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Full Sized Vans
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Let me explain what I'm looking for generally. I have always liked the feel of driving up high with plenty of room (I'm 6'2''). Also, I want to start taking long driving trips with one other person, sometimes my girlfriend, other times my dad. When I'm not driving, I would like to be able to lie flat. I don't require a big comfy bed feel. Ever lie back in a recliner as far as it would go? For awhile that's comfortable, but at some point you just have to lie flat on the couch. Take that analogy over to travel.
I also will use the vehicle for day-to-day city driving. My original thought was a minivan with removable seats. I could take out all seats but the front two for a trip, and put a twin air mattress in the back to lie flat. But it would be manageable for city driving, and I had this notion it would be much cheaper than a full-size van.
i'm just into my research, and I'm stunned that minis and full-sizes seem to cost about the same. Not knowing anything about their prices, I would never have imagined that.
I have no children and no plans to have any, so the primary purpose of a minivan does not apply to me. So given pricing, I am interested in a full-size, but I'm thoroughly confused. Buying a car, you deal with just the dealer, and when you drive it off the lot that's the end of the story. But with vans, I'm confused by the conversion company / manufacturer / dealer relationship, and all these differences and terms that I've read at this website. I can't even remember now how I got to this site in the first place!
Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.
1. Go pick a fully customized van off the dealers lot. Drive it away. This way you will get a top notch van, but you may have to compromise on some things. You may have to compromise on things like color, or you may have to buy some things you don't realy want. Maybe you didn't want a TV, or you wanted blue not gray carpet, etc. (just like when you buy a car off the lot)
2 Go to a dealer, tell them the chasis (1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, long wheelbase, standard wheelbase and color) you want. Then decide on the "fancies" you want (folding bed, center captains chairs, TV,VCR, wet bar, etc.) they will then order the van and arange for it to be customized to your EXACT specifications. It gets shipped from the factory to the upfitter, customized, then shipped to the dealer where you take delivery just as you do any other car. The dealer will handle all repairs at their shop. You get exavctly what you want, nothing more, nothing less. It will take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months until you get your perfect dream van.
3. You can go to a dealer and purchase a passenger (window) van or a cargo van and have them arrange to have the "fancies" installed at a local upfitter. They can handle 99% of any repairs there at the dealer and they can send it back to the upfitter for anything serious (after all, it's probably only a few miles from the dealer) With this method, you get a les expensive vehichle and a good vehichle.
1. You can buy a van from the dealer (passenger or cargo) and then take it to an upfitter and have them install a sofa-bed (and any other goodies you may want). If and when you need repairs, you can get the van worked on at the dealer, but you would have to go back to to your upfitter for any repairs to your sofa-bed (or other items you had them install)
2. Buy a van and then contact J.C.Whitney and Sears and request a truck & RV accessory catalog. Order a sofa-bed and other accessories you want and install them yourself. J.C.Whitney also lists many more items (curtains, insulation, tables, etc.) in their regular catalog (though the pictures aren't as good)
Did I explain everything, or just confuse you more?
As for the 5 to 15 thing, that's just the range that the vans fall into. You can get seating for 2, 5, 8, 12 or 15 depending on your needs and wants.
One odd layout that I think I might like is a long wheelbase window van with minimal seating - probably 4 captains chairs. You'd probably have to buy it with all the bench seats and take them out yourself.
I know. I have kinky tastes.
I once had a regulare lenth window van with 4 captains chairs (if you turned the front ones around each one made a small bed) and a sofa-bed in the rear. I loved the van except when we used it as a camper it was cold (because of all the glass) and curtains were hard to find.
If you are considering something like that, check out http://www.customcraft.com. They do that type of conversion all the time. They look realy sharp but I don't want that much glass again.
captains chairs (if you turned the front ones
around each one made a small bed) and a sofa-bed inthe rear."
That's exactly what I want!
I tried that link you posted, and got some message like "directory not found."
Yeah, I like that layout. The glass has its good and bad aspects. I might choose to skip it too.
Anyway... so, here we are - waiting for our 12-passenger (short wheelbase) Savana to be built... We ordered it with 12 seats because we have a large family and occasionally need to carry extra passengers; and we chose the shorter length so we can dock our barge in our garage and in (most) parking spots.
