Looking for recommendations on a family hauler/tow rig/occasional camp vehicle

phsycle

Adventurer
I’d add a 2nd gen Sequoia to the mix. AWD/4WD, nice engine, decent room inside. And the cool roll down rear hatch window.
I see 08-12 models going for around your price range with low-ish miles.
 

wirenut

Adventurer
I've got a 2009 2500 Suburban. I went with the GMT900 so the transmission would automatically downshift when braking and on cruise control. This will be important if my wife drives it towing the boat while I am towing the camper.
There is no AFM on the 2500s. The vehicle does a great job with our family of 5 and a 6,500 pound boat. It's got 153,000 miles with no engine or transmission problems.
 

hansu

Member
When someone says “soooooooo many”, the extended number of ooooooooos typically indicates sarcasm. That holds true in this case. 4x4 vans are not a common find.

About 20-30% of the Express van builds I have run across in the last 6 months were 4x4. I don't have one because I don't want/need one. But it doesn't seem as difficult as I thought. Most of the folks I've spoken with say even modding a 2wd van themselves was not horrible because a lot of the work ends up being pretty bolt-on.

Not sarcasm.
 

Ozarker

Well-known member
About 20-30% of the Express van builds I have run across in the last 6 months were 4x4. I don't have one because I don't want/need one. But it doesn't seem as difficult as I thought. Most of the folks I've spoken with say even modding a 2wd van themselves was not horrible because a lot of the work ends up being pretty bolt-on.

Not sarcasm.
Where in Utah are you looking at vans?

Not counting those at the annual Moore Expo held here, I looked for a 4x4 van conversion for sale in this area for about 5 years, closest I found was a couple in Kansas City, 1 in Tulsa and I recall 1 in Nashville, searching on line. That's a real 4x4, not AWD types.

Wasn't picky, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, MB van would do, but none were close to reasonable as a used van, so I'd have to assume it's about location and local demands.

If I were 25 again I'd get my tool box out, but today, even having a few "off road" shops around me, no one really wanted to take on a van project, so that idea was scrapped.

Just stick with a 4 door, 4x4 pickup!
 

hansu

Member
Where in Utah are you looking at vans?

Not counting those at the annual Moore Expo held here, I looked for a 4x4 van conversion for sale in this area for about 5 years, closest I found was a couple in Kansas City, 1 in Tulsa and I recall 1 in Nashville, searching on line. That's a real 4x4, not AWD types.

Wasn't picky, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, MB van would do, but none were close to reasonable as a used van, so I'd have to assume it's about location and local demands.

If I were 25 again I'd get my tool box out, but today, even having a few "off road" shops around me, no one really wanted to take on a van project, so that idea was scrapped.

Just stick with a 4 door, 4x4 pickup!

Not necessarily in UT. The last one I ran into -- a couple of weeks back -- was in Wash and was an old Border Patrol van with OEM 4x4 system.

re the pick-up, I can't decide if my next build will be a refuse Fuso ;), ambo, or pick-up. If I'm being practical and realistic about my skill, the latter. But my heart is with the first two.
 

Ozarker

Well-known member
Not necessarily in UT. The last one I ran into -- a couple of weeks back -- was in Wash and was an old Border Patrol van with OEM 4x4 system.

re the pick-up, I can't decide if my next build will be a refuse Fuso ;), ambo, or pick-up. If I'm being practical and realistic about my skill, the latter. But my heart is with the first two.
Watching Mechum Auctions on MT Tv, 1999 E 150 van, raised, off road bumper, winch, nice body/paint seats-stock inside, just sold for $20,000.00.

Expect to see it soon advertised here 4 sale for $35,000.00 to $40,000.00!!!

Go with a pickup.

Ambo conversions seem a bit weird, I mean, do you really want to sleep in a vehicle where people died? That's like sleeping in a hospital room. OTH, not much to do inside to camerize one.
 
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