Conversion Vans

frankcario

We have a 97 Chevy express conversion by Anaheimm Industries in Houston. We looked at all the so called "top names" and found that Anaheim has the best reputation and quality of all. We think they are the cadillac of converters. This van has operated flawlessly, but we did buy the extended warranty to make it more marketable when we sell it, which sadly is coming soon, since we no longer take very many driving trips. This was our first experience with a full size conversion van, and we would buy another Anaheim.

jboater

NADA has no pricing available on Phoenix.

You could try price comparison with the '96 Ford Club Wagon. NADA shows whsle 12,800. and retail 14,700.

Jerry

heatherjill

I am looking to buy a used 1997 Chevy C1500 high top Conversion van, V8, Rockwood conversion, Loaded, about 66,000 miles. One owner, mint condition. asking $21,000. What would be a good offer to make?
Thanks

frankcario

Heathert

I think $21,000 for a 97 seems a bit high, especially because if there is no extended warranty, you are on your own. We bought the extended warranty with a future sale in mind

jboater

NADA has no info available.
Values of other conversion mfg's indicates a wholesale range of 38-41% and retail 51-54% of original msrp.
NADA mileage says 45-50k is average range.
Deduct 1,400. for hi miles.
You can make a comparison with Edmund's on the mileage. Might check your local "auto swapper" for prices on other 97 vans for sale.

saleman454

You pay for what you get. You do not want the van falling apart because you saved a few bucks up front. The Explorer package is rewally nice, the X package is top of the line Explorer. You can buy for approx. $36,000. It's high, but it is nice. You can buy a model lower for approx $29,000. My Mark II was nice, but was not quite as nice as the Explorer. Take your time and look at several packages. Ask about service and warranty on the package.

tballs44

Hi, we have a 96 Ford Cobra Conversion Ltd that we need to sell for downsizing reasons. It's literally loaded to the brim, but we have no idea where to find the value for it. It has 60,000 miles on it, leather, 6 disc cd changer, 3 tv's, vcr, super nintendo, power folding bed, rear stereo system, surround sound, rear ac/heat, power everything including drivers seat, vacuum, headphone jacks etc etc....Would anyone know what the value would be or where I could find it?

Thanks ,
Tim

danl6

Can someone help me on the trade value of my van ?

96 Chevy(new body style)
64K miles
Gladiator hi top - don't remember model designation but it is pretty loaded:
power driver seat and sofa
leather
exterior vista window air foil things
oiled walnut everywhere
TV/VCP/rear Stereo/cassette
nice thick carpeting

jboater

Tim,
NADA has no info since 1990 model year.
Other '96 high-end conversions have wholesale values of about 35% of original msrp and retail is about 45%.

Jerry

jboater

dan16,

Designer II whsle 5,060. retail 6,660.
Saphire whsle 4,500. retail 5,910.

Jerry

georgemac

I'm so glad that I found you guys! Thank you in advance for your valuable advice. My family has recently increased by two with the birth of twins. Our mini van is just not big enough. I have begun conversion van shopping. I have chosen the Chevy/GMC with confidence but there my feelings of security end. I have some questions about conversion companies and safety issues. As far as safety, I have two concerns. There are two separate reported deaths of children who suffocated when the sofa seats folded up on them.They obtained so much physical damage from being crushed that they could not be resuscitated. The vans were not running and keys were not in the ignition. Can I disconnect this seat in some way so it will not fold in or out? I would be happy to have a regular bench seat instead of a sofa. I do need the seat to move back and forth in order to maximize the rear storage. Also, I have read the high top roof can pop off or shatter during a roll over. Which conversion companies make the safest vans? I have looked at Explorer, Debut, Rocky Ridge, Gladiator,and Starcraft. I liked the Rocky Ridge and it is close enough to visit the factory. It is a small company located in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Does anyone know about their quality and safety? The Explorer was quite nice but colors were darker than I would like inside. I'm leaning toward the Starcraft but they are being sued presently. If they go out of business, who will take care of my conversion repairs? I look forward to reading your advice on these matters.

jboater

I had a 93 Starcraft conversion. I found the company very good to work with on the one warranty claim I had. Do you know any details on the suit pending against it know?
I now drive (21/2 years) a '97 Ford/Coachmen. I've been very pleased with this van.
The sofa in this van is manual rather than power and does require a fair amount of strength to operate. It seems quite possible that one could remove the handle that releases the seat from the upright position.

