I'm planning to purchase a cargo Van later this week, but I'm still kinda looking around... I decided on a Ford because they have a really good reputation and I'm getting a used one because I'm low on funds. My main concerns regarding my future vehicle is that it's safe, not prone to break down, something that'll last me for a good amount of time, and something that's inexpensive. I won't be hauling anything on a daily basis, but decided that the extra space will be useful if the need arises. I have a quick question. After a dodge cargo van is made, how many years of service can one expect to get out of the vehicle before it starts to fall apart and becomes totally useless?

I currently have my eye on a 1987 Ford Econoline 150 Econoline/Cargo van converted to include side window, wall to wall carpet, and bench seat with 83,550 original miles on a 5.0, 8cyl. 4 speed auto. Never has towed anything nor been used to haul heavy loads. Since the owner's father passed away in '93, it's been used very little. It has been kept up, well maintained, registered, driven to keep it running, but mostly parked under carport and used to store stuff. Tires are new in '10 but maybe has 1000 miles on them, and the car has a couple minor dents.

What do you think about the vehicle above? I kinda like the look of it, so the aesthetics of the van are ok. My main concern is its longevity. How long do you think the above vehicle will last? Do you think it'll be prone to break down alot (due to age or mileage)? (I tried to choose a ford cargo van with as few miles as possible, and as inexpensive as reasonably possible, and this so far is the best I can do. Most of the vans I saw in my price range had 110,000-300,000 miles on them...) Are there any specific safety concerns regarding this model I should know of? I'm thinking about getting it inspected at a local AAA garage before purchasing it, but not sure if its worth the expense ($99) or hassle (here's what they test-----> http://www.csaa.com/auto/car-repair/...spection-tests ). Also, does anyone know the blue book value of this van? The Kelly blue book app. on my phone only goes back to 1991 and I can't find anything online about it.

Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.