Best options for a cheaper used van?

[Elkins45]

After having spent a year looking for a beater used car I’m now considering buying a van to use as a boat hauler and camper conversion. It needs to have enough towing capacity to reliably tow 1500 pounds. What should I consider and what should I avoid?

 

[cptbarkey]

Are you thinking about a full size van? The only turnoff to me for them is engine work looks to be a pita.
If I were looking, Econoline with the 4.6 v8 on the low end, or a Chevy with an LQ4 on the HD side.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

What is your budget?

The Transit Connect claims to be capable of towing 2000 lb

The Metris should also be able to tow that.

If you need something bigger, there's the NV1500

 

[supton]

Mini or full? I want to say the mini's are rated to 3,500, so more than enough here, while being comfy and all that.

If it's a camper, full sized I think has more space... but lower mpg. But more towing.

 

[eljefino]

There are lots of BOF V8 RWD conversion vans that would suit you nicely. When they get old, but not yet high mileage, they lose favor with their elderly first owners. I'd get a chevy, try to get new enough for an LS but a 350 from the late 90s will also work. Really for $1500 you'll have to take what's out there. Might even have to get some moldy thing and strip it to the metal.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Are you thinking about a full size van? The only turnoff to me for them is engine work looks to be a pita.
If I were looking, Econoline with the 4.6 v8 on the low end, or a Chevy with an LQ4 on the HD side.

As someone who has been on and off looking for an E series van , you can't get them with a v8 under $15K without being a complete rustbucket around here. The truck market drove a lot of people to vans.

 

[AZjeff]

Really for $1500 you'll have to take what's out there. Might even have to get some moldy thing and strip it to the metal.

Did he say his budget was $1500 or he wants to tow 1500#?

An older conversion van you could reverse engineer into a camping van is a solid idea.

 

[Nick1994]

As someone who has been on and off looking for an E series van , you can't get them with a v8 under $15K without being a complete rustbucket around here. The truck market drove a lot of people to vans.

You would make a fortune buying Econolines here and then driving them to NY then. Look on Marketplace for one in Phoenix, $4k all day long.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

You would make a fortune buying Econolines here and then driving them to NY then. Look on Marketplace for one in Phoenix, $4k all day long.

Face book item 943130823894638 would be $15,000 easily up here.

 

[sloinker]

Lot of fairly reasonably priced Chrysler minivans with stow and go. Plenty of room for a big bed or whatever. Get one with a roof rack and there's some valuable hauling space up there too. They should easily pull your 1500# and will accommodate a class III/IV hitch I believe.

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[Elkins45]

There are lots of BOF V8 RWD conversion vans that would suit you nicely. When they get old, but not yet high mileage, they lose favor with their elderly first owners. I'd get a chevy, try to get new enough for an LS but a 350 from the late 90s will also work. Really for $1500 you'll have to take what's out there. Might even have to get some moldy thing and strip it to the metal.

1500 pounds towing, not $1500.

What is BOF?

 

[cb_13]

What is BOF?

Body on frame

 

[meep]

I always kinda liked the look of the square Chrysler minivans around 2010, the one shared with VW. They got great mpg, were attractive in their simplicity, and had the Pentastar. Upper trims had great interior lighting. Windows go down on the sliding doors!

 

[Elkins45]

This just popped up on my Facebook feed. Zuckerberg must be listening. Any thoughts on the 2.7L diesel? I didn’t even know such a thing existed in the US. I googled it and it’s a Mercedes with an I-5 turbo diesel. That sounds sketchy to a Luddite like me.

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[Nick1994]

Face book item 943130823894638 would be $15,000 easily up here.

Week off work
Cheap plane ticket to Phoenix
Buy cheap Econoline
Buy car hauler trailer
Buy rust free beater XJ
Tow back to NY
Sell rust free trailer in NY for at least what you paid for it
Transfer lift from rusty XJ to AZ Jeep

 

[dumkid]

This just popped up on my Facebook feed. Zuckerberg must be listening. Any thoughts on the 2.7L diesel? I didn’t even know such a thing existed in the US. I googled it and it’s a Mercedes with an I-5 turbo diesel. That sounds sketchy to a Luddite like me.

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They're fine engines unless the injector seals leak. Then you have to deal with black death.

 

[snarl]

@Elkins45 Is this going to be a daily or for the weekend?

 

[edyvw]

Give us more info!
What kind of camping? Does it require AWD? You going minivan or something like that Sprinter?

 

[Elkins45]

Multi day trips every month or so, not a daily driver. I would be pulling a boat and then sleeping in the back, so not really for Backcountry or rock crawling. Mostly for sleeping in established campgrounds.

 

[edyvw]

Multi day trips every month or so, not a daily driver. I would be pulling a boat and then sleeping in the back, so not really for Backcountry or rock crawling. Mostly for sleeping in established campgrounds.

Get yourself Toyota Sienna AWD. If you need more ground clearance, you have 2” or 3” lift kits. People usually pair those with shocks and springs from SE model.
Sprinter is VERY popular with camping and overland crowd here. But decent one costs A LOT!