Buying a Used Van

If you are looking for a new version of the rear drive mechanical simplicity and cheap, do-it-yourself maintenance of Japanese cars of 25 years ago, don't despair. Underneath the latest commercial van bodies, Joe Kenwright finds cheap and reliable transpo

Background
Until the recent arrival of more complex front drive European vans, the whole commercial van segment was like the Tardis time machine. Compact on the outside and huge on the inside, the Japanese van can take you back decades in terms of mechanical simplicity and reliability.

They can also take you back 20 years in refinement levels, roadholding, braking and safety but then a billycart could handle most Australian speed limits so this is not the big issue it first seems. The bluff aerodynamics are also less of a deficit at speeds below 100 km/h.

Ever since an ex-baker's VW Kombi van served as home at the original Sunbury Pop Festival, I have valued the flexibility of a small forward control van. I have since owned a Toyota HiAce and still own a Mitsubishi Express. Both have delivered levels of owner satisfaction and driver involvement that shamed far more exotic purchases. Even as an everyday vehicle for a young driver, these vans can offer real advantages but only if the driver is prepared to adjust to the lower roadholding and braking levels.

There is a healthy trend amongst rural teenagers to roll out their swags in the paddock or in their utes after a solid night of partying instead of drink-driving. A van can provide an all-weather escape route for a young city driver instead of driving home tired or affected by alcohol. Over 30 years later, it is not unusual for people in my friendship circle to sleep off an out of town party in our vans before driving home in the early morning without disturbing our hosts.

Even for older drivers, choosing a van as a second vehicle can offer amazing flexibility in terms of camping, renovating, light towing, recreational sports including cycling, dirt bikes, orienteering and bush walking. For younger owners, the long roof and separate gutters are perfect for windsurfing and kayaking while providing a lock-up facility for surfboards, bicycles and other expensive sports equipment. For athletes and surfers, they can provide a mobile changeroom or haven to sit out bad weather.

For students, they can also help generate income as a van will swallow garden or cleaning equipment and other tools. For a young apprentice, they can help a fledgling business get on its feet.

Before buying a used van, it is worth examining whether you have the mindset to adjust your driving and expectations to fit the limitations. Expect a responsive sports car and a van will drive you mad but go with the traffic flow, enjoy the panoramic view of the road and anticipate the stupidity of other drivers and you could enjoy it.

Why you wouldn't buy a van

Poor weight distribution when unladen leading to poor rear braking and front heavy handling
Very little crush zone ahead of the cabin
Upright seating position keeps you alert but you start to slouch after a long driving stint
High driving position feels less stable
Poor drivers have a bad habit of smashing them by cutting corners after forgetting they sit ahead of the front wheels, not behind
Rear vision can be a problem for drivers who don't or can't reverse by their mirrors
Side vision can be restricted in vans without windows
Ride can be pitchy when unladen
Engine noise can be higher when it shares the cabin with the driver
Basic cabin fittings and interior finishing

Why you would buy a van
Space, space and more space which can pay for itself if you are renovating and don't have to pay delivery fees on everything you buy Relatively economical for the size and weight capacity.

Fun to drive in its own way when you can see and avoid traffic obstacles that others can't
Sliding door access in tight spots
Good ground clearance
Proven and rugged mechanicals that are relatively easy to work on
Well protected by simple steel or plastic bumpers, simple and cheap headlights, windscreens and other everyday parts
Basic seats and carpets easily repaired or replaced
Load area is easy to dress up, retrim or respray
The option of additional seating if desired
One of the few vehicles left that will support traditional pack racks and channel bars
Long load items like ladders, surfboards etc carried inside the length of the vehicle and fully supported
Sleeping facility
Useful for community volunteers who are scout leaders, home help, fund raising barbecues and other activities, sports coaches etc
Perfect tool box for tradespeople of all ages or retirees who enjoy working on family properties and other hobby projects

Which ones?
There were two developments that changed the face of these vans, literally. Most were fitted out in their early days as people movers. In this configuration, they could be lethal when their passenger cargo sat much higher and unprotected than the floor level luggage they were designed for. They also provided little front and side impact protection.

At around the same time, various unions raised valid occupational health and safety issues on behalf of those who had to drive them as part of their jobs. Local authorities responded by adopting new global barrier crash requirements at the end of 1986. These usually generated Y-shaped crash sections at the end of the ladder chassis members capped by an extended front impact zone. As each model came up for a restyle, the add-on crush zone was usually integrated into the shape and the load floor was lowered which improved the centre of gravity and stability.

