Have I lost my mind? Thinking of trading Dodge 2500 for Eurovan!

[Cole]

Let me just state the basic facts first. I want to make sure I don't miss anything in this decision.


I have a loaded SLT 1998 Dodge 2500 V10 QCSB 4x4 LSD Dana 80/NV4500/D60. Propane conversion, etc. 224k miles and everything works like it was new despite some cosmetic wear.

Love the truck but I have 3 basic issues with it.

-10mpg no matter what you do, even worse on propane. So I tend to not go too far from home with it. Local type camping only. Most use it for hauling wet dogs to the dog park!

-It's a short bed with a cab high topper. I live in a covenent controlled neighborhood and can't park a "camper" of any style outside on the street. Don't want to have to store and load a slide in everytime I want to do something like head to the dog park.

-I have to use a trailer to pull my motorcycle if I want and it looks a bit silly on the car hauler I barrow from tie to time. Would be kinda nice to be able to put a motorcycle INSIDE a van for transport.

My wife love "Euro" things so is pretty impartial to my old Dodge truck.

I've always loved the old VW vans and think traveling in one could be fun with the new (wife pregnant) family. The big problem with the old vans is the location of the motor for loading things like a motorcycle in the back.

I'm aware of the transmission issues of the Eurovan and that its only fwd. I've read rumors about being able to convert them with euro parts to AWD and possible a stick. I think the convenience of being able to hang out in it at the park or on trips would be cool.

BTW, this would be a 5th car between the two of us. So not a daily driver but one to play with when we want.


Okay.......thoughts. (My "basic" facts got a bit long, sorry. I also have more information)

 

[jeep-N-montero]

My thought has always been that unless you are actually using a truck for things another vehicle absolutely cannot do then you shouldn't own a truck, they are obnoxious and guzzle gas. I can say this because I grew up around trucks, but my dad used them for his business and they served their purpose, their regular driver was a Corolla or Escort most of the time. We own 2 Jeeps and 2 other cars, all serve their purpose but I am looking at replacing one of the Jeeps with an Isuzu Trooper because it will be a better fit.

 

[Christian P.]

2 words: transmission issues.

http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=306

 

[Cole]

I still need to do truck like things so that isn't real helpful. I figure I can still haul engine blocks, axles, motorcycles, tires, etc in a Eurovan.

The truck is a wheelbarrow for me anyway, not a daily driver. So it's not like I out burning up fuel "just to have a truck". I have a daily driver for those things.

 

[Cole]

2 words: transmission issues.

http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=306

I've read all about them. Everyone complains about the auto trans, yet there are lots of 250-300k mile Eurovans out there so they must last at least a little while. There is also the 5 speed early version, or 5 speed swap a later version.



So here is the question. Want would you do that is "like" a Eurovan? The big 4x4 vans and Sprinters are all out of my price range. (Basically looking to do a direct swap monetarily)

astro/Safari van? (Wife hates them so not sure that will fly)

Ideas?

 

[ihatemybike]

So much easier and cheaper to build an Astro. Tougher, bigger and more powerful than the Eurovan, with roughly the same gas mileage.

 

[Saiyan66]

Yes you have lost your mind. The truck might not be ideal for you, but the Eurovan doesn't sound like a solution.

 

[Deleted member 13060]

As a European Car Tech with 20+ years of experience..... You couldn't give me a Eurovan. Or a Vanagone for that matter.
The transmission problems are real. All of my customer with these turds have over 100K on the odo and ALL of them have been through at least one trans and 2 of them a motor as well. 5K oil changes (with synthetic) won't save a bad cam chain design from it's self. 30K services on a trans that's supposed to be sealed for life won't help it either.
Floppy suspension, rattles, electrical problems, over weight, under powered........ the list goes on and on.

Get a sprinter with the Mercedes diesel. Approx 20mpg and a chassis that will hold your motorcycle up. Skip the first couple of years as they had teething issues with the turbo plumbing.

Remember, whenever there is a problem with a German product the first thing they do is deny it.
Second thing is they ignore it.
Third, after enough people come forward with the same problem they say. "They all do that. Don't worry."
By the time you get to this point you're out of warranty and it's not their problem anymore.

YMMV RON

 

[Cole]

As mentioned above, the Sprinters are far far out of the budget. I also don't think I could get away with parking a Sprinter outside in my "no camper" HOA. A Eurovan would look much more like the family van than a commercial vehicle or camper.

While a Sprinter would be cool, they are not even in the same ballpark price wise as a Eurovan.

FWIW, all 4 of my other cars German, so I'm familiar with them and do all my own work.

How is the cam chain different than the billion other VW with the same motor?

 

[unplannedbbq]

I'd look for a late model Eurovan weekender (pop top but no "camper" stuff. Seats three on the rear bench, fold-up table a couple jump seats. Seats 7, sleeps 4 comfortably. Tough to beat. ) -



I think the more-powererful 204HP VR6 engine from the last few years is okay. You'd probably want to replace the water pump. They die. You need to pull the transaxle to install a new timing chain. That sucks. Transmissions are not great - 3 buddies had 'em - One traded in @ 150K with a toasted tranny, one had a camper transmission rebuilt @ 90k, one is going strong @ 220k. Hit or miss.

I opted for an '86 vanagon w/ MT for my project camper... I don't like the Eurovan vibe as much, and I can do the vanagon work myself as needed. (But you can't roll a bike in the back.)

Not - I'm probably not a good judge re: the crazy assessment. I keep putting money into a 25+ year old VW.

 

[Deleted member 13060]

How is the cam chain different than the billion other VW with the same motor?

It's the same motor, just stressed a lot harder hauling 2.5+ tons of rig around. It feels peppy due to an ECU flash but inside it's the same motor....
The shop I run and work at is in a smallish town that doesn't have too many VR6 VW's in it. I have seen WAY too many failures to ever trust this motor to take me to lunch, much less across the country......

YMMV RON

PS Don't forget the plastic cooling system mounted under the front of the intake. It will most likely fail in a spectacularly expensive fashion at around 100K...

 

[Cole]

I was really considering finding a broken one and "upgrading".


Seems like you could find an early 5cyl 5 sipped manual and swap in the Euro AWD parts and some Audi 5cyl turbo parts.:wings:

 

[Victorian]

Eurovans are fun! And more reliable then the older ones. I converted a transporter into a camper a couple of years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOqtxQ1bPc&feature=g-upl

 

[Cole]

Eurovans are fun! And more reliable then the older ones. I converted a transporter into a camper a couple of years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOqtxQ1bPc&feature=g-upl

Sweet!

 

[Christian P.]

The 5 cyl with the manual transmission does not have the same issue indeed but they are underpowered and have a lot of other fun stuff to work on...

I bought a 1997 VR6 with a bad tranny once and replaced it. Nightmare. There is an internal computer that goes with the transmission, so you can't just swap it.
You have to send your exact transmission for rebuilt to someone who really knows what they are doing. Many of the engine parts are unique to the Eurovan and quite expensive. Trust me, it's not just something I read - I experienced it first hand. When the was was running, it was really nice but in many ways I actually prefered my Westfalia Syncro.

Buy a Sprinter if you want a van. They are not much more expensive than a Eurovan.