First post. looking for minivan advice

[Stroverlander]

Yes. Really. A '97 and '04 both awd, well over 100k on each so pretty good idea on mpg. The '97 was slightly better due to 3.42 rear end and being lighter/less options.

Lifted, larger diameter tires, rtt is a different story, I see 15-16 mpg depending on how configured now.

 

[Shocker]

I love the EB Econolines, but if you want better mileage, how about a used Sprinter? I have seen them locally under 20k. I hear reports of 25mpg cruising.

 

[Bbasso]

I've had a few E350s...
The space is well worth the cost of fuel.
But with the 7.3 diesel I average 17 mpg and peak at 19.5 and my current van is far from light or aerodynamic lol.

 

[axcxnj]

we are going to go look at a grand caravan today. we will see how it feels in person.

going to a diesel engined car would be a jump into a new world for me..never owned one, and im not sure that this is the vehicle to start with. I do see myself owning a sprinter down the road. but being that I need this car to be a daily driver. i dont see a big diesel van as fitting the bill.

all that space in a full size van is really appealing, but when it comes down to what i really NEED in this car, its not living space, just sleeping space, with storage. the only time we spend inside or at the van is either driving or sleeping, otherwise we are out on the trails or climbing or something.

so while i find myself drooling over the awesome, capable 4wd rigs here. my brain is winning the argument in what i actually need.

 

[Cole]

1993 Eurovan Westfalia 5 speed, 5cyl .

Bout as close to the mileage/reliability/camper/hauler minivan you are going to get. Most bang for the buck/space/function

2 beds, standing room for 6'+, table! fridge! room inside for two motorcycles or a pallet of 4x10 plywood without he the rear seat in it. Can actually keep motorcycles/bicycles inside and sleep in the Poptop if you wanted.

Newer versions are probably too expensive and techy for what you describe as your tastes/goals.

 

[axcxnj]

I do like the eurovans, but It seems like they are full of small issues that you have to keep chasing. Im familiar with german cars (owned a 924S and own a 914 currently) They certainly do have appeal, but i dont think the reliability im looking for. being that its also a bit of a cult car, they seem to have inflated prices...not that theyre expensive, just inflated.

I found a 2013 grand caravan with 34k miles for just under $15k. seems like it might be a good deal, we are going to look at it tonight. maybe it has a pop top in its future? =]

 

[Stroverlander]

Pop top caravan would be pretty neat. :sombrero:

 

[Cole]

I do like the eurovans, but It seems like they are full of small issues that you have to keep chasing.

Few things in your price range are going to be issue free. Its a unicorn you are chasing.

They certainly do have appeal, but i dont think the reliability im looking for.

Reliability is what you make of it. But technically Porsche, as an example, is actually one of the most reliable car companies on earth. Often rated above the other imports. Most people just don't notice since they are shopping for things like mini vans. So it's not really fair to lump all German things into a group of "unreliable", especially when your current German car is probably about 40 years old!!

being that its also a bit of a cult car, they seem to have inflated prices...not that theyre expensive, just inflated.

I found a 2013 grand caravan with 34k miles for just under $15k. seems like it might be a good deal, we are going to look at it tonight. maybe it has a pop top in its future? =]

Here is the catch. The reason a 2013 Grand Caravan costs the same as an old VW is because there are a billion of them and nobody wants the Caravan in comparison. The nice thing about "cult cars" is that they really don't depreciate. They have reached the point of maintaining or increasing value.

Buy the 2013 for $15k now, drive for 5 years and then spend two years trying to sell it for $2500. Or spend $15k on a nice "Cult car" and sell it for $20k when you are done with it.

Not to mention the gobs of cool people you meet with a "cult car" vs an "appliance"

 

[Herbie]

The reason a 2013 Grand Caravan costs the same as an old VW is because there are a billion of them and nobody wants the Caravan in comparison. The nice thing about "cult cars" is that they really don't depreciate. They have reached the point of maintaining or increasing value.

Not to mention that "cult cars" developed the cult for a reason, and that reason wasn't usually "rarity". Cars develop a following when they hit some sweet spot on the performance curve. They made a zillion Miatas too, but those have a definite following and have held value much better than most of the other inexpensive '90's sporty cars.

 

[Cole]

Not to mention that "cult cars" developed the cult for a reason, and that reason wasn't usually "rarity". Cars develop a following when they hit some sweet spot on the performance curve. They made a zillion Miatas too, but those have a definite following and have held value much better than most of the other inexpensive '90's sporty cars.

Yep! Agreed!

 

[Shocker]

+3. There are a couple of Eurovan's here in the Seattle are for reasonable.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4472781574.html - 1993 Eurovan 112k, manual, camper poptop 13.9k

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/4464065917.html - 93 Eurovan Weekender, poptop, comes with the table and cooler. 231k 7500 smackeroo's

And the Sprinter comes in various sizes. The first gen had some smaller versions so it wouldn't be crazy for a daily driver.

 

[Cole]

+3. .....
And the Sprinter comes in various sizes. The first gen had some smaller versions so it wouldn't be crazy for a daily driver.

Fwiw, I have both a Eurovan and a Sprinter. My wife met me at the dog park today so I snapped a couple of pics for size comparison.

 

[zelatore]

It's not on the OP's list, but since you mentioned the Transit Connect I thought I'm mention the Nissan NV200.

I find most people haven't heard of them yet as they've only been available since 2013. That does make them harder to find used, but they are pretty cheap to start with if you stick with the base model and since the upgrades for the SV are only cosmetic there's no NEED to go there.

The NV200 has a little more length than the TC. The one I picked up is a 2013 that had been converted into a mini-camper not 6 months before. Sadly, I had to tear out all the previous owner's hard work to convert it back to a work van, but it should have enough length for you to lay down. It doesn't quite have the height of the TC, but it's not far off.

I've put about 2500 miles on mine so far and find I can manage the EPA numbers of 24 city/25 highway pretty easily even with steel shelving and tools in it. The key is not to push it too hard on the interstates as it has the aero of a brick. I had to slow down to 75 instead of my regular 80 cruise to get those numbers.

I personally find the CVT to be awful around town/off the line, but it's not so bad once you're moving. But let's be honest: any vehicle in this class (which really only consists of this and the '10--13 TC) is going to be a pretty poor drive if your comparing to your Porsches.

The styling isn't it's high point. And it's performance certainly isn't either. But it's very high on utility, gets best-in-class mileage, and can be had brand new starting at about $18K (base MSRP is $20K, but I find them advertised starting in the 18s). And hey, you won't see yourself every day.

I have some pics of how the camper set-up was done in mine when I picked it up, but I'm actually at Overland Expo now and don't have the bandwidth to upload them.

In the mean-time, here's the Nissan website:

http://www.nissancommercialvehicles...=0.245852937&gclid=CISLhambsr4CFRWRfgodKQkA6w

 

[zelatore]

I posted a few pics of how my van was set-up when I got it over on another thread if anybody wanted to take a look.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/125460-Nissan-NV200-camper?highlight=nv200