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1999 Sportsmobile Dodge Camper Van on 2040-cars

US $13,000.00
Year:1999 Mileage:202000
Location:

Austin, Texas, United States

Austin, Texas, United States

1999 sportsmobile dodge ram van 3500 maxi
5.9L gas v8
2wd
202k mileage
18-20mpg highway(i saw as high as 21 all day on a nice day)
located in austin, tx

i bought the van from the original owner's estate after he passed.  there was no mechanical history included, but everything looked to be in such good condition i trusted it enough to drive 4 hours home on the spot.  all the rubber/hoses/seals were so well looked after, and the drive so flawless, that i focused on moving parts and preventative upgrades to have a maintenance baseline i could count on to not leave me broken down.

ENGINE
-all new fluid everywhere
-new filters
-new serpentine belt
-new ngk iridium spark plugs
-new plug wires
-new distributor cap and rotor
-new cam position sensor
-new oil pressure sensor
-new thermostat
-new edelbrock intake manifold
     :the stock one is a two piece design that is notorious for failing at the joint, causing coolant to enter the oil.  the new one flows more air and positions the injectors for more effective burn(better mpg).  this was an expensive mod but it gave so much peace of mind and mileage it paid for itself.  the valvetrain was inspected while the manifold was off and my brother(crew chief for 3 different lemans race teams and a mechanic for 13 years now) said it was one of the cleanest he'd come across.  zero scorched oil, zero indications of heavy wear on all moving parts.

RUNNING GEAR
-two new rear tires(fronts and spare were already new when i bought it)
-fresh alignment
-new front brake discs and pads
-new front hub bearings
-super heavy duty rear wheel spacers for more stability since the pop-top adds a lot of weight up high

EXTERIOR
-raptor liner on pop top, roof, bumpers, and grill
-new stainless pop top attachment hardware sealed with butyl
     :the old hardware's sealant had dried up and allowed a small amount of water in.  100% waterproof now.
-new rubber pop top bumper/edging
-new 6ft thule roof tracks, feet, and load bars
-new roadshower aluminum solar shower
-fresh coat of wax(such a huge job haha)

INTERIOR
-the interior was near flawless.  I did a full flush of the water system, steamed the carpet, and that's all i could find to do in there.

POTENTIAL ISSUES
-i only changed the fluid in the transmission, no rebuild.  it runs perfect currently, but with no history on the last time it was serviced i can't not mention it.
-the suspension seems to be all factory, and i envision a fresh set of struts/springs could really up the payload capacity.  as it sits was more than satisfactory for me, but there's a lot of potential for storage in the rear of the van and if two people's worth of heavy stuff is back there it could overstep the load rating for the rear leafs.
-the previously leaking pop top hardware allowed for a small amount of superficial water damage to the tent fabric.  it's still solid, just a little bit of mildew stain in one corner that i can't get rid of.
-the current refrigerator is big.  it can run all day while the engine is running and charging all 3 batteries(1 engine, 2 house) but it can only last overnight with the engine off before draining the house batteries.  there are 4+ solutions to this:  1. buy a smaller fridge that's made for vehichles/boats 2. buy two bigger capacity batteries for the "house" 3. use a generator.  i have one for it, but i never wanted to use it personally 4. a roof-mounted solar panel would change the whole game.  this was my end goal, an adequate setup runs roughly $1000.  my experience never left me wanting for more fridge usage with the current cooling power, but i don't think it could keep ice cream frozen for 4 days of stationary off-grid camping if you're into that sort of luxury.
-the rear a/c is inoperable, and that hasn't been something i've attempted to service.  according to many sportsmobile forum members the unit is notorious for failure and the 3 sportsmobile dealerships will no longer service them since the manufacturer(starcool) stopped producing them.  i never wanted for it, if the weather got too hot i just drove somewhere else haha.
-there is no alarm, and all locks/windows are manual.  an easy and affordable upgrade to add if you want it.


overall this van is ready for a cross-country trip at any time.  i just got back from 3 months texas-california-texas with not a single issue.  ready to be shipped(buyer's responsibility) or fly-in and drive-out(i can help accommodate this) .


i hope i've touched on just about everything you could have worries about, but if there's more questions feel free to ask!





