R.I.P. MegaVan - Stolen Before it's Time

[jbro]

Thanks for the support everyone.

Insurance got back to me today and is going to cash me out at $16,000
I still owed 7.5k on it so I'll have enough for a down payment on something.

I'm trying to find a good van to buy but really want something I'm going to keep the rest of my life so I don't want to just settle and get any ol' van.

I'm trying to find a Unicorn 09' or 10' 6.0 Liter Diesel RB with Barn Doors.

If not that, maybe an older RB with barn doors but I really like the newer 09+ body/interior style and feel like if I settled now I'd constantly be regretting it and wondering "what if" every time I saw another van.

I'm still sleeping in the back of the rental car but I have to give that back in a week.


I'm also considering getting a small van like a transit connect or a nissan nv200 and just using that as temporary until I can find a replacement MegaVan since they're so hard to find. Then I don't have to be in a big hurry and settle for something less than what I want. Since everything I own was stolen I hardly have any possessions so i could easily fit into a smaller van.


Anyway, thanks again for the pos vibes.


-josh

[carringb]

Originally Posted by jbro

but really want something I'm going to keep the rest of my life so...
I'm trying to find a Unicorn 09' or 10' 6.0 Liter Diesel

Well those are two sentences I've never head together before

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by carringb

Well those are two sentences I've never head together before

Maybe in 2003/2004 when they first came out?!

But yeah, most people are looking for the V10 when it comes to the 08+ model rather than the 6.0 diesel. But if you're competent on working on those then it shouldn't be a big issues.

[jbro]

Originally Posted by mikracer

Maybe in 2004 when they first came out?!

But yeah, most people are looking for the V10 when it comes to the 08+ model rather than the 6.0 diesel. But if you're competent on working on those then it shouldn't be a big issues.

Hmm... I'm no mechanic. At all.

Was thinking I'd just bulletproof the F out of it and be all good. No?

[simplesez]

Bulletproofing a ford 6.0 van isn't cheap. At all. Plus there are very few of them in service that survived this long and if they did they have 200k miles on them and could explode any minute. There is a reason people don't refer to them as unicorns even if they are more rare than a 7.3 van.

V10 or Chevy if you need a HD van to have a reliable home.

[happycampingcouple]

Sorry for your loss...

Keep your head up and good luck with finding the next van

[carringb]

Originally Posted by jbro

Hmm... I'm no mechanic. At all.

Was thinking I'd just bulletproof the F out of it and be all good. No?

Well there's nothing about that 6.0 that's impossible to learn to do yourself. The most important thing being diagnosing, so you'll know if its safe to keep driving or not.

Keep in mind a complete "Bulletproofing" job isn't cheap. And while that will dramatically reduce the likelihood of getting stranded, eventually you'll still have to refresh some of those items again. Things like injectors, the HPOP-sump-screen, and the turbo eventually all need periodic re-work. Then there's engine harnesses getting brittle over time because the engine bay is so hot, and you're still at the mercy of any of a half-dozen sensors that could leave you without a running van, even if the motor itself is in perfect shape.

With the V10, you can put a deer through the radiator, yank out the alternator, unplug half the sensors under the hood, and STILL drive home.

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by jbro

Hmm... I'm no mechanic. At all.

Was thinking I'd just bulletproof the F out of it and be all good. No?

As others have said, its expensive. One member here spent something like $15k bulletproofing.

[jbro]

Originally Posted by mikracer

As others have said, its expensive. One member here spent something like $15k bulletproofing.

Thanks for the heads up.
6.0 is 100% off the list.


How old is too old on a 7.4 do you think?
I've found a few early 90's ones with lower miles but sliding doors. I'm thinking of compromising on the door issue as a trade to get the 7.4.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by jbro

Thanks for the heads up.
6.0 is 100% off the list.


How old is too old on a 7.4 do you think?
I've found a few early 90's ones with lower miles but sliding doors. I'm thinking of compromising on the door issue as a trade to get the 7.4.

7.4L was a GM motor. Are you asking about the Ford 7.5L gas V8, or the 7.3L diesel?

The 7.5L gas V8 has pretty much no benefit over a V10. It's torquey, but not near as reliable. Last year of the 7.5L was '96.

If you're asking about the 7.3L, there's 2 versions. The IDI (indirect injection) and then the Powertroke (direct injection). Prior to '93, the 7.3L wasn't turbocharged. It got a turbo for '93, but being IDI meant power was down and turbo-lag was prevalent. 94.5 was the first Powerstroke, which is what most folks hold out for.

The 7.3L Powerstroke was pretty robust from a design standpoint, other than the CPS issue (carry a spare and swap yourself), but at this point, you're talking about a fairly old van, and everything on it will be susceptible to old-age issues.