i’ve been driving dodge for about 15 years so i know all about them.they have been great vans for me even though i have never owned one that the transmission was right on. haven’t had to overhaul one yet ,just learn there habits and deal with it.
problem with dodge they quit making them in 03,so all the used ones are as used as mine [99 1ton short wheelbase 130k].mine still has a couple years,but i’ve got the bug now…..
so tell me about ford and chevy.
there are some killer deals out there right now on 08 fords used with 15k. some kind of ford lease returns,run about 12,500 but i would hate to walk in with 10k and not want one because they might just take your money.
been noticing around here most work vans are gm.
YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE – WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN’T
MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN’T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE
DUCT TAPE.
Replies
Sprinter
i have some problems with the sprinter,first one being money,next is the cost of fuel.plus from what i understand no way am i going to hook my trailer with bobcat to it and tow.
even though they make better mileage i question over the term of ownership if you would ever break even,with high purchase price,high fuel cost and if you ever have to work on it i would guess it would be high dollar.YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'TMOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THEDUCT TAPE.
You are right that the Sprinter is not a good tow vehicle.
However, being able to work out of a van and not bonk your head all the time (I am a slow learner) is worth something to me over the life of the vehicle.
Any new vehicle is expensive to pay someone to work on, and I can't justify the diagnostic scanner (DRB III) at over $4k. Oh well- I hope it lasts a while :)
I have an 2005 long wheel base Chevy Express 3500 and I really like it. 55,000 miles to date.
6.0 v8 auto gets 12.5 mpg round town which is the same as my 4.6 f150. 16+ on a long constant run.
Auto works well, ABS all round,
Only thing I would like is more heat on my feet in the winter! Being picky, the seats could be moved in away from the doors by an inch for better comfort. I wonder why a bench seat in never in a van? They do in Europe so you can carry three guys legal!
I did look at the Sprinter and could not justify the cost to run. After a test drive i did not care for it. Seemed to be very "cost cut" almost cheap in build feel. To be worth it you would need to be doing the "Fedex thing" driving all the time.
Edited 1/26/2009 8:21 pm ET by USAnigel
We use the 3500 chevy passenger van for our cabinet shop..hauls the trailer,family and keeps all tools safe and dry.Excellent power v8 295 hp gas mileage averages 14mpg. Interior exterior real cheap. Very reliable. Huge interior. Dont drive it like a sportscar and it will last. stinky
Mine is also ex-passenger. I wanted the glass so I can see, traction assist, abs, tells you when to change the oil, does well.
I dumped all the seats (worthless on ebay) pulled the seat rails and install a flat floor then lined with the foam floor mats. still got some "fitting" to do but much better to work from than the pickup with a cap.
USAnigel, It really is a kept secret....the versatility is amazing. One week we are hauling sheetgoods the next taking the in-laws to Florida(praying we did not lose jobs while away).stinky
01 Chevy one ton extended. 160,000 miles.
Love: hauls crazy amounts of whatever you want, Very reliable (even the factory battery lasted 7 years)
Hate: Really cheesy interior panels (most are loose), side door hinges freeze up the moment you drive it off the lot making it pretty impossible to use those doors. Rear windows on the doors, the bracket comes off the door, the door metal gives before the plastic lever! Drinks gas, and handles like a greased pig in the snow.
I'd still buy another one though.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
How much are these 1-ton vans rated to tow?
Chevy 3500 extended works great for me.
knock knock....you're being paged
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
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Seems like the Chevy/GMC van is popular.
I've got one, too. Mine's a '98 Savana, with almost 150,000 miles on it. Its also a passenger van, like some others have.
Visibility is great, gas mileage OK, for that size vehicle.
I bought the passenger because, at the time, I was going from a work vehicle and passenger car to just one all-purpose vehicle. It worked well for that. I could carry 8 golfers and their clubs with no problem.
Now I've got a second car again, so its just a work vehicle. I gotta do something to get it better organized.
Shep:
Don't you feel more vulnerable to tool thieves with all that glass in a passenger van?
No, not really. The glass where the seats would be is tinted from the factory pretty dark.
Plus when someone looks at my van, the see a passenger van, not a work van. I don't have any signs on it, and its registered as a passenger vehicle, not commercial.
i prefer the window vans.like said before ,with the dark tint on the windows nobody can see in.
but as the thief drives down the street he doesn't even think about it being anything but a family van. i usally don't even lock mine.knock on woodYOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'TMOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THEDUCT TAPE.