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Auto Services in Texas

Z`s Auto & Muffler No 5 ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Brake Repair
Address: 16548 Stuebner Airline Rd, Jersey-Village
Phone: (281) 370-4500

Wright Touch Mobile Oil & Lube ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 6011 Whitter Forest Dr, Jersey-Village
Phone: (832) 272-5376

Worwind Automotive Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 101 Bowser St, Scurry
Phone: (972) 563-3700

V T Auto Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Automobile Accessories
Address: 243 Blue Bell Rd Bldg A, Atascocita
Phone: (281) 999-6444

Tyler Ford ★★★★★

New Car Dealers, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Used Car Dealers
Address: 2626 S Southwest Loop 323, Winona
Phone: (866) 595-6470

Triple A Autosale ★★★★★

Used Car Dealers
Address: 155 Maplewood St, Lumberton
Phone: (409) 246-8030

Auto blog

2015 Dodge Viper getting small increase in power

Tue, 29 Jul 2014

The Viper is used to being the most powerful car in the Dodge and SRT stables, but the arrival of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat means that's no longer the case. The serpentine supercar is, however, reportedly getting a small boost in output for 2015, amounting to all of five horsepower.
The increase was uncovered by Road & Track courtesy of the SAE J1349 certification process to which Detroit's Big Three automakers submit themselves and which reports the Viper's output at 645 hp instead of the 640 it was rated at until now. There are a hundred factors that could have contributed to the relatively mild boost in output (best guess? nothing at all changed...), but we doubt anyone's going to complain about some extra horses under the hood.
The five-horsepower boost brings the Viper that much closer to the 650-hp Chevy Corvette Z06, not to mention the 707-hp Hellcat, but the Viper's impressive power-to-weight ratio ought to mean it'll have little problem keeping up in a straight line - which is just one of the reasons why Chrysler won't shoe-horn the Hellcat into the Viper: as R&T points out, the supercharged engine is too heavy and the blower makes it too tall to fit in the Viper's engine bay.

Chrysler recalls 112k family-haulers over airbag controllers

Sun, Feb 7 2016

The Basics: Chrysler has issued a recall for an array of minivans and crossovers manufactured in 2007 and 2008. The models affected include the 2009 Dodge Journey, 2008-09 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2008-09 Chrysler Town and Country. The 2009 Volkswagen Routan, which was manufactured by Chrysler, is also being recalled by FCA. The automaker estimates that 112,001 units in the United States are affected, all told. The Problem: Corrosion in the air bag control unit could prevent the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash, or alternatively deploy prematurely. Chrysler points out that "none of the affected vehicles are equipped with ammonium-nitrate inflators" like those fitted by Takata. Injuries/Deaths: The manufacturer reports seven minor injuries (but no accidents) potentially related to this issue. The fix: Chrysler will replace the air bag control unit, though it has not yet outlined a timeframe for doing so. If you own one: Look for a recall notice in the mail and then schedule service with your local dealership. If you don't receive one, you can contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 and reference recall number S07. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Air Bag Control Unit Power Supply Corrosion Report Receipt Date: JAN 29, 2016 NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V047000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 112,001 Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008, 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured June 18, 2007, to August 31, 2008, and 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles manufactured August 11, 2008, to August 31, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail. CONSEQUENCE: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S07. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Official USPS Muscle Cars stamps coming to a mailbox near you

Thu, 21 Feb 2013

As much as our digital lives have cut down on our trips to the post office, there are still times that sending "snail mail" is necessary. With us car lovers in mind and philately in their hearts, the good folks at the United States Postal Service will introduce a new stamp design called "Muscle Cars" starting on February 22.
Designed by artist Tom Fritz, the new collection of stamps consist of five classic muscle cars: 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1966 Pontiac GTO and 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda. In addition to just the stamps, the USPS is also commemorating the new series with plenty of collectable memorabilia. Previous car-related stamps include 50s Sporty Cars from 2005 and 50s Fins and Chrome from 2008.