...So, now I'm wondering... what *else* can we do with this van? Behind the driver and front passenger, it's going to have 2 3-seat benches and 1 4-seat bench. We anticipate taking one or more of the benches out occasionally when cargo needs exceed passenger needs - what options do we have? Can we find a bed that could be exchanged with one or more of the benches? What about an itty-bitty porta-potty to "eliminate" desperate searches for filty public restrooms during long trips? Is there a way to put a potty in the 'way back of the van and have some kind of removable privacy wall around it?
It just seems that we have a concentration of van expertise here right now (a commodity that's hard to find anywhere else) and I'd like to take advantage of it while I can... ;-)
Here's what I think I would want. Two captain's chairs up-front. A bench seat the first row back. Then a sofa-bed. Regular size van. Pretty much what twc described, except the bench seat instead of the captain's chairs on the second row.
Now, where do you put the luggage? Also, to order this, do I start at a dealership or with a conversion company? Could someone walk me step-by step through the process I should go through to get this van? One thing that concerns me is, will I be able to "see" this configuration, even if only from pictures. I lack the ability to accurately visualize things.
I haven't brought one home yet. I found the height of the 1998-9 models (80.6").
Any help?
Thanks,
Rick
I have a '97 Club Wagon Chateau and can get it into my garage with the same door opening height as yours. I did, however, have to remove the inside lift handle from the bottom of the door just for my peace of mind, though I have about 3 inches to spare.
Chairmaker
Again, Thanks,
Rick
Hell, if you happen to have a forklift you could just load a 1-ton pallette through the van's side door. Piece o'cake.
I was working on a magnetic system too, but I'm afraid it could render you sterile.
I'd consider it myself if I weren't allergic to particle board.
I have to agree with the rest of your post. I aspire to obtain a similar portable living room.
Steer clear of the cardboard but don't knock the plywood--sawdust is full of good natural fiber should you happen to breath it in.
There've been lots of good airplanes with plywood airframes and skins.
You can get the captain chairs and matching sofa-bed. They sell a mounting kit for the sofa-bed that allows you to remove it and leave a flat surface for cargo or your factory bench seat.
From what I have been told and have read, you CAN NOT get swivel pedistals for the front seats. Aparently they do not pass crash tests. You MAY be able to purchase swivel pedistals and install them yourself with a few modifications, but I can not find anyone around here that will do the installation for you. Just be sure of what is under the seats. My Chevy van has the airbag controler under the drivers seat (they CAN'T be moved)
You can even get your porta-potty. the privacy curtain may require a little imagination, a pair of scissors and a bunch of velcro. I rigged a curtain behind the front seats using snaps (like a tonneau cover on pick-up use) and a heavy duty shower curtain. This allows you to drive at night while the passengers in the back, use the lights without blinding glare.
I'm not interested in changing the factory front seats, but the sofa bed is interesting... IF, as you say, it can be interchangeable with the factory benches.
Thanks again!
There are lots of nice, quiet, small compressors on the market that you can plug into a cigarette lighter.
to see dedicated area for these. I use a full-size
van which has been converted into a wheelchair driver van. this is a 1998 Ford E-150 Club Wagon,
7000 GVW, 4.6 V-8, 3.55 Traction-Lock. I'm curious if anybody has a vehicle similar to mine: 4" dropped floor w/2" body lift kit, raised doors, swivel drivers-seat for transfer from chair to seat. Also, does anybody have comments about overall durability of Econoline/Club wagon, and quality of Triton V-8's, transmissions, rear ends, cooling, etc. This cost enough, and I hope to get 200K out of the van (I only have 10K now). Again, nice site!
As for the info you seek, I know nothing about it. Maybe the others here have some experience with it.
PS To all:
I might be close to actually buying mine. I need it for work. I might sell the Civic and buy a 10-yr old basic box. Basics's my preference. I'll slowly, gradually get it set up the way I want it. First step is a good stereo.
im dan and i own a 96' club wagon it kicks [non-permissible content removed]!
it has the 5.8 bronco engine and I am hoping to lower it and but a s.c. in the engine bay
I'm from sweden and i'm planning to import a full-size van from 1990-1993. I think it will be a chevy van, but i don't no. Is there anyone out there who know where to goto? I've heard about goverment auctions, but i don't know. I'm happy for any help i can get. Sorry for my bad english.
Are you talking about buying one in the states and shipping it to Sweden?
