# Is this van a good deal?



## Matt Derrick (Jun 8, 2015)

I'm looking at vans on craigslist, the chevy g20's specifically, and i came across this ad for a super cheap g20 for 700 bucks. It looks workable and I plan on spending the next few months renovating it into an rv anyways, so i thought i'd get everyone's opinions on it.







http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5031527652.html

Tired of wasting time with no-shows, etc...
lowered the price to 700. Come pick it up or i crush it.
Chevrolet 5.7 l engine runs great. Brakes and shifts fine. Ice cold AC. Needs battery and windshield.
tags expired. Missing 1middle seat. Or just take them out and it's gonna be great work van...
$800 cash FIRM
good engine and transmission...part it out or run it home...
title has been signed by previous owner and hasn't been registered. Don't know what's necessary to register... See pictures!
Van starts and runs. Battery loose charge after couple days, needs new one. Alternator good.
I'm on lake creek parkway right off 183


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## lone wolf (Jun 8, 2015)

i'd assume something is draining the battery. if you're good at trouble shooting electronics and you don't see any other major problem then i would buy it.

i am curious about the windshield. is it beyond repair or missing?
if it's just one long crack then you can repair it.


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## East (Jun 8, 2015)

I'd be somewhat concerned about the title. Definitely call your BMV and ask about the process. It doesn't sound bad for the asking price. You could grab the vin and make sure there's nothing that would stop a registration (defaulted loans against the vehicle, that sort of thing). The battery problem could be a headache or simple fix (needs new battery, terminals need cleaned), hard to tell.


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## Durp (Jun 8, 2015)

It might be impossible for you to register in state.. offer him $450. You will be able to title it out of state but the whole process will run you over a grand. Also the g20 rusts out around the roof line and are notorious for leaking. Check the compression and do a cylinder bleed down test. Electrical systems are ome hell of a bear to wrestle if you have a power drain somewhere. New windshield installed from a scrap yard will be atleast $350. Idk man, the only chevy engine I really like is the 350 small block, but that's just me. I know a lot of people who love their chevys but they are on jack stands a hell of a lot of time too. I personally would not waste my time with it. Too many red flags, if it was $300 it maybe a different story for me.


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## Durp (Jun 8, 2015)

Offer him scrap price for it if no one else buys it so he will let you come take it instead of towing it to the scrap heap when no one buys it.


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## Andrea Van Scoyoc (Jun 8, 2015)

I agree with East...I'd be really concerned about that title.

I'd make sure you can register it before I parted with any money.

Best of luck and keep us posted!


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## Kim Chee (Jun 8, 2015)

JimH1991 said:


> Offer him scrap price for it if no one else buys it so he will let you come take it instead of towing it to the scrap heap when no one buys it.



If everybody passes on it, would you want it?
I'd be kicking myself in the ass for not doing what everybody else did (not buy).

Ditto on the title.

You don't mention miles?

@creature often has a lot of input to offer on things like thi, perhaps he'll offer something. Personally, I think v8 motors are thirsty.

Shortbus anyone?


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## Durp (Jun 8, 2015)

I would def choose short bus over this turd. But if you can get it for $300 -$450 it maybe worth it.


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## Odin (Jun 9, 2015)

If I were to buy that... I'd offer maybe 400 bucks and not a penny more.

Those tires and wheels look nice. Like he might of gotten them somehow cheap... to put on a clunker to make a sale... or the pic might just be bright...

400 bucks is the haggle price imo if the tires are new enough with nubs on them and the rims in shape.

...

otherwise pass it up.

Though I like the chevy g20... the look and style as long as they are in shape.

... I dunno just instinct but at that price grand and below its hard to get a seller to let you take a vehicle to an inspection.

But hey its a gamble either way. If you don't have a good mechanic even the inspection could go belly up with an ass that wants to make a buck off ya in the future.

That price range is just a crap shoot... unless your well versed on mechanics yourself... like really well versed. ...

This is kinda a checklist.

True about the millennials to a certain extent.



Everybody knows that millennials aren’t getting driver’s licenses; what’s lesser known is that they’re clueless about entry-level cars. It’s possible to buy a running car for very little money—I know, because I was the proud owner of a series of $50 cars when I was 16 and 17.



I used to shop lots like this one in Oregon. I'd have headed straight for the Corvair. (Jasperdo/Flickr)

I can still remember them all: a Nova with four flat tires and badly oxidized paint; a Dodge Dart with trunkloads of hay and a broken rear window; a Volvo with rust in the rear quarters. None was a beauty, but they all ran reliably and served their purpose.

