Opinions on Vans please.....+

[Larry Edgerton]

In this economy I am looking for ways to cut costs. I currently have a 24' job trailor and a truck to pull it but as I am working away from home I am finding it impractical. I am considering a van, selling my truck and trailor, to condense costs and provide a more easily mobile tool storage. I am tired of piling everything in my box in the cab every time I have to go inside a store.

I am not looking at new but used as I can sell my truck and use the equity to pay for a van, so tell me what your experiances are. Here is what I am after......

Year/motor/normal load/mileage, and what you have experianced for repairs, in other words dependabliity.

Thank you
Larry Edgerton

[Dave Verstraete]

Larry
I don't have all of the figures that you are looking for...but my brother has a Dodge Sprinter van that I used to move my future DIL. It handled well, had great gas (diesel) mileage (in the twenties) and boy did that van fit a lot of stuff. It's a lot taller than most/ I'm 6 ft. and did not have to bend over.

[Lee Schierer]

If you can pile all your tools in the cab when you go in a store, why not invest in either a lockable tool box in the bed or a locking cover/cap for the bed. That way you can keep the truck and trailer. Either option has to be more economic than purchasing a different vehicle.

[Joe Pelonio]

I too have driven Sprinters, though only in the process of lettering them for various companies that use them for deliveries and work vehicles. All of them have been very happy with them. For better economy, you should look at the Ford Transit Connect, they have been in Europe a long time, here just a year or two. Looks like a miniature Sprinter, gets 22/25 mpg.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Larry,
I had to get something last Winter to haul 4x8 sheets around.

I'd previously had a Honda Odyssey - 2004 to 2008. Prety well decked out with leather interior and a lot of goodies. Not the top of the line touring model, but, a very nice machine.

While I loved the Honda, it had numerous problems. The electric side door motors went out twice, it went trough 3 batteries, the key locks on the doors froze up and needed replaced.
All told, the repairs were about $2,000.00.
Since I drive a lot, I was out of warranty because of the mileage.

I was extremely disappointed the dealership didn't intervene and at least try to help me get some assistance from Honda.
This was the 7th Honda I'd bought from them and I'd had all the service of all the vehicles done there.

I ended up trading the Honda in August of 2008 on a 2007 Honda Accord.
Due to the mileage (98k miles), I took a real pounding on the trade.
I'd paid nearly $30k for it and had to fight extremely hard to get $12.5k on a trade.

This time around, I decided to go with a Toyota Sienna, so I traded the Accord in on the Sienna last December.

So far, I've managed to average a solid 24MPG in all type of driving.
Mostly, it just hauls my fat rump and a laptop around, but, I have loased it up with about 1200# of assorted tools and supplies and passengers.

Full or empty, it seems to get about the same 24MPG.

So far, I'm very pleased with it. It "works hard" for hauling stuff, but "dresses up" real well as a passenger vehicle.

Personally, I like the outside styling of the 2010 Sienna over the 2011.
Inside the 2011 is simply to die for! What a knock out interior.

Anyhow thought I'd give a plug for the Toyota van.
BTW - so far, the Sienna has escaped all the problems Toyota has had recently.

[Bryan Morgan]

We use huge Ford vans at work as part of our fleet and the drivers beat the crap out of them. They just keep going and going...

[Jim O'Dell]

Another Ford van driver here. I have a 2002 Ford E250 extended cargo van. 5.4 engine. Normal load is a platform with 5 dog crates mounted on it, and a woofer box for 2 15" subs. All of that probably weighs about 450 lbs. Just over 59k. Mileage stinks. If I do straight hwy as in a trip, I get about 18 mpg, loaded or not (five 70 lb dogs, 10 crates, 2 adults with normal luggage for 5 days) at 62 mph. Drive at 65 or 70 and mileage drops to about 14. But the thing has been bullet proof. Only thing I have done is regular maintenance at 5k intervals, using Motor Craft oil and filters. Fuel filter and Trans service at 30k, due again in about 800 miles. Air filters twice. Needs tires. But no service problems at all. I'm even still on the original battery! I bet I just jinxed that! ;) (And I run 3 amps for the audio system) I will have had it for 8 years the first of July. Original owner. Hope this helps. Jim.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Larry,

Our company in special areas of the country allows us to get Ford Cargo vans for company vehicles.

Be aware, the ones we get have no insulation and in the extemely cold winters of Montana and Alaska, the guys literally wear snowmobile suits to keep warm. The heater won't do it.

Maybe you can get them with insulation but the ones we get are not insulated.

[Jim O'Dell]

Ken you are correct. I ordered mine with rear air and dark tinted glass all around, but it had no interior behind the front seats except for the carpet. I purchased the interior panels and headliner. I installed jute felt on every surface and cavity, and glued regular felt to all contact points where the plastic panels attach to knock down noise and help with insulating it, and it does pretty well. But I never could find the solid covers for where the seat belts go through the side panels to close them off. Jim.

[Bob Lloyd]

I have a Ford E 250, heavy suspension, V8 engine. Never had any great problems. Starts, runs,stops. Not good on mileage but carries most of my job site tools. I find that the heater works well enough for me in New England. Not great in the snow. Overall has done everything I have asked of it.

[Larry Edgerton]

If you can pile all your tools in the cab when you go in a store, why not invest in either a lockable tool box in the bed or a locking cover/cap for the bed. That way you can keep the truck and trailer. Either option has to be more economic than purchasing a different vehicle.

I already have a locking tool box, and it is always full. Trucks with cappers are too hard to get stuff in and out with my old bones, having to be on my knees and all. I bought the trailor when I was driving diesels, my Chevy 1/2 ton doesn't like it. It can be a white knuckle drive.

I found a nice E350 with a 5.4 triton but was wondering about the mileage. You guys answered that question, guess I'll pass on that. I would like to keep it over the 15 MPG average. I have heard that the E150's get better mileage, and get around better in the winter due to the softer suspension.

I like the Sprinters but the cost is more than I can do right now, and after my last diesel needed repairs [ouch!] I am not such a big diesel fan.

I need a full size, not so much for weight but volume. I need to be able to slide in full sheets and carry a lot of tools with room to organize them so they are redily available without digging. A half ton would be fine.

Good point about the cold Ken. I have been looking for a window van, for the light and as you have said the insulation. Gets cold here too. I want to use it for kayak trips with my family as well so the seats would be handy when I need them. I used to drive vans and they are handy. Throw in an air mattress and presto, you have a rolling tent.:)

Thanks for the replys so far.........

[Harlan Theaker]

I have a Safari AWD van for a work vehicle. Being AWD is great in the winter, lots of storage room for what I needed, decent fuel mileage and I bought it dirt cheap.

[Scott T Smith]

I too have driven Sprinters, though only in the process of lettering them for various companies that use them for deliveries and work vehicles. All of them have been very happy with them. For better economy, you should look at the Ford Transit Connect, they have been in Europe a long time, here just a year or two. Looks like a miniature Sprinter, gets 22/25 mpg.


+ 1 on the diesel Sprinter and the Transit.

The only drawbackto the ford is that for the best mileage you will want a diesel. By 2005 the 6.0's had most of the bugs worked out of them.

The Sprinter is a tough van though.