georgemac

I found information about the law suit against Starcraft on the web but didn't bookmark the address. I don't want to be guilty of slander so I won't go into details. I talked directly to Starcraft today and was told that they are expanding not folding. I drove the Starcraft today. It did not seem as quiet or have as smooth a ride as the Explorer. The exterior of the Explorer is more attractive to me also. The back of the rear sofa seat on the Explorer is quite low and the headrests do not reach very high. This would appear to be a safety risk for whip lash in an accident.Explorer only offers two styles of leather seats both having low sofa back height. Something I have greatly disliked on all brands of conversions is the plastic "wood" put on the dash and front doors. I've been told the product must be molded for the dash and that real wood on a dash will not take the extreme heat down south. Autos have real wood on their dashes down south and it doesn't warp. I have been shocked that the conversion van companies have not done better with this look even on the top of the line vans. If you leave off the fake wood, it is still unattractive to me. Is there an after factory product source where I could purchase something nicer? Also, I'd love to hear from someone about their experience with either Explorer or Rocky Ridge conversion companies.

safariexplorer

George Mac - We are back in the market for a conversion van after our GMC Safari with the Explorer Limited SE package was recently totaled. No one was hurt; had four elementary school kids in the van and had a front end collision with a truck. The van took the shunt very well, but the damage is irreparable.
.
As for conversion packages, there are only three that I've seen (of the 97 conversion houses) that I regard as having a top quality product: Explorer, Tiara (their top end product) and Southern Comfort. I am not familiar with Rocky Ridge.
.
GO FOR THE DARK INTERIOR - With kids, especially twins, you are going to appreciate leather seating and darker colors; they don't show the inevitable stains like cloth and lighter colors.
.
As for the power sofa/bed: Yes, you can easily disconnect the power supply on the Explorer and on most (all?) power seats. There are two connections on the Safari/Explorer under the seat; they come out from the floor carpet. One is for fore/aft movement, the other is for raising and lowering the bed.
.
I have to agree to some extent about the plastic wood veneer. It is a little cheesy, but I recall the screwed-on chunks of millwork the older conversions vans had on the dash and doors. They look like crap after a couple of years in the sun. You refer to Southern cars that have wooden dashes; however, these were designed from the inside out to be used where they are, and many have laminations that include layers of steel to allow them to maintain their complex shapes and to avoid cracks, etc. Haven't investigated other options.
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The only downside of these vans with twins is going to be getting them in and out; the convenience of a driver's side rear door on most mini-vans would be helpful.
.
Good luck in your quest.

ktap

How do? I'm trying to find the cost of a 1/2 conversion. I need the cost of leather seats and carpeting for half of a cargo van.

jbts

I have looked all over the Web and can not find a spot to look up Conversion Vans. Where can I find them?

jboater

If you mean to find used value pricing, I don't think one exists.
Should you find one, I'd like to know.

Jerry

lisahr

Looking for list of invoice and retail prices for variety of conversion packages, including ones such as eclipse and others used by ford. We are looking to purchase a ford econoline 150 V8. with hight top. Are coversion fans hot sellers? I don't think so should i pay below invoice or $370 above?

jboater

There is no known source for invoice and msrp numbers for conversions.
Some conversion mfg's refuse to release msrp or dealer invoice.
Hot sellers? Look about the traffic in your local area. How many conversions do you see relative to other motor vehicles? The van conversion division of Coachmen was just recently acquired by Glaval Corp. Just a guess, but I suspect that sales volume was a factor.
You might check classified ads in your area for asking prices on one and two year old vans. It might help in determining the amount you are willing to pay for a new van. Also, take a look at a new E-150 XLT Wagon and ask yourself, How much more or less should a conversion cost? Keep in mind that a conversion mfg. starts with an unfinished version of a cargo van/wagon.

dfullerton

Can anyone provide any feedback on a Sherrod conversion of a '95 Dodge RAM V6 with 58k miles at $8500? Is this a good deal? Is this got enough power to pull a small boat/trailer?

dfdreamer

jboater

It is below average mileage and the $8,000 price in topic #18 sounds very good.
The lowest value Sherrod is the Quantum. whsle
2,100. retail 2,700. Add these numbers to the cargo van values found at Edmund's.
I don't know about the V6. I would think a good
test drive would be the best indicator

jboater

I'm afraid you pose a very difficult question. You've probably read some of my posts along the way. If so, you know I dive a '97 Ford/Coachmen. Bought new two and on-half years ago. I have been very satisfied with this van. I now have 45k miles on it and have had no repair problems. It has been a matter of maintainence only, including brakes and tires.
While I've owned three different GM vans in the past, none of them were of the recently redesigned version. As such, I can't give you any first hand feedback on the Savanna.
There are of course, major differences between a passenger car and a full size conversion van. I find myself frequently hauling stuff (no kids) and would find it difficult to go back to a passenger car. I might consider a mini-van. They drive more like a passenger car but you do give-up some interior space.
At the very least, I'd recommend a good shakedown test drive of the Savanna. Be sure to test drive at expressway speeds. Check for road and windnoise levels and general handling of the van. I don't know how big of an issue fuel efficiency is but, you should expect that full size vans will likely be the least fuel efficient. My 4.6L V8 averages about 15 mpg in warm weather and 14 mpg in cold weather.

