big van advice

[kmf]

I purchased a Ford Transit, short wheel base, low roof, Eco-boost, passenger van this spring to sail out of and to tow my camper with when travelling. I love this van. Drives wonderful, sits great, 10 feet of room behind the driver seat and 60 inches wide. Mine seats eight full size people with all their luggage without breaking a sweat. I didn't need the extra height of the taller roofs as I have a travel trailer to camp in and it is nice to have a vehicle fit in the garage with a seven foot garage door.
I purchased the Ford to replace a 1998 Chevy Astro van which was down on power for towing and too short for most sailboards to fit in comfortably. The Ford makes the Chevy look like a covered wagon as to power, drivability and comfort.
If not pulling a trailer, the Eco-Boost will be overkill for power...so the 3.7 gas engine may be a better choice. But the power with the Eco-Boost is addictive and with a full size van it is a good choice for towing and carrying heavy loads. My milage is about the same as the Astro...17 putting around empty, 19-20 highway. If you are worried about mileage, get a Mini-van, full size vans are work horses, not economy rigs.

KMF

[jingebritsen]

eco-boost transits are rocket ships, for sure. i have evaluated all these vans for max cubic cargo being my primary concern. PM wins for me, right now.

if i was just retired, and a windsurfer, more than likely i would have a ford transit diesel. i like the low end torque, fuel mileage, and fuel availability during tropical seasons. agreed, creature comforts are a bit better from either ford or mercedes. costs are bit higher too.

BTW, i bought the factory option better seat for driver side in my PM.

[Goodwind]

Of big windsurfing vans, Ford Transit appears to be the most popular in my windsurfing neighborhood. Counted 5 late model vans recently; two of them are Ford Transit mid-roof cargo, one Ford Transit low-roof cargo, one Ford Transit mid-roof passenger and one Sprinter. All the Fords are model 150, short wheelbase with gas engine. The Sprinter is diesel as always.

The Transit passenger van is mine for eight months. It sits three people, holds nine boards, including two WindSUPs, twelve sails, 9 masts, three booms and plenty of room for other stuffs. Bonus, I can change inside while standing up. My millage is only 15.5 mpg, city-highway combined while fully loaded. I am happy with it thus far.

[jingebritsen]

longest ford would be a beeotch to parallel park in hilly places with high road crowns and tall curbs. the least desirable to back and tow????? way too much rear over hang.

i had a full length PM gas, got avg 19.3 mpg. i drive fast as laws will let me....

[kmf]

Ya, but I wouldn't own another Fiat for love or money.

KMF

[jingebritsen]

128,000 miles since november 2016.

a competitor of mine had the original dualie mercedes sprinter LWB. drove it for 965,000 miles, sold it for $4000 to a parts specialist. he paid $40k for the original. he just got a new one last year. ever look up what they cost now?

diesels are quite different than gas. i had similar frustrations with the PM tranny until i figured it out and adapted. my needs for hauling lots of beach items, day in and day out lead me to decide on the PM. is it perfect? no. is it less expensive to own and operate? for me it is. slow off the line, sure, but fast as anything once lit up.

again, the choice is obvious for those that don't drive zillions of miles: medium roof, LWB transit eco-boost. skip the ube long WB. sucky mileage offset by better in lots of other things you guys have stated above.

[rtz]

I was in the market for a new van a while back.

If $30k is the budget; Chevy, ProMaster, Transit, or even the new work version of the Sprinter.

I wanted something closer to $20k. Full-size Nissan van at $24k out the door. Based on the Titan truck frame, hence the truck like hood/front end.

5 year/ 100k warranty.

Had mine over a year and now at 28k miles. Flawless. The V6 has plenty of scoot. I like the roomy engine compartment and it’s on a full frame.

Sprinter- parts costs and dealing/finding a dealer for warranty work if needed. Is it a vehicle known to have 100k trouble free miles?

Transit - unibody. Is rear wheel though. Have had plenty of Fords and not going back till they change their design practices. That air filter boondoggle was unacceptable.

Promaster - frontwheel drive.

Chevy - I would have absolutely purchased one of these had it been cheaper then the Nissan. Same basic van they have been building since the 1970’s and it’s not at all priced cheap.

I plan on getting another Nissan in the future. Maybe even the high roof and the V8.


https://postimg.org/image/6qt0g3dc1/

[jingebritsen]

for my business nissan not even close to consider: too small, yet sucks up gas. friend of mine has one. he is happy if he gets 15mpg. i average 22.8, drive fast and haul 2x or more cubic area.

best mileage? PM, then mercedes, ford, then tiny nissan?????

all a matter of priorities.

[swchandler]

The current Chevy/GMC van design is getting a bit long in the tooth, but it's a pretty stout product. I bought mine in 1997, and built my own interior specifically for my windsurfing needs. In the photos below, you can see that I've incorporated a lot of stuff, but still have a viable interior where I can sleep, camp, and relax a bit. In the photos, I have six boards visible, but a seventh board that I usually have in it is missing in the photo. I have to admit that I have to remove the seventh board and stuff it under that van to sleep at night.

[isobars]

The power vs fuel mileage tradeoff is a personal decision for each individual. In everything from my Winnebago to my musclecars and SUVs, I've never regretted buying the bigger engine. Even if it doesn't boost mpg (it can in some instances), it makes driving more fun and can save time in some scenarios. Like everything else, personal preferences are a huge factor. (If our carbon footprint in an overriding factor, we should find a greener sport.)