I'm interested in getting into auctions myself but it's a long, slow learning curve. I certainly wouldn't plan on buying something at the first auction I go to.
There are classified ads on the net. Infoseek has a bunch. It's easy to navigate to from Infoseek's home page. I'd also look at the paper classified publications we have in the states: Auto Trader, etc. They're available at the ubiquitous Quickie Marts. Newspapers can be good too.
What's Quickie Marts? I'm looking for a diesel van. What's the name of the newspapers ?
I'm very glad for all the help
Thank's very much.
http://www.classifieds2000.com/cgi-cls/Display.exe?Infoseek+Auto+Car+Search
Are you saying that you're planning to do this from Sweden? It's one thing to come here and find a van and ship it back, but if you want to do the whole transaction long-range, it seems like it's going to take an awful lot of work and money.
If you must have a diesel, I'd get a Cummins engine, and means a Dodge van. Ford and GM use converted gas engines and they have a lot of problems. Others here may know more about it than I.
'Quickie Mart' doesn't apply if you're not going to be here. It's a store where they sell a little of everything, and they have these classified ad magazines.
I know I've seen full-size Ford vans in Europe. Aren't there any others imported? Are you willing to pay that much extra to import one, as opposed to buying what's available?
Are you gonna be towing much?
Our Savana 2500 (if it ever arrives...) is supposed to have a locking diff. and a 3.73 (and a 5.7L engine).
BTW finally got a build date for our van (12 Apr) which means about 12 weeks from order to delivery.
You ordered on 2/3 and you got a build date already? We ordered on 1/13 and STILL don't have a build date!
Before posting this, I called my salesman (again) and asked him about our order. He said, "I told you last time that you're getting your van this month." I said, I know that, but it's 3/25 already and we still don't even have a build date. Then I told him that I met someone who ordered a Chevy Express on 2/3 and got a build date already, to which he replied that that's because the Express is a cargo van! I said, "No, it's a passenger van." He said, "ALL Expresses are cargo vans." I said, "No - until this year, the Chevy passenger vans were called 'Express' and the cargo vans were called 'Chevy Van' - but for 1999, they appled the 'Express' name across the board." "Well, anyway," he said, "I still don't even have an invoice on your van." It's been over 10 weeks now!
So, please tell me: is your Express a cargo van or a passenger van?
It's amazing how many GM sale people are ignorant about the products they sell. I went to two Chev.dealers who did not know what an Express van was. I went to a GMC dealer and he tried to show me a Safari, thinking that is what I meant - because he didn't know about Savana van. Maybe a good training exercise for them would be to look at their own web site or even read their brochures.
If you have a technical question the dealer's mechanics (I'm sorry, "technicians") are unable to answer you are completely out of luck.
My experiences were scattered across numerous dealers over several months. Smart people do the bulk of their research outside of the dealer lot.
I used a speadsheet that included MSRP, Invoice, Holdback, Floorplan fees, Incentives, and Rebate information. It included 5% profit over the calculated dealer cost. The salesman was straightup with me and said the figures were valid. (Thanks Edmunds) Bottomline, we paid $24,600 for a van with a window sticker of $29,100.
This is my first experience with a new vehicle from a US manufacturer. I hope I will continue to be as pleased after we take delivery.
As for axel ratios, you may be right about the 3.73 being the standard ratio on the 2500. It's GVW is #8600 vs. #7100 for the 1500.
BUT not all 2500 vans have qan 8600 GVWR, it's an option on some models/options and standard on others. Some model/option configurations require other options or equipment to be added as well.
REMEMBER...
If you get the higher GVWR, it will ride a little rougher
Conclusion...
Get the 3.73 rear if you plan on doing any of the following on a regular basis...
1. Carrying a full load (passengers, luggage, cargo, whatever)
2. Towing anything larger than a couple jet ski's, snowmobiles, etc.
3. Drive in mountain areas.
Get the 3.42 rear if you only plan to...
1. Drive mostly on flat open highways.
2. Partly loaded (I mean weight not alcahol)
3. Tow a jet ski or 2 short dist. (under 100 miles)
Don't concern yourself with fuel mieage, when you are driving a "house" down the road, your mileage will be low. But seriously, when I tested the 5.0 engine with the 3.42 and 3.73 rears, there was less than 0.7 MPG difference in fuel mileage on the dyno. I would guess the 5.7 with the 3.73 would show about 1 MPG less than with a 3.42.