So after I got back from Key West I went straight into van buying mode. And I will tell you what, it was a much longer and drawn-out process than I was expecting it to be.
My original plan was to get something like a Ford Transit or a RAM Promaster. Something with a high enough roof in which I could stand in. But we quickly realized that older models of these vehicles (that were mechanically sound) were hard to find.
We were either seeing older models that had a salvaged title, meaning that the car was in a major accident and repairs were necessary to bring it back to a condition that it was drivable again. Or we were seeing 2018 or 2019 models with over 100K miles on them. I wasn’t comfortable with either option.
There were a decent amount of vans that we fairly new with a respectable amount of miles on them. But these were definitely out of my price range. I would have been able to afford a van like this if I had financed it. And I was thinking about it for a hot second. But I decided not to.
Of course, I wanted to get the best van possible. But I didn’t want to take out a large loan and commit to paying it down for 3 to 5 years. I’m unsure what my plan will be in two years’ time. If I was committed to living and traveling in the van for more than a few years then I would have financed and bought something larger and newer. But I felt it was better to buy something cheaper and retain that financial flexibility.
Once I came to that realization, I started looking at smaller cargo vans. And I found a few that fit my price range. There were a few issues with some of them and I finally settled on a 2008 Chevy Express.
Luckily, one of my father’s friends knew a mechanic in the area and he was able to take a look at the car for me. He had one of his mechanics take it for a test drive and they looked under the hood and told me that everything checked out.
The body and the interior were both in really good shape. The tires that came with the truck were top of the line and there was a ton of tread left on them. And the previous owners installed a rear view camera and an audio system in the car. All things considered it was a good bet that the engine and the other mechanical parts were taken care of as well.
Overall I think I made a good choice. I will admit, at that when I had just bought it I wasn’t too pleased to be spending so much money at one time. It was my first used car buying experience and I had mixed feelings about it. I had never made this large of a purchase before.
I think it was also the stress of shopping for the car. Dad and I must have gone to twenty different spots at least. And we saw so many different types of cars. Different models, different years, different mileage. It was stressful sorting through all the information and getting a clear picture of what was possible.
I learned a lot though. For example – whatever the listed price of the car, it will definitely be more expensive. The low-end dealers will list the amount to finance after a down payment. So it’s the amount listed plus a 4K or 5K downpayment. The legit dealers hack on so many fees. It’s negotiable but the total bill is always higher than the listed price by a bit.
I will be ready to shop for my next car, that’s for sure. Until then let’s give this one a good run.