Most have rugged double wishbone front ends with springing by torsion bars to save space and simple live axles with leaf springs. The people mover versions had softer springs and reduced load capacity. Turning circles are tighter than most passenger cars but power steering and air-conditioning are not as common except in later vans. Earlier vans also tend to have column gearshifts.

Vehicles prior to the front crash zone requirement had vertical fronts that offered barely a single layer of mild sheet metal between the front occupants and a crash impact. I recall sitting in my early HiAce as another driver backed into it and was quite shocked to see the shape of his car's tow bar form around my feet. It sharpened up my driving immediately. It also explains why these early vans even in good order appear at giveaway prices.

As certain operators demanded extra front impact protection, Toyota introduced an SBV (semi-bonneted van) version of the HiAce and the smaller TownAce. These are outstanding vans but are longer for their given load length. Mitsubishi also offered a long nose Express van. This was the WA Walk-Thru van which was very different to the SF-SJ series Express range.

There are two sizes: a smaller range defined by Toyota's LiteAce and TownAce and the larger models defined by Toyota's HiAce. The Mitsubishi Express range straddles both sizes as does the Mazda E-series which is also badged as a Ford Econovan. The short and long wheelbase versions of these vans can vary considerably in styling and mechanical packaging.

Nissan offered the sturdy little Vanette and the hugely popular Urvan which was regarded as bulletproof with its strong petrol and diesel engines. Both Nissans finished in 1993. Holden offered a stylish Isuzu van badged as the Shuttle until 1991. These can be great buying when all are forgotten but they were derived from earlier less safe designs.

Where to find them
Ford Econovan
This is a rebadged fully imported Mazda E-series van. Its engines are derived from the Mazda 626 FE series unit as introduced in the early 1980s. Also sold as the Spectron people mover.

Holden Shuttle
Rugged Isuzu van had engines derived from Gemini and Jackaroo units.

Kia Pregio
This bargain-priced late model van reflects Kia's earlier connection with Mazda but offers a torquey and workmanlike diesel as standard.

Mazda E-Series
Hard working and easy-going van was one of the first to introduce a floor shift in 1984. The previous model was a shocker with its tall, narrow body and best avoided. The plush people mover version was called a Traveller.

Mitsubishi Express
Steer clear of anything before the late 1986 SF extended nose series. Its 4G63 and 4G64 engines came from the Sirius family shared with models like the Cordia, Starion and Nimbus and were more efficient than the Astron family in the Sigma/Magna. Later Starwagons with their 2.4 EFI engines are a real prize for light duties as they are fully trimmed with sliding windows all round and well-equipped. Choose between the short and long nosed Express series which are effectively totally different vehicles.

Nissan Vanette/Urvan
The first Vanettes had simple pushrod engines in 1.2 and 1.5-litre capacities but were upgraded from late 1986 to a 2-litre overhead cam engine similar to the Bluebird unit. The Urvan shared this 2-litre engine initially but came with a more powerful 2.4-litre engine in later years. These last examples also had add-on crush zones.

Toyota Lite Ace, Town Ace and Hi Ace
The first Hi Aces used Corona mechanicals but later switched to simple high-torque large capacity commercial engines which is why the Hi Ace always fetches a premium.

Toyota added the Hi Ace SBV (semi-bonneted van) in 1995 which was an amazing but expensive vehicle with its extended nose, big 2.4-litre engine and independent rear suspension. Resale is still very high.

The Lite Ace initially drew on small Corolla mechanicals but it too after 1986 gained torquey and simple commercial engines of 1.5 or 1.8 capacity. It was replaced by the Town Ace which became an SBV (semi-bonneted van) after 1997.

Buyer Beware
Buying a used commercial carries a much higher risk than a passenger car when the vehicle is more likely to be treated as a work tool by a pool of drivers who take no responsibility for how it is maintained. Vans also tend to have many drivers which can accelerate wear in all the controls as each driver gets used to it.

There are six common used sources:

Warehouse or local delivery vehicle used for occasional deliveries, service calls and pick-ups. These often have low mileage mechanicals but can be rough in the body when they are constantly loaded and unloaded over short trips. Can be good buying if the price is right and the servicing is up to date as the cosmetic blemishes can be tidied up cheaply.
Worn out delivery or courier vehicle driven a million kilometres tidied up to look like something it isn't. Look for evidence of hidden wear, mounting points for two way radio and other fittings as you don't want to pay over the odds for one of these. It may also have accelerated engine problems from an LPG conversion.
Trade owner who is often the second owner. Driven by a local plumber or electrician, it will have spent most of its second life fully loaded responding to local service calls with constant stop start runs and little servicing. These can be a disaster despite their youth and relatively low kilometres as many rarely get a long run and the engine can be choking on sludge generated by oil saturated with unburnt fuel and contaminants.
Government-funded organizations who maintain a constant turnover of new vans and send them on to the used market at relatively low kilometres with a good service history. Some can be rough in the body with pool drivers but you can strike others that have been allocated to a single driver who has really looked after it.
Careful self-employed tradesperson or small business owner who treats it as an investment, looks after it like a baby then replaces it when it can no longer be depreciated. With the arrival of GST, this is more commonplace and can be a great source of cheap near new vans as most of the first buyers would have purchased it under special ABN pricing with GST credits.
Private owner who has owned a van as a second car and is ready to update it. As van sales have grown and each update has become more refined and safer, this is a growing source.