Thanks to inflation, it probably isn’t possible to buy a good $50 car now, but for, let’s say, $1,000 you should be able to get a safe and reliable ride. Here are a few thoughts from a lifetime of buying used cars.

*Shop the Ads. *Not that there’s anything wrong with used car lots, but you'll have to look carefully to find one that deals in what used to be thought of as the affordable “back row” cars. Not everybody does, but I actually like dealing with classified ads that lead me to just regular folks and their vehicles.* Some of the best deals I’ve found have been leads from local weekly newspapers. *My favorite was an ad that just said, “Mercedes-Benz convertible, $500.” I was on the phone in five minutes—there aren’t any Benz convertibles that a) I wouldn’t want; and b) I wouldn’t be able to sell at a big profit. I got an elderly woman on the phone who said, “A nice young man just came and bought the car.”


That battered Buick looks good to me, but they'd have to give a bit on the price. (John Lloyd/Flickr)

*Get Underneath.* Some cars look great but are actually falling apart. I remember a convertible I came close to buying before I threw down some newspaper and got a look at the undercarriage. There was a thick layer of undercoating, but water had gotten underneath it. When I poked at it with a stick, huge chunks of the floor almost hit me in the face. Look particularly at crossbeams and structural members, because once they go the whole car is dangerous.

*Mind the Gaps.* Look for even joins between hoods, fenders and doors. If they’re out of line, it could be because the car was in an accident and bent. While you’re at, get out on the road and, at a moderate speed, let go of the steering wheel to check for drift to one side or the other. And hit the brakes hard to see if the car stops within a reasonable distance and in a straight line. (Tell your passengers to put down their cappuccinos first!)


Affordable classics, like this rough-around-the-edges Nash Metropolitan, are still out there. Check the local paper's classifieds. (Zen Sutherland/Flickr)


*Look for Classics.* Especially cars that are likely to become classics. As I've reported, old cars are great investments these days--better than art, real estate or collecting coins. Avoid the crazy-price cars like early Porsches and look for, say, 1950s sedans, which are just starting to appreciate. The Buick Special and Nash Metropolitan in the photos here are good examples of appreciating cars.

*Running and Driving. *Does the engine run quietly and evenly, without valve rattle or blue smoke from the exhaust pipe? Any exhaust leaks? Does the oil look clean? A check for worn valve guides is to accelerate down a hill, then suddenly back off; a puff of smoke visible in the rear-view mirror indicates wear. Look also for vibration in the steering wheel at speed.


There might be something worthwhile in this lineup. Don't just pay the asking price. (Daniel Oines/Flickr)

*Don’t Sweat the Cosmetics.* Chrome or hubcaps missing? Trim discolored? Stains on the carpet? Maybe unsightly, but not important to the main purpose here, which is to put you on cheap wheels. Worn tires and brakes, now those are a concern. The other stuff you can replace when you get that inheritance from Aunt Matilda.

*Don’t be Afraid of High Mileage. *The best thing you can do for a car is to use it. The proverbial “low mileage” car that’s been sitting for decades is far more likely to need everything done to it than a 150,000-mile daily driver. Today’s engines are very robust, and if well cared-for a couple go-rounds on the odometer won’t kill them.

*Under Water.* Some owners may balk at you doing this, but I often test cars with a garden hose: I hate water leaks! Also check for damp carpets or trunks, fogged-in headlights and other signs of rampant moisture. Dried-out rubber seals are a bad sign.

*Four Doors Good; Two Doors Bad. *The market treats four-door sedans like poor relations to sporty coupes, so bargains can often be had. The same is true of entry-level trim lines, and cars with four- or six-cylinder engines instead of V-8s. Bread-and-butter cars are also less likely to have been driven in anger and put away wet.

*Don’t Get Too Exotic.* A 12-cylinder Jaguar for just $1,000? What a bargain, right? Wrong! Why do you think so many of those cars now have Chevrolet power? In cars like these, with complicated mechanicals, the purchase price is just the down payment. That $5,000 Rolls-Royce is probably a worn-out wedding car, and the first trip to Bob’s British Car Service will send you reeling.

*Negotiate. *Don’t be embarrassed to make a lowball offer; it’s just the starting point for discussions. Them saying no is the worst that could happen. Now’s the time to point out any obscure flaws you spotted—often the owner is unaware of existing problems and will make price adjustments accordingly. Oh and be sure and ask about any spare parts they may have lying around.

