I need a work van and I'm on a budget.
Just a general inquiry here, Scotty's videos actually turned me off of GM products-- I was aiming to get a Chevy truck/van until his stories of GM cost cutting. Now I'm leaning Ford.
Price range is ~$10k. Looking for a good, reliable work van. I'm assuming you can't go wrong with Ford E-Series but I am very curious as to what you all have seen/heard.
Thanks much,
Jasper
I would go with the GM product, but only if they are 3/4 ton version. Ford seems to rush technology into production before being proven. The less electronic crap on the vehicle, the better.
The Ford E-Series/Econoline are by far the best cargo vans ever. The Ford Transit, Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana are all about the same level. They aren't as good as the E-Series/Econoline but they are all pretty good too.
@billybob that's great to hear-- what about them makes you like the E-Series so much more than the rest, including more than the Transit? Thanks for responding.
From what I can tell in my personal observation, to me it seems like the E-Series/Econoline had better build quality. Again, not that the Transit, Express, and Savana were bad, because they are all pretty good too but to me it seemed like the ESeries/Econoline had the best build quality. I think that Scotty also liked the E-Series/Econoline the best too.
The Eco vans are actually pretty great from my experience with them and talking to guys who purchase fleet vehicles for businesses and what not. A individual I know he has 5 of them and he says all 5 have topped 100k with regular maintenance. He says because they are used for a lot of stop/go traffic he changes transmission fluid more frequently but other than that they run really well.
Thanks so much for the info.
GM vans are fine. They don't have all the electronic nonsense that their cars+trucks have. No AFM. No fancy transmissions. Just low-tech. With work vehicles, you don't care as much about nitpicking the problems with trim and finish GM has. However, I would avoid WHITE vans between 2004-2010. A lot of them get peeling paint.
Ford is good too. Tough, but rougher ride and handling.
Thank you I'm glad I asked- adding GM back into the mix really opens up my options.
Don't make the mistake of thinking Ford doesn't also cut every corner they can too.
I would look at the Chevy vans, but just avoid the white vans in the years mentioned above.
Thank you, that's very true.
Something like a Chevy Express would be decent enough
Have you ever driven a full-size van, or needed to haul a lot of tools and materials to work?
@mountainmanjoe
I assume you have, and since you had one I recommended it trusting you and that is a decently reliable van GM made that comes to mind
In other words, the only honest opinion you could have on the matter, is that you know somebody on the internet that drives one.
@mountainmanjoe
He wants a reliable van and is considering a GM product
Scotty said the Chevy Express vans were decently reliable, and that is what I said, that they are decent.
I trust Scotty, and you also own one and said it was good.
That's better. 🙂 The best would be including the video where Scotty says it.
The GM van would be ok. Econolines are also good too.
@TheFloridian If you had to pick one, what would you choose? Thanks for responding.
I would do the Chevy Express.
the Ford transit and the Chevrolet Express are the same quality. It’s just that the newer Chevrolet express-es haven’t changed one and the new ones feel old, while the new Transits are actually becoming nice.
I suggest a Chevrolet Express Van 2500 to 3500 not a 1500. Get the 5.3L or the 4.8 V8 even the 4.6L V6 are great engines. Plus the best part especially for small businesses is the low gas maintenance and better fuel economy than the Ford. I use to run to China Lake everyday in a 2500 Express and a E250 loaded. Depending what they had at the yard is what I drove I drove. With the Ford I go thru a whole tank and 1/4 to make the round trip. With the Express it went thru 1/2 to 3/4 tank depending on Wind. Plus the front axel on the Ford tend to start bending and you'll have alignment problems down the road.
P.S. The ride of the Express is much better and better behaved with a load wind or no wind than the Ford.
E vans are RWD only. They don't have front axles. Perhaps you mean spindles?
Yeah my bad that
@Bmartinez2086 great tips thank you -- I'm closing in on just that: found an '09 2500 with 145k that I'm going to try and get for $6k.