Typical Van Check Areas

Because the engine lives under the front seat, most never get checked often enough. The early warning signs for leaking hoses, radiators, water pumps and other failure items are so often missed that too many get cooked with cracked heads, blown head gaskets and other serious heat related problems. This often leaves to a later round of problems as the heat affected oil seals, coil, distributor, plug leads, fuel pump, alternator and other electricals fail. Check all components carefully and if the engine doesn't idle or pull smoothly, get a compression test.
Most of these vans have a simple carburetor with an automatic choke. Poor choke adjustment can flood the insides of the engine with unburnt fuel washing away the engine oil and accelerate wear.
Some heads may have been machined several times from overheating which will now dictate the use of premium unleaded as the increased compression generates pinging on normal unleaded. The upside is more power.
Overlooked oil changes can fill the oilways with sludge and starve vital components of oil which leads to serious engine rattles and failure. An engine in this state will soon need full replacement so allow for it in the price.
Most have a timing belt which must be replaced at the set interval or a timing chain which lasts longer but takes more to replace when it finally wears loose and rattly.
Valve guides and stem seals are a wear item and can suddenly increase oil consumption without the driver knowing especially if they have been heat hardened from a cooling system failure. They are relatively simple and cheap to replace but too often the engine runs out of oil before the problem is discovered. Listen for an engine that has been filled with thick oil to hide a death rattle. Later vans have an oil level light to counter this problem.
Diesels bring extra costs as they demand oil and filters that can cost double. Most also have timing belts that must be replaced and have injectors, pumps and special filters that need routine attention.
Few van engines are designed to run satisfactorily on LPG unless they have a regular dose of petrol and upper cylinder lubricant and oil changes are kept up to date. Valve seat recession and cracked heads are the big worry with LPG engines. Check that the storage cylinder is up to date and the inlet tract is still in one piece as backfiring can generate expensive damage.
Van gear linkages are often complex to reach back to the gearbox behind the driver. There are plenty of levers and bushes that wear from round to oval and cause a sloppy shift. They are easy to replace but can be pricey if fully imported.
Steering column switchgear can take a hiding and can be expensive so check the operation of all controls carefully.
Desperate drivers too often slam the gear box into forward or reverse when the vehicle is travelling in the wrong direction. This does massive damage inside the gearbox as well create excessive backlash in the gears, universal joints and the diff. Excessive driveline vibration on the move is a sure sign of a van that has been thrashed mercilessly.
Brakes and suspension are straight forward. Weight over nose ensures that ball joints and steering joints and box need ongoing replacement or adjustment. Rear drums are often full of leaking fluid as hydraulic fluid changes are often neglected. The same applies to the clutch's hydraulic circuit.
A single box body does not like to be hit hard in offset crashes and can be very hard to get square again. Look for distortion in the roof, floor and body side panels on vehicles that have been bent beyond the point of no return. Overloaded vehicles can show the same signs. If a sliding side door binds, look for major crash damage.
Side panels are unprotected in most cases and can be a patchwork of parking dents. Unlined vans can also display damage from luggage shifting on the inside.
Rust can be a real problem in vans that carry wet or corrosive goods. Poorly repaired or neglected crash damage or fatigued metal can generate localized rust in vans that otherwise don't have a rust problem so check it all carefully. Rust around poorly-finished aftermarket side windows is common.
Watch for damaged head or tail lights, torn or holed plastic bumper fascias, collapsed or bent chassis crush sections as these are fully imported and can cost heaps to replace.
Ratbag passengers often rest their feet on the dash and stub their cigarettes on the dash, floor or seats. These can be difficult to repair to original condition without replacement. Holed mats under the pedals are common so make sure that the metal underneath is not worn through.
Make sure that the tyres meet the minimum load standard specified for that vehicle. Most vans have commercial vehicle tyre standards which make car tyres illegal in most cases.

Buying a Used Van

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