29th Dec 2024, 22:00
How many vehicles make it to the ripe old age of 30 years (in 2008 when "the owner" got it) without having "issues"?
3rd Jan 2025, 14:29
Probably about as many as who acquire a 1978 van in 1978 already with 75k miles on it, then put 25k miles on it in the next 30yrs. Maybe it was barely driven due to the constant issues?
6th Jan 2025, 22:24
First, a little more attentiveness when reading the review would reveal that Ben (reviewer) believed that the van most likely had many more total miles on it than what was showing on the 5-digit odometer, possibly as much as 300K miles, due its use in a tile business by the previous owner who, also per the review, did not maintain it properly.
It would also reveal that the 25K miles he put on it was in the TWO years between when he got it in 2008 (not 1978) and when he posted the review in 2010, not "30yrs.", so hardly "barely driven".
Second, considering that the van reviewed and the one referenced in 2:05 comment are two different vehicles (even if same year and model), why would the mechanical issues in one resulting from very high mileage and/or lack of maintenance indicate a lack of build quality in the other?
Actually, the mere fact that a vehicle built in 1978 is still around nearly a half century later is indicative of some degree of build quality!
8th Jan 2025, 12:22
This math doesn’t add up. The reviewer acquired the van in 2008 when the odometer showed 75,000 odd miles, which took 30 years to accumulate. The reviewer then added another 25,000 miles in the next two years to the time they posted the review in 2010. Seems like pretty good service to me, putting 12,000 miles per year on a ‘78 van. His “long list of items” is simply neglected maintenance and easily rectified.
Having owned a ‘77 Dodge Street Van and ‘85 Dodge Ramcharger, I believe him when he says the odometer had probably already flipped to 175,000 miles when he got it in 2008. My ‘85 had 160,000 miles on it when I bought it in 1996 from the original owner who knew it had rolled over and I put another 100,000 miles on it before it rusted out. And the drive train was still good. The ‘77 we got in the late ‘90s. The 318s run forever and the Chrysler Torqueflite transmissions are rock solid dependable.
What these design Dodges usually need when they get to this age are steering components. I’ve had to replace the idler arms on every ‘70s Dodge I ever owned to correct wandering. But replacing shocks, a burnt out instrument cluster light, some minor leaks, even an alternator, water pump, and timing chain, this is nothing on an old car, and far far cheaper than making a new car payment every month. The few people left who know how to fix things have a big financial advantage.
24th Dec 2024, 02:05
I am restoring a 78 Sportsman Maxivan.
Thank you for commenting. This van seems very well built. I paid $800 in 2024.