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Last night I hit a deer on my way home from teaching a night class, trashing the front end of my truck, which had already had $3000 worth of damage done to it (still awaiting the settlement) when that Amish kid on the tractor turned into me. It's so dangerous out here in the country--I long for the security and calm of urban living.

Anyway, with 175,00 miles on it, my S-10 is undoubtedly totaled now. I'm considering buying a van, but I'd like to get one that will hold my entire band (six people) and our gear. Is this even feasible? Can I get a "normal" van to accommodate all of this stuff, and if so, am I looking at getting 10 mpg?

Any advice on makes, models, and mileage would be greatly appreciated. It would also increase the chances of Brett Eugene Ralph's Kentucky Chrome Revue coming to a town near you--rural, urban, or otherwise.

Thanks.

dodge sprinter. it's really a mercedes. the diesel's KICK ASS; power and fuel economy (for a van). if you can afford one, even a few years old, get one.

Get a Dodge van, period. Sprinter would rule. Ram van is good, too. Our mechanic says that vans, based on quality, go like this (from best to worst):

Dodge > Ford > GMC > Chevy

Ford? Blows my mind.

dunno. I my 15 passenger Chevy Express. thing works like a champ. cheap to maintain, but it does guzzle the gas, naturally.

plenty of space for a bigger band with lots of gear, absolutely decadent to drive in as a 3/4 piece.

I know a few bands here in LA that have gone to bio-diesel van conversions. When they go on tour they save thousands.

It's a little extra work with the collecting and the filtering but it's pretty awesome to drive around the country on garbage.

Honda Civic and a diesel short bus

caix wrote:Get a Dodge van, period. Sprinter would rule. Ram van is good, too. Our mechanic says that vans, based on quality, go like this (from best to worst):

Dodge > Ford > GMC > Chevy

Ford? Blows my mind.

BER,

I am extremely partial to the Dodge Ram wagon (passenger van).

First one, we bought w/80K on it. Sold it w/240K on it, still running on original engine build.

I still see it parked in various places around Chicago (it's the white/blue one w/the LOMO sticker on the back window--thanks Bob).

The one I have now, I also bought w/80K on it. 115K now. Had to replace the transmission, but otherwise it has run great.

They do not get good mileage--maybe 12mpg in town, 15-17mpg on the highway. But there is a reason Dodge has done nothing but add fuel injection to the engine since the early 70s--it runs forever.

I recommend the Dodge Ram wagon. You can get them in all different sizes, but for that big of a group, you may want the extended one.

I think they quit making them, Dodge. Crazy.

TM

enframed wrote:dodge sprinter. it's really a mercedes. the diesel's KICK ASS; power and fuel economy (for a van). if you can afford one, even a few years old, get one.

Seconded. We used to have a Ford Econoline. It was fine. In Europe we always rent the Mercedes version of the Sprinter and loved them.

Buy a school bus!! You will rock as soon as you own it!

BadComrade wrote:

One of these.

Fucking ew.

That's a picture of the fear that kept me up every night from ages 5-9. And then right after the fear subsided, replaced by AIDS mosquitoes, a real live dude asked me if I wanted a ride in his real van.

[shuddering]



As you were.