Impulse Buy

I just bought a 1989 Dodge Ram high-top van with only 80,000 miles on it, equipped with a Braun wheelchair lift with a 600-pound capacity, for about $1700. On eBay.

This is not how I expected it to go. I thought I'd have to look much longer and pay much more. It's hard to believe that there isn't something drastically wrong with this van besides its age, but its seller is so painfully honest that he took pictures of all the rusty spots on the undercarriage and the little dents in the doors; he's a PA used-car salesman whose satisfied customers say things like, "Finally found an honest used car salesman!!! AAA++++" He told me the van was used by a local organization to drive disabled workers to and from their worksites. It passed its PA inspections till July 2007 shortly before being traded in.

This seemed like an opportunity that would not come again and had to be boldly seized. All the other vans equipped with lifts were at like $3500 with 3 days to go on the auction or were "Buy it Now" at $17,000. The lift alone goes for $500-$800 on eBay.

I've owned 3 used cars and have learned that they always, always, always need work and end up costing considerably more than you paid for them. But as my friend Nick in Tucson says -- who talked me through the leap and who'd just bought an awesome "Baja Bug" on eBay himself -- "You've got a lot of headroom on this one."

Now I gotta sell the Green Goddess (*sob*).

Comments

[Walrus]

Sounds like a great deal! Congrats!

[Dyre42]

Speaking as someone who goes through a used car about every 2 years and has worked on more cars than I care to admit I can say one thing about your van. Its old enough to be easy to work on meaning labor costs will be low compared to modern cars. Given the year it was made it wasn't designed to be disposable. Just make sure to maintain it religiously.

[amba]

Thanks! That's encouraging. I know what you mean by "old enough to be easy to work on" -- it won't be all full of sealed computers that can only communicate with other computers!

[PatHMV]

Amba, my experience is that somehow those vans know how important is the work they do, and they don't break down nearly as much as vehicles used for other purposes.

My grandparents had to buy one after my grandmother lost her leg. The van served them quite well for several years, and they used it not just to toodle around town, but to come down about 200 miles south to visit me and other family, as well as for regular trips (weekly or more) to the "big city" next door to their small town, about 30 miles away. It never gave them any serious problems, and we were able to pass it on to another couple needing one, at a very reasonable price, after she passed away 2 1/2 years ago. I figure it's got another 10 years or more left to it still.

[amba]

That too is reassuring. Thanks, Pat.