Buying a Van with rust

keltoms

Hi folks,

Ive been looking around for the last few weeks for a van for work (gardening), my budget is 3500. Ive been offered a 2004 Mercedes Vito, 120,000 miles, DOE til next march for 2500 euro. I went to look at it yesterday, inside the van was perfect but outside i noticed a few specs of rust on the bonnet and bigger rust patches on the side door and on the side of the wheel arch. The engine and that is fine but am just wondering how big a problem would the rust be?? should i just stay clear of it? thanks in advance for your replies!

This Ad is a good example of what im buying (the rust isnt as bad as this yet)

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/commercials/3489125

Thank you in advance for your replies,

keltoms

peasant

Rust on panels is more or less just cosmetic. If you keep after it you'll be able to keep it in check (grind, prime, paint, etc) but it'll never look pretty without a full re-spray (way too expensive for an old van)

However ...if panels are already that bad, who knows what lurks in hidden corners that are actually important ...sills, door bottoms, load bearing parts.

I wouldn't buy a rusty van without having it thoroughly examined (on a lift) by someone who knows what they're looking for.

bijapos

For €3500 I'd go for a Toyota Hiace, they are far more robust than the Mercedes. For that money you'd get a post -02 D4D which is a good, strong economical van, probably has more space than the Vito too.

As peasant says the van is worth a look underneath if it's like that, but I'd also be more worried about the impression it is giving potential customers when you drive around with something as shabby looking as that.

CianRyan

What is it with vans and rust?
Is it the environment they tend to be in or are the companies just not arsed rust proofing them?

peasant

CianRyan wrote: »

What is it with vans and rust?
Is it the environment they tend to be in or are the companies just not arsed rust proofing them?

Vans are built to last a certain mileage opposed to a certain period of time, as they would normally be worked quite hard.

Some companies do indeed save on the rustproofing (Sprinters/LT's and Transits being a case in point ...rarely do you see one that's a few years old that is rust free). The fact that some vans get battered and dinged inside and out almost daily doesn't help of course.

pa990

There are so many vans out there for sale, why settle for one with rust.

I'd keep looking, there are plenty of lads that previously worked in the construction and related sectors trying to offload vans just to pay their mortgage.

plenty of choice.. don't settle for rust

Pottler

Also, I'd give the Vito a miss unless it's the newest model. And then I'd give it a miss. Get a good one, happy days, get a bad one and you will have to mow the Phoenix park to make money owning it. Forget the Merc badge, it's just that, a badge. I stuck a GTI sticker on my lawnmower, but it was still just a lawnmower. Vito's are just a Spanish van with a badge. Assembled by spanners. Largely. Someone will be on soon to disagree, but they probably make their living pulling off Vito heads to get out stuck/snapped bits and doing the brakes on them. You'll never meet a poor Merc mechanic, or a quiet Peugeot mechanic. I've never met a Hiace mechanic.

galwaydude18

From my observations all merc van suffer from rust on the wheel arches, under the back doors and sills as well and the parts cost a bloody fortune for them as well. Not worth the money if you ask me.

ljpg

as pa990 said,loads of vans knockin about,just keep lookin and you'll find a better one

keltoms

thanks for all the replies everyone, yeah i think im just going either get a hiace or save a little more and get a transporter!