Getting back into a van after a while, need some help with info please.

[carcrafter22]

Hi guys, some of you may remember my grey ambulance build, I used a 96 E350 ambulance painted it grey and put a Ujoint off road 6" kit under it, I sold it while going through a divorce last year. After a lot of life changing things happening this year I'm finally getting back into a van. I still prefer the chevy vans over the fords simply for ride quality and I prefer the chevy engines personally. I've capped my budget for the vehicle purchase at $12,000 MAX, so I think I'm looking at 99-05 ford or chevy vans from what I'm finding.


I've found a super clean 2002 chevy with 55,000 miles charcoal grey paint, dark grey interior overall its in great shape. The only thing I would change about it is the 5.7L engine ( I prefer the newer LS type engines or the duramax of course), it seems a little gutless when trying to get on the highway but then again its moving a ton of weight.


I missed out on a super clean 98 E250 that looked nicer than some vehicles I've seen on the showroom floor (guy only wanted $4K for it and it was sharp as a pin).


Can you guys give me your real world feedback on mpg's out of these 2 vehicles? I've heard the 5.7 15 passenger chevy gets around 12-13 city 15 highway. The ford 4.6L is rumored around 15city 17highway.

I know I can always trust the people on this site to give actual info instead of BS stories.

Thanks
Randy

 

[Itsavanman]

a good place to start for fuel economy is fueleconomy.gov I have found that they are actually a bit low by as much as 1-2 mpg due to the fact the figures they find are on brand new vehicles with very tight clearances in the engine and wheel bearings etc.. but from my real world tests, compared to the EPA ratings are pretty close...

 

[r_w]

No first hand experience, but lots of second hand numbers. Your numbers are about right IF you are empty (maybe a couple kids, but no more than 1000 lbs over factory curb weight) and not pushing it (65 TOPS and no headwind).

Add camping gear, haul a full load of teenagers, or push it 75 and they all drop to 10-12. You may get 14 if you get the right one, but you can't plan on it.

I ended up with a 5.8 ford because everything thing else was so clean and cheap that I can deal with the gas mileage and sluggishness.

 

[elliottblackwood]

How hard is it to find a diesel in these vans? A Ford 7.3L is bullet proof.

 

[rockbender]

Are you sure that the 2002 Chevy had a 5.7L in it? I was thinking that from 2000 or 2001-on that the engine options changed to the 5.3L and 6.0L. I've heard of people getting 16-18 mpg out of the 1/2 ton AWD Express vans with the 5.3L. The 6.0 doesn't get as good of mileage.

 

[r_w]

The 5.3 came to the Silverado in 99, the Sub and Tahoe in 01, and the van was after that.

ETA: And the early 5.3 did not get great mileage -- I have one

 

[carcrafter22]

Well sorta fell into a 2005 express 2500 model with the 4.8L engine. Power seems fine, price was great and miles are low. Guess I'll report my mpg findings soon.

 

[reddd]

.I had a 69 Ford van with a 302 3 speed auto never had any trouble pulling a 15 ft tt

 

[hobietony]

You are going to end up building two vans before I finish one.

 

[carcrafter22]

This one will be a simple setup. For now its going to stay 2wd (4wd later though) it has the 4.8L engine and 4l80e transmission. I am going to throw some efilive tuning on it and already have the interior setup with new radio, speakers, sub, turned a couple iPads into TV's for the kids, dark window tint (passenger van model) and am currently making a fold away bed for it. Makes me miss the ambulance for sure but this is a fun daily driver since I sold my diesel truck. I plan on taking it out this weekend and seeing how it does.