2005 Chevrolet Express 3500 Extended 15-Passenger Van 2-SoCal Owners Low Miles

Nothing tops the flexibility and functionality of a Chevy Sports Van when it comes to hauling people.  Its 6.0L V-8 engine (300hp/360tq) effortlessly tows 10,000 pounds while accommodating 15 people.

This 3500 Express van was built in August of 2004 and sold new on September 24^th, 2004 by Mark Christopher Chevrolet in Ontario, California.  It was equipped with the following from the factory:

• Power Steering
• Power ABS Brakes
• Stabilitrak Traction Control
• Air Conditioning
• Rear Air Conditioning Vents/Control
• Power Locks
• Cruise Control
• AM/FM Stereo with CD player
• Dual Airbags with Safety Override
• Side Body Swing Out Windows
• Full Floor Covering
• Transmission Cooler
• 145 Amp Alternator
• 3:73 Differential
• 4L80E Heavy Duty Transmission Upgrade

A tow hitch with a Prodigy trailer brake controller was added shortly afterwards as well as a Bluetooth stereo/CD player.

The first owner of this van was a finance company located next door to our shop.  They used this van to shuttle their employees from nearby parking lots to their offices.  In their 2½ years of ownership, they added 29k miles.  During their ownership, they either serviced it at the local Chevrolet dealership or a nearby independent repair shop with which they had a service arrangement.  Every 3k miles, this van went in for routine oil services and any other needs.  At the beginning of 2007, this company was going out of business and we purchased this van (along with 2 others) from them on March 8^th, 2007 with 29,061 miles.

At the time, we didn’t need a van, let alone 3 of them.  However, I was active in BMW club racing and thought this would be a good tow vehicle instead of driving to the track.  We quickly sold two of the vehicles and kept this one for ourselves.  The first thing we did was take it to our local tow hitch specialist (Hitch Crafters) and had them install a proper tow hitch with an electric brake controller.  This van had already been equipped from the factory with the upgraded transmission and cooler for proper towing.

For the past 18 years, we’ve added another 30k miles.  It was used to tow a 2,700lb BMW race car to the track occasionally for the first 9 years we owned it.  In 2008, I used it as my daily driver for about a year.  After that, it was used lightly for carrying people to dinner or hauling tires for mounting.  In fact, in 2013 I used the van to haul my daughter’s entire Girl Scout troop to a local mountain retreat.

Regardless of the few miles added, it always went in each year for service at a local AAA-authorized independent mechanic.  Here’s an outline of all the services performed during our care:

• Installed tow hitch at Hitch Crafters (4/10/07 @ 29,164 miles)
  • 7k trailer weight hitch w/ 700lb tongue weight
  • Prodigy Brake Controller
  • 7 Prong Plug w/Bracket
  • 2” x 1.25” Ball
  • Hitch lock
  • $745
• New keys cut at Chevy dealer (6/19/07 @ 30,110 miles)
• Routine service @ AIC (6/27/07 @ 30,128 miles)
  • Oil service
  • Transmission & Diff service
  • Air filter
  • Transmission filter
  • $188
• New tires – $550 (3/12/13 @ 49,708 miles)
• Kenwood Bluetooth stereo (7/15/13)
• Oil service/wiper blades @ Rudy’s (9/23/14 @ 52,107 miles)
• A/C service & replace low pressure recycle switch (9/23/14 @ 52,219 miles)
• New ignition switch assembly @ Rudy’s (9/3/15 @ 54,005 miles)
• New starter / service A/C @ AIC (2/18/16 @ 54,723 miles)
• Oil service @ Rudy’s (9/16/16 @ 55,924 miles)
• Oil service & inspection @ Rudy’s (09/11/17 @ 56,637 miles)
• Oil service & front sway bar frame bushings @ Rudy’s (09/16/18 @ 57,184 miles)
• Oil service & Power steering fluid flush @ Rudy’s (09/10/19 @ 57,539 miles)
• Oil service & new battery @ Rudy’s (10/8/20 @ 57,993 miles)
• A/C service at B&F (9/23/21 @ 58,080 miles)
• Oil service at Rudy’s (10/06/21 @ 58,104 miles)
  • Oil service 5W-30
  • Coolant top off
  • Washer fluid top off
  • Replace right front turn bulb
  • Replace wiper blades
  • Flush brakes with Dot 3
  • $276
• Ordered new tires for Van from TireRack (7/25/23 @ 58,744 miles)
  • LT245/75R-16 Laufenn X FIT HT E
  • Mounted by GoMobile
  • $763 tires and mount/balance
• Oil service at Rudy’s on 10/23/23 @ 58,744 miles
  • Oil service (5w-30 conventional oil) – 6 qts
  • Washer fluid top off
  • $166
• New battery at Rudy’s (8/27/24 @ 58,894 miles)
  • FVP Platinum 30 month warranty
  • $277
• Services/prepare for sale at Rudy’s (1/7/25 @ 58,898 miles)
  • Diagnose electrical drain
  • Remove keyless entry aftermarket module
  • Vehicle inspection
  • $263
• New Windshield by Henry – $320 (1/15/25 @ 58,906 miles)
• Cosmetic clean-up by Ed Shine (1/30/25 @ 58,916 miles)
  • Strip roof paint, sand, primer
  • Repair dents on sides
  • Repair side barn doors to open smoothly
  • Refinish van in Line-X bed liner material
  • Full detail including engine
  • $4,500

