Looking to purcahse SMB w 100K what to look for?

[Seattle-SMB]

As indicated above, I am looking to purchase a used SMB. The van in question has approximately 100K and appears to be well maintained. The van has the 7.3 diesel.

Any big known issues I should consider before purchase due to the miles? Any other recommendations/considerations?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

 

[daveb-SMB]

Anybody can buy a lemon but most 7.3's are strong running engines and I would prefer them over older 6.0 PSD's. 100K mileage is not bad at all. Check the maintenance records and find out what the vehicle was used for. Short trips to the store are not good for a diesel engine but sitting around for months at a time isn't either. The turbo's on the 7.3 are tough, not like the 6.0's. The worst parts of those years were the transmissions from what I've seen.
DaveB.

 

[jage]

99½ and above are the better years for the 7.3. There have been some recalls, but your dealer will have info and fix for free based on the vin, so that shouldn't be an issue. They are detuned in the vans (just like the 6.0L) so not quite everything you read about them in pickups will be true.

I'm with Dave too, I would rather have had a 7.3 but a 6.0 came available with the options I wanted and once the turbo was fixed I haven't had any regrets.

 

[Seattle-SMB]

Thank you both for the insight and seems like good news. Any big concerns/problems with any of the SMB systems I should be considering? Seems like the battery/batteries could be expensive how often do they need to be replaced. What about the life cycle of the fridge? I appreciate the feedback.

 

[daveb-SMB]

I would check the top, make sure it does not leak. Check the zippers and screens for damage and make sure all is well. Look for rips or tears in the top if its a penthouse. Batteries are all different. A well made AGM such as what SMB generally uses can last longer than 5 years but it all depends on how the owner took care of them. A new 4D battery can cost around 500 bucks. Have someone check the suspension because thing will wear out and that can be costly. Put it in all ranges of four wheel drive. Make sure the transfer case doesn't pop out of gear. Have someone follow the vehicle and make sure it tracks straight while goin down the road. Check tire wear. If you can get oil samples send them to a lab and have them checked. If there is solar on the rig you can throw a blanket on each panel to see if the outputs are equal provided there are more than one. Go to autoramblings.com and follow the special vehicle section, it might help. Read all you can on this site where people have trouble or what people look for when they pick up a new van. I'm sure there is more.