Very briefly, I own a
translation
agency in the
Czech Republic and have realized my dreams to move into a van,
continue operating my agency via internet connection through a satellite phone,
and travel through nature. I bought this vehicle in Seattle because my flight
flies out of LA and was informed it would be better to buy and sell the vehicle
in the US alone. I landed in Seattle and stayed at my friends' place, and it
turns out that their neighbor was trying to sell this van. He lived in it as
well for a certain period, built the bed, bookshelves, and installed the
auxiliary battery. The auxiliary battery is a deep cycle boat battery, is
recharged from the engine, and the pioneer stereo (TS-A1665 - sounds pretty good
to me) is wired directly into it, as well as the two florescent lights. I also
wired a 120V inverter (which I will keep) into two of the battery leads to
successfully power my entire office (I saw an inverter that can go as high as
2400W, where your average laptop uses between 60 and 75W).
The previous owner pumped about a thousand bucks into it
prior to his sale, and I as well (I have all the receipts, so maybe you could
write it off). It passed emissions (smog) test in Seattle as well as in LA,
where the California Smog Check Vehicle Report number is VIN: 1GCEG25H7SF231604,
License: A31858K.
Some of my investments included a new tire, an 80% new spare
tire, new muffler, a full tune-up in Seattle at Midas, and a partial tune up and
oil change in LA, where they commented that, considering the mileage (185,000
miles), the van runs "remarkably" nicely. I too find it runs quite nicely. Two
people looking at it said the shocks look quite good, but the main car battery
is near its death (you can boost start it from the auxiliary battery if need be,
and the van comes with two sets of jumper cables, as well as winter chains for
the tires).
Overall I am quite happy with "Lola" (came with a dancing
hoola girl on the dash, which I will gladly take with me if you do not want it).
It also has some wire and security features (refer to pictures below), so it
should be good for a commercial vehicle as well. Certainly beeps loud when you
back it up!
The van: 1995 Chevy G-20 Cargo van, V8 I believe.
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Came with a dent in the sliding side door (below left), but
the door slides and shuts with no problems.
Since I have not driven for a long time and it took me a while to get used to
this large vehicle, I regret to admit that I have added my own indent (below
right), while trying to turn around on a tight road. Both cases seem minor and
something which can be pounded out with a hammer or whatever.
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I bought this van for the purpose of testing out my plans to move myself and my
business into a truck and travel around the world. This van trip was a pilot
test, which I applied to my first
trip to Mexico.
Oops, I put Lola into the hands of an ex-girlfriend living in
LA, hoping she'd sell it for a better price I would get by rushing selling it to
a used car dealership before flying back to
Prague a few days later. She had to repark it across the street twice a week. She was busy and the cops apparently
impounded, and then swallowed it. Oh well.
But now for the NEW
caravan truck on the new European
travel leg, which I hope to do for a couple of years or
more.