If you’re a typical millennial and know more about playing Tetris than you do about car mechanics, bring along a handy friend when making the inspection, or arrange to have your local garage take a look. And don’t get too attached to any one car—they’re made of metal, they’re not like pets. If the news is bad, move on to the next ad. Craigslist has plenty of used automobiles for sale.


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## Durp (Jun 9, 2015)

Every vehicle I have had has been in this price range ( or the owner paid me to take it  my favorite racquet btw ) and I have a really bad hunch bout this van. I personally would not waste my time on anything with out a clear title in hand.


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## Mongo (Jun 9, 2015)

Austin's tansportation department is auctioning off a bunch of there short buses.

http://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...e&locationType=state&timeType=&timingWithin=1


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## Matt Derrick (Jun 9, 2015)

Mongo said:


> Austin's tansportation department is auctioning off a bunch of there short buses.
> 
> http://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...e&locationType=state&timeType=&timingWithin=1



wow that's a fucking sick link! thanks for sharing. how'd you find it? ideally, that's exactly the type of bus i want.

so to update everyone on the van, it didn't even get past the email portion since the guy kept ignoring my questions about the title, and then he relisted it, and we got into an email argument about why he relisted it. as far as i can tell the guy has no right to sell it and has the title in hand, but it's signed by someone else, so the whole thing is sketch as hell so i'm not going to bother with it.


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## Mongo (Jun 10, 2015)

I just made a search on the govdeals website. I just love searching that site.


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## Matt Derrick (Jun 10, 2015)

Mongo said:


> I just made a search on the govdeals website. I just love searching that site.



yeah, i'm going to have to check that out more often!


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## ByronMc (Jun 11, 2015)

I just got this, an 82 G20, had to pay for it, but the list of things done to it, is very long! 
So far, the running boards, have been taken off,( couldn't get under it, to change the oil! Yesterday, I started taking the carpet out, because of leaking drivers door,( door sags, needs hinge pins), the floor is looking great, so I'm please, with that!
Just put on ladder racks, for my ladders, and plan on putting another set of rakes, to support a platform, where solar panels & storage, will be!


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## Matt Derrick (Jun 11, 2015)

that looks pretty awesome. how much was it? and how many miles are on it?


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## ByronMc (Jun 11, 2015)

Matt, I got it, from a local garage, that does RVA, good! Greg, will often allow people to pay off, their bills, monthly!
So after seeing it, for a while, I went in and asked him how much,and he ended saying, $150 a month, for 12 months!
He got it, after, doing a major tune up, which ended up, costing the customer, a lot, so they bought another van, & Greg got this one!
Turns out, by the paper work, from the first owner, he had the 305 replaced with a GM 350, along with everything else, in the engine compartment! So when they were doing the tune up, Greg's garage mechanic, thought it still had the 305, in it, which why they had issues,( parts)!
All the paper work is in my hands, going back to the 80's, and I've got one hell of a deal!


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## Matt Derrick (Jun 11, 2015)

sweet, it looks great. congrats!


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## that one guy (Jun 16, 2015)

Yea the worst is assholes/ignorant people, I usually know within the first correspondence wither phone or email wether or not I'll be making any deals with the person.
I got my windshield replaced on a 87 chevy for somewhere around 150 (often pick and pull yards have a partner outfit that works with them to do these), emissions are another thing, these older vehicles are getting harder to get to pass EPA regulations, what with the shit blends of fuel that are being pedaled now throttle body injection and carbureted vehicles are failing more and more - ethanol destroys cork and paper based gaskets, often you'll hear about stations and even fuel distributors adding as much as 30% water to their fuels! that destroys piston rings and fuel pumps/sending units, filters and fouls gas tanks.
As for titles, as long as the title exists its transferable, most times you pay hefty fines for every discrepancy in the paperwork; like for example, the buyer signing where the seller is supposed to sign can cost you upwards of $80.
And yea tracking down electrical drains can be daunting for the novice, but its pretty simple.
How To Perform a Parasitic Draw Test - EricTheCarGuy ...


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## Greg (Jul 30, 2015)

Matt Derrick said:


> I'm looking at vans on craigslist, the chevy g20's specifically, and i came across this ad for a super cheap g20 for 700 bucks. It looks workable and I plan on spending the next few months renovating it into an rv anyways, so i thought i'd get everyone's opinions on it.
> 
> View attachment 23239
> 
> ...


There ok mechanically but a pain in the ass to work on almost have to pull front end to get at shit


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