warrenw48

I am in the same boat as you. I finally have the means to get most any vehicle I want but I need some space, very active 9 and 7 year olds. I did read that the 2001 savana and the Chevey express will have a gm factory conversion option, which will carry the normal vehicle warranty. I don't know where you live but I can give you a couple of dealers who will order the vehicle for you at 200.00 under invoice or 98.00 over. Southern Gm Nashville Tn, Marchant Chevrolet SC., and 98Over Brevard NC.

mhwhite1

If you know whether conversion vans are good or bad in the snow, please respond here or to my e-mail address. I'm concerned about their being rear wheel drive.

jboater

my comment is in your e-mail box.

Jerry

bearsinden

Has anyone heard of Grand Prix conversion vans out of Minnesota? Some relatives are having trouble with theirs and the local dealership doesn't have a clue on how to fix it (on-going electrical problems).

rbraun

I have a 92 Chevy G20 CV on which the power sofa/bed is broken. The power works and the 'electric motor' is running but the sofa does not unfold.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a resource on the web or a repair shop in New England that could help me with this one.

I would actually preffer to set the sofa/bed on manual and this way I'd be able to unfold it every time and not rely on a stupid electronic gadget.

Thanks

jboater

NADA indicates that GRAN PRIX was a model manufactured by Truk-Mate Vans in Annandale, MN 55302.
Further indicate "no longer producing van or truck conversions". Last year listed is 1997.

Jerry

jboater

Any chance your conversion company is still in business? Perhaps a call to their customer service dept would help.
Check your local yellow pages under Van & Truck Conversions and also check to see if there is a separate mfg. label on the sofa. Might be able to contact them.

Jerry

famofsix

I want to buy a new GMC Savana 2500 conversion made by Custom Craft Vehicles conversions. Has anyone done this. I want seating for ten, possible. Please respond ASAP. We are lemon lawing our 99 Windstar.

famofsix

Does anyone have a sliding door on their Savana? Pros/cons. We think our children will be better off with a slider. Any information on the 12 passenger van would be helful, reliability, comfort, etc. Anyone have a flat screen tv in theirs.

saintgerard

I have been researching the price of a GMC Savanna 2500 conversion with the diesel engine option. For the 2001 Savanna my local GMC dealer told me GM is installing an ISUZU diesel engine with 300 horsepower. For a full size van and to be fuel concious, I believe a diesel engine is the only way to go. I have contacted several conversion van upfitters, Custom Craft, Explorer, Starcraft, Galval, Mark III, Centurion, and Waldoch Crafts, about diesel vans in stock. Everyone has told me that you have to travel more than 100,000 miles to break even for the cost of the diesel option. Also the cost of maintenance for a diesel is lower than a gas engine because there are no spark plugs to replace. Just change the oil and fuel filters and go. Local dealerships are hard to negotiate with, but I did find a dealership in Ohio that only deals in new and used conversion vans. They will quote prices over the phone. The website is paulsherry.com. Intellichoice 5 year vehicle cost for the Savanna is cheaper than that for any other full size van.

mcnason

i hope this has come up before. a conversion van would best suit our needs as a family. however, we discovered when we able to bring one home as a test, it was too tall for the garage. the salesman didn't believe us and scratched up the roof trying to squeeze it in!! we don't want to leave it outside to bake in the florida sun. our house design does not allow for raising the garage door. what else can be done? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

mike

ryaj12

Several people in my community have added a carport extending from the garage toward the street. Looks nice on an L-shaped rancher because it balances the other end of the house and makes a U-shaped rancher. Can't see how it would work on a 2-story or any other architectual design though.

hprickettx

... lower the water. If you can't raise the door, then how about lowering the garage floor? Yes, it would take some work, but probably could be done. You might have to add a sump pump to get rid of any water that collects, but that wouldn't add any more complexity to such a project if designed in from the start.