My 15 pass church bus, 2000 Dodge has the factory deep tint. When I did the shelves for the back I used some dumpster diving shade cloth from your town. Used to live next to owner of a tent factory (Wichita Ponca Canvas)in ICT. Got a lot of goodies from their rejects. It does double duty to keep things from falling down behind and shield prying eyes to some extent.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
I've got a 2000 Ford E150 and have been really pleased with it. Replaced the starter and power steering pump, other than that, just normal maintenence.
I don't know if the newer models are much different.
I wish I'd gone 3/4 ton and had electric door locks.
Tried a new Ford van 3 yrs ago. It drove worse than a moving van.
GMC 2500 (3/4 ton), power everything & AC. The BEST thing about this is the side panels pop up so you can access almost every shelf from outside the vehicle. Gets decent mileage (17ish? in my usual around town mode). I put in rubber shelf liners so there isn't the usual clanging of metal-on-metal with tools sliding around etc. I run it with studded snows in the winter, never had a problem on my Vermont barely-plowed back roads.
Cons: As someone else mentioned, the side door hinges are a royal PITA. No grease fittings - a plumber I know had a trailer place install zerks; problem solved. But I haven't done it yet. Rearview visibility is challenging. Better heat controls would be nice. Front end suspension and steering is about as tight as an 80 yr old hooker (or so I'm told). It ate the water pump last month: $800 to replace.
It's an '05, I bought it in '07 with 34k miles on it and paid $15.5k - about half of the new list price. I'd buy another but not if it were close to MSRP.
-Norm
Traded My 97 E-250 for a 04 Astro @ yr ago. Needed a van but gas was killing me. Boy do I miss the big van now. This new one is called the "Trick Truck". It has a new trick that costs alot every month. The Ford had very few problems over 11 yrs.
i had a astro for a family van. it ran a 100k almost perfect. from there to a 110k i spent about 3500. keeping it running.i gave up on it.
worst thing about that van if it even saw water on the road it was hydroplaning,it would make you suck down tight on the seat.YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'TMOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THEDUCT TAPE.
I bought a 99 Ford e250 V6 with 48K miles in 2004 for $9,000. 90K miles now and only repairs have been a fuel pump (they can fail from overheating if you drive much with less than 1/4 tank) and brakes. Not much power but better gas mileage than V8; I get about 12. The heater and A/C work well and, if you have a bulkhead behind the seats, it doesn't take long to get comfortable.
Friend at a Ford dealer told me that engines are easily good for 200K miles and automatic trannies for 160K. Repairs are relatively cheap; any mechanic can get parts and they're easy to work on.
Whatever you do, get a window in the side door so you can see to back out safely from a parking space. If you find a bargain on one without side window, find a window-door at a junkyard.
3/4 ton (E250) has bigger wheels and brakes than E150 and a tougher suspension; E350 is even more robust, but heavier and eats more fuel.
Be patient and wait for the right one with low mileage.
Good luck.
BruceT
Edited 1/28/2009 10:08 pm by brucet9
Mine is a '98 E250. I bought it with almost 200K so it only cost $4,000. I've had to put some money into it: brakes, alternator and a few other "maintenance" items, but it has been very reliable and treated me well.
In general, I wouldn't recommend buying such a a high-mileage vehicle, but mine had been a fleet vehicle (Miele appliance service) and had been well cared for. Apparently, even the driver(s) didn't abuse it.
I agree with your comment about the side cargo door glass. There are times when it's really necessary. I happen to have the sliding door which I find a little more convenient than the dual-hinged door.
The engine in mine is the 5.4 V8. I get about 12 mpg in the summer, but lately I think it's been closer to 10. I don't put on too many miles so it's no too bad and I really appreciate the extra oomph, especially when merging onto a highway or up hills. It's a smooth, powerful, reliable engine.
I'll echo Don - I bought a F-350 extended w/5.4 V-8 four and a half years ago - 240K, but decent looking and ran smooth - $2400, I rebuilt the front end w/ new brakes immediately - ($600) which has been the only major repair expense in 30K miles - son of a gun starts great, runs smooth, gets 13mpg on a good day - put new tires on it a couple of months ago and the tire dealer remarked on how tight and smooth it was - lucky, I know - I can't believe that's the original engine, even tho I can't find much evidence of it ever being changed out - came with the cargo cage, which I find reassuring - I'm real happy with it - I can't believe I typed this - if this isn't a jinx, I don't know what is....oh, ya - sliding side door w/ glass - you want that side door glass - "there's enough for everyone"