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Determining mileage on a van



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 17th 06, 05:32 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Determining mileage on a van

I'm considering buying a late 70s Dodge van which the seller indicates
has a little over 110,000 kms on it. THat's what the odometer reads.
However, this van has a 5 digit odometer, so I'm concerned that it may
have gone around more than once. THe VIN of this van is not the modern
17 character version, so I can't run a carfax on it to get an
indication of mileage. There aren't any service records that come with
the van.
So: how would you go about trying to determine if the mileage is indeed
what is being reported? Some things I thought of:
- check windshield pitting (will have a lot of small pits on high
mileage vehicles; I know because I own a couple of vehicles with over
200,000 miles)
- check condition of brake and gas pedal rubber (again, will be more
worn if vehicle has a lot of miles on it)
- I suppose engine compression and leakdown test would be an indicator
of engine wear
- wear and tear on driver's seat

ANy other tell-tale areas you can think of?
Thanks!

Ads
  #2  
Old August 17th 06, 06:26 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
C. E. White[_1_]
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Default Determining mileage on a van


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I'm considering buying a late 70s Dodge van which the seller indicates
> has a little over 110,000 kms on it. THat's what the odometer reads.


So you think the van might actually have 1,110,000 kms? Seems unlikely. That
is almost 700,000 miles. I know those old Dodge vans were reliable, but
almost a million miles???????????

> However, this van has a 5 digit odometer, so I'm concerned that it may
> have gone around more than once. THe VIN of this van is not the modern
> 17 character version, so I can't run a carfax on it to get an
> indication of mileage. There aren't any service records that come with
> the van.
> So: how would you go about trying to determine if the mileage is indeed
> what is being reported? Some things I thought of:
> - check windshield pitting (will have a lot of small pits on high
> mileage vehicles; I know because I own a couple of vehicles with over
> 200,000 miles)


Vehicles with upright windshields get pitted very quickly. The amount of
pitting is highly dependent on where the van is driven, the typical speeds,
etc. My pick-up truck had lots of small pits in less than 25,000 miles.

> - check condition of brake and gas pedal rubber (again, will be more
> worn if vehicle has a lot of miles on it)
> - I suppose engine compression and leakdown test would be an indicator
> of engine wear
> - wear and tear on driver's seat



Ed


  #3  
Old August 17th 06, 06:54 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Determining mileage on a van

Sorry, my message was unclear. The odometer reads 10,000 kms. I'm
told it's really 110,000, but would like a way to get a sense whether
that could be 220,000 of even 320,000 (not unlikely on a vehicle that
old...)

>
> So you think the van might actually have 1,110,000 kms? Seems unlikely. That
> is almost 700,000 miles. I know those old Dodge vans were reliable, but
> almost a million miles???????????
>


  #5  
Old August 17th 06, 08:33 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Determining mileage on a van

Very good advice, thanks Ray. It's a relief in a way to realize that I
don't need to be fixated on the actual mileage on the van. If it
indeed has only 110,000 kms, great. If it doesn't, then it's more
important to assess the present state of the various mechanical
components, as you suggest.
Thanks!

>
> my 2 cents... on a 20+ year old vehicle, the odometer reading is the
> least of your concerns. By now, either the vehicle is 20km away from
> the junkyard, or it's been already rebuilt twice over...
>
> If you're not mechanically inclined, I'd get someone who is to evaluate
> the vehicle for you. If you are, assume it has 310,000 km and look for
> things that will make you "run away..."
>
> Ray


  #6  
Old August 17th 06, 10:28 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Andrew Crabtree
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Default Determining mileage on a van

> ANy other tell-tale areas you can think of?
The driver-side door. Nobody ever replaces hinge-pins.

-A


  #7  
Old August 18th 06, 08:59 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
ray
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Default Determining mileage on a van

Andrew Crabtree wrote:
>>ANy other tell-tale areas you can think of?

>
> The driver-side door. Nobody ever replaces hinge-pins.
>
> -A
>
>

I do. But then, I seem to own the 310,000km vehicles.
I'm not sure if that means I made good choices or failed to dispose of
bad ones.

Ray
  #8  
Old August 22nd 06, 06:57 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
RayV
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Posts: 41
Default Determining mileage on a van


Andrew Crabtree wrote:
> > ANy other tell-tale areas you can think of?

> The driver-side door. Nobody ever replaces hinge-pins.
>
> -A


Except people who owned a GM F-body car with power windows...

  #9  
Old August 23rd 06, 08:05 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Harry Face
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Posts: 97
Default Determining mileage on a van

Don't look for a worn brake pedal pad. Thats no indication of heavy use
or more miles. I just replaced the brake pedal pad on a 2005 Buick that
was coming apart.

No real way to tell how many miles are on the van.

Have a mechanic check it out. Maybe do a compression check too.

If it runs good & you feel comfortable buying it, but it.

Good Luck.

harryface

PS, a friend of mine had a 94 Dodge Ram Cargo van he put 620,000 miles
on before a telephone phone hit it back in 2001.

 




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