Are you sure the garage door cannot be raised? When the carpenters were building a house for me, I looked at the opening for the garage door and said it looked too low (based only on the appearance that I wanted), and that it needed to be raised by about 1 foot. They said no problem. The next time I went by to look at it, they had raised the opening by about a foot.

jboater

I drive a '97 Ford low top with roof mounted luggage rack. While a close fit, it does go thru my garage door opening okay. I have a standard height door (7 feet?). I did have to adjust the stop position on the door opener so that the door would open at least as high as the door frame. I believe an 8 foot door is required for most high top vans.

dlrouton

We have a 1991 Chevrolet G2o Conversion Van, Conversion by Tiara, with 143,000 miles. We want to sell it. How do we find the NADA book value or the value from any other pricing guide?

dlrouton@hiwaay.net

jboater

NADA book on the Tiara only goes back to '94.

I'd guess because of age, the value would be similar to the Chevy oem passenger van. You might check Edmund's for value on it and also check local classified ads for similar vans for sale.

Jerry

rm1277

Hi I would like to know if anyone can give me some idea on how to figure out the resale value of a Conversion van. I have a 99 Chevy Van, and I'm thinking of selling it.

thanks,

jboater

Please post detail info on the conversion. I may be able to help.

Jerry

tim212

Im looking at an Explorer SE on a Ford E150,and LA West. Any comments on the quality of either of these conversions?

deb1223

Greetings! I am starting to look at conversion vans and have decided on the Explorer conversion package. I drove a Ford and a Chevy both with the same grade of Conversion and liked the Chevy better. I have just found a Dodge with the same package plus a high-top that I plan to go drive tomorrow. This is a 2000 demo (10,000 miles) with a "drastically" reduced price. I am unable to afford the Chevy that I really liked, but the price of the Dodge is within my means. I have not driven it yet and am not sure what to expect... I know that Dodge is not rated as high as the other companies, but if I plan to only use this as a daily "mom car" with light travel (400 miles round rip) every couple of months and the possibility of towing a small trailer in the future, would this still be an okay van. I really love the Explorer conversions, just really pricey for what I want.... Leather and all of the goodies. Can some one please let me know honestly if the Dodge is a bad idea. Also, I know there is no real data on the pricing of these conversions..... Is there any way to find out just how much the conversion kit is actually worth???? It is the Limited SE with some other options......
Please email me at ohmygosh@worldnet.att.net. I don't mean to rush you all, but would really appreciate a quick response. I plan to drive this in the morning......
Thanks!

aling

Thanks for your message. You may want to ask your question in existing Dodge Caravan topics. There are many of them in the Vans Conference, and they should be able to give you some ideas as to any potential mechanical problems.

You can search for these topics by using the "Topic Search" feature on the left hand column of your screen. Simply type in "Dodge Caravan" and click on "Go".

Best of luck!
Drew/aling
Townhall Community Leader/Vans Conference

jboater

You might review topics 25 and 26.

I'm looking about myself. I've seen a Sherrod that seems pretty nice and a Discovery as well.
May not be your cup of tea, but I understand the 2000 model year is the last for Jayco. You might find a good price on one of theirs. Sad to say, Coachmen got out of the auto conversion business earlier this year too. I've been very happy with the '97 I drive.
Ford may be getting into the conversion business in the 2001 model year. Don't know for sure.

Jerry

rwharcha

Thanks,...I'll look for those other conversions you mentioned. Very few top of the line are available here. I'll have something to look for all winter. I'll check out whether Ford starts to make factory conv. Sounds interesting,,, might be able to order all options there too. Thanks, Russ.

rwharcha

Is any one Conv. Co. considered top dog? Has anyone seen a custom on a XL body? I think Ford makes an Econoline XL 250. Are the 2001 models out yet? Sometimes they lag others by several months. Russ.

lmac1

We been looking at Ford E250's to have modified for wheelchair access. I'm not familiar with the 2001 E250 XL body. While Ford does offer some type of X** option group for the E150 and E350 wagons, the E250 appear to now be offered only in the cargo van, without those option groups. Most of the conversion companies start with the cargo van. If you are talking about the extended body, I do know that Sportsmobile offer there camper-type conversions on the E250 extended body (see www.sportsmobile.com). I've been told that Starcraft offers E250 conversions, although I'm not sure of the extended as opposed to regular body length.

rwharcha

I too have been looking for an E-250 conv. I really don't know if an extended model is available. I don't need it. However, I am disappointed with certain conv. pkg. and want to know if Starcraft is tops, or is there another I have overlooked. By the way, you probably know that Ford has a $1,000 rebate for NEW van purchases that are to be modified for wheelchair access. Russ.

rwharcha

I have been looking at E-250 . Ford gives rebate for wheelchair conv. I'm looking at starcraft. Don't need amodel with kitchen, etc. Russ.

rwharcha

Can anyone shed light on Starcraft conv,?. Either positive or neg. Would apprec. anyone's comment. Russ.