Per Rudy’s inspection, they recommend replacing the idler and pitman arms, as they are starting to have excessive play. He also suggested replacing the drive belt, which is a bit noisy when cold. Furthermore, the A/C doesn’t blow as cold as it used to. Our A/C specialists said there might be a leak in the system.

Selling our van has been a tough decision over the past several years.  It’s been incredibly reliable and useful.  However, as you can see from above, we’ve only driven it less than 200 miles over the past 2+ years.

The exterior of the van looks great, especially since we just refinished the exterior.  We had all the dents removed from years of piloting/parking a 20+ foot vehicle.  It was all superficial and the van has never been in an accident.  Also, this era van was notorious for the GM paint peeling due to an error by the manufacturer.  The roof paint was bad and had some surface corrosion.  We had the roof completely sanded/stripped and protected with an epoxy layer before painting.  The rest of the van was sanded down and entirely painted with an epoxy-textured truck bed liner by Line-X for future durability.  There are a few spots of Line-X overspray near the seals.  Also, there are some scratches on the bumpers. All the glass is original except the windshield, which is new.  The factory steel wheels are in decent shape with some typical scratches as well as cracks in the plastic hub covers.  The tires are nearly new with only 200 miles on them and full tread.

The interior is in excellent condition considering its age.  The front bucket seats are showing some slight wear on the fabric closest to the door.  The driver vinyl armrest has some cracking on it.  The headliner is in great shape with no sagging.  It started to separate by the windshield so we had it reglued.  The rest of the seats show minimal wear and no major stains.  All the seatbelts work.  The interior lights work.  The rubber floor covering has no cracks or signs of wear.  The door panels are also in good shape.  All the pop-out windows work.  The dash has no cracks or discoloration.  All the gauges work properly.  The power locks work and the wind-up windows operate smoothly.  The A/C system still blows air but isn’t that cold due to lack of recent use.  Our A/C specialist said there might be a leak in the system.  The heater controls work great.  The upgraded Bluetooth stereo sounds good and is easy to use.

This van starts easily on the first try and holds an even idle.  The power is surprisingly good for a big vehicle thanks to the large V8.  The engine pulls hard through the rev range without any issues.  It cruises easily on the freeway, even when towing my race car.  The handling is decent and the van tracks straight and stays in lane even at higher speeds.  The brakes have good bite with no fading and work well for the size of the van, even while towing.  This van has been very reliable and has never stranded us.

California registration is paid through September of 2025 and it passes CA’s strict smog/emissions test.

This van comes with 3 main keys, 2 fuel cap keys, 2 hitch lock keys with hitch lock, two hitches with balls, electrical for trailer lights/brakes, Bluetooth stereo remote control, 7-way to 4-way trailer power adapter, owner’s manuals with cloth case, most service receipts from new, custom windshield sunshade, factory tool kit for tire removal, factory jack, and original spare wheel with tire.

**Note: VIN and other numbers withheld to protect against fraud.  All numbers including VIN, Engine, and color will be provided to serious buyers.