vans are always worse.

The Ford vans have surprised me to see them with 250-300+ thousand miles on them and they still look to be in fantastic condition.

Not to many run the sprinter vans so I dont really have an opinion on them, but if I was buying a full size van it would be a Ford hands down.
 
#26
New transit vans are way behind. Nephew is a little person with a power wheel chair to help him get around so he doesn't hurt. Sister needed a new transit 250 to replace her current one. Ordered November of 2021. 2 weeks ago she was told the build date of week of 9/11 of this year with the Vin finally assigned.
 
#28
Every couple of years big companies swap out their fleet vehicles for new models and the old ones usually wind up being auctioned through Adesa, Mannheim or a local auction. Timing is everything.

Around here, Duke Power vehicles end up on the block every three years or so. If you’re looking for a white base model ford this is the place to look. Savvy buyers can pick up a low mileage, well kept vehicle driven by management for a song. Most of these cars are ultimately purchased by small used car dealerships for resale at healthy margins.
 
#30
Every time I drive by state line auto auction on the Pennsylvania Maryland border. They have box trucks lined up six deep.

I think it used to be called Mason Dixon auto auction but that’s probably racist.

Cheers sirhr

PS anyone else remember the giant signs on the Pennsylvania Maryland border that said “America starts here?”

Yeah, apparently that was before they elected Fetterman and every other leftist Commie.
 
#33
mikeshaw2 said:
I need to be able to stand up in the back, so high tops are key. Chop me off at the knees and I could use that Express.

I worked out of a 170" WB high top Sprinter for about 3 years. When they need maintenance, it IS pricey, but those vans run and run and run

M
Click to expand...
How was the sprinter in the wind?
I have the long, high top, 1 ton dually transit t350. It is NOT cool in the wind. I would not want it for the highway.
When storms kick up as I'm crossing a causeway here in Tampa, I must slow way down, it gets dangerous.
For a city van? I absolutely love it, great van, way easy to drive. I have the twin turbo Ecoboost engine and it's like a race car
 
#35
oneshot86 said:
How was the sprinter in the wind?
I have the long, high top, 1 ton dually transit t350. It is NOT cool in the wind. I would not want it for the highway.
When storms kick up as I'm crossing a causeway here in Tampa, I must slow way down, it gets dangerous.
For a city van? I absolutely love it, great van, way easy to drive. I have the twin turbo Ecoboost engine and it's like a race car
Click to expand...
wind got 'interesting.' Here in NoVA we don't much in the way of open swaths of land, so wind doesn't get a chance to blow straight much.

I was working in DC itself. Parking a 170" WB high roof, extended van was 'interesting' too. Quite frequently I found spots that weren't strictly legal, but I never had cops hassling me.

M
 
#36
mikeshaw2 said:
wind got 'interesting.' Here in NoVA we don't much in the way of open swaths of land, so wind doesn't get a chance to blow straight much.

I was working in DC itself. Parking a 170" WB high roof, extended van was 'interesting' too. Quite frequently I found spots that weren't strictly legal, but I never had cops hassling me.

M
Click to expand...
Parking the transit is almost comical easy.
I can maneuver that thing far easier than our f150 short bed. U turns ? No probs.
Absolutely the greatest city van from driving, visibility, mirrors, hand controls and seat comfort...just keep it out of the wind
 
#37
Been there myself when I needed a work van and was on a tight budget. Here’s a thought: Have you tried auction sites like Copart or IAAI? You can find older Sprinters or Transits there that might just need a little TLC. That’s how I snagged a Transit a few years back—needed a new radiator, but it was well worth the savings.Funny enough, I once met someone while researching business setups who told me about how he financed his first van after setting up a Dubai offshore company. He saved a ton on taxes and put that extra cash toward his work vehicle. It made me rethink creative ways to stretch a budget!
 
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