Hello, Gents,

Still on the hunt for a van to haul my dogs and my equipment for my k9 business. Meant to get an E150 with 4.6 to maximize economy, because I will never load the van heavily (me, and maybe 500 or 700 pounds of dogs, equipment, crates, and structure), and because I was hoping for smoother ride and easier driving. I was advised a 250 might be a better choice despite my lack of need for heavy load-bearing, and I'm considering it, then this van pops up in my area:

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/4598941034.html

I like everything about it (has all the XLT features I am after) except I am wondering if it is way overkill for me and is going to murder me on gasoline. Questions:

1) What is real difference between e150/250 and 350 (other than 5.4 L engine).

2) Is it a much heavier vehicle?

3) Is it going to drive like an Abrams tank compared to e150/e250?

4) I currently drive an F150 with 5.4L that gets me maybe 17.5 mpg-- I drove mostly highway. Is the E350 going to do a whole lot worse than that? Like, if it gets 12 or 14 I am not going to be a happy camper.

5) Is this thing cool or what?

Thank you, courteous gentlemen, awaiting your wisdom.

k9dr

 

The ad doesn't tell which engine it is. Or did I miss it?
Also I thought you wanted rear A/C..? That van doesn't appear to have it.
How many miles will you be driving it per week? I believe YoGeorge claims he gets 16-17mpg with his van with a 5.4 (right George?).
I had an 03 E250 with the V6 and it's city-mpg was in the 13's. My current V10 city-mpg is more like 11's to low 12's, so maybe that 5.4 is the ideal mix.

Sorry I don't have much more to offer than this.

Good looking van though!

 

I assumed e350 was always 5.4L.....I spoke to the guy on the phone and I think I verified this van is thusly equipped, but now I am not sure.

I may not need the rear AC-- a friend hauls his dogs successfully in an e150 cargo without rear AC on the strength of the front AC-- and if I do need it I know where to get a good RV-style Dannhard unit integrated into the OEM AC.

My commute to and from work is about 70 mi per day, and then I can throw on another 50 or 60 miles pretty easy running my little dog training business. I would drive the living $%$# out of this thing. Hence my fears about 11 or 12 or even 14 per gallon. Yikes!

k9dr

 

All E-series Vans get lousy mileage...You don't get one for decent fuel economy .....Even with my 7.3 PSD I only average 12-14...I can get 17 on HWY @ 65 mph due to my 3:55 rear end.....BUT , I can Tow a HOUSE...... Vans are Bricks with wheels so you cannot assume they will get decent fuel economy...Have you driven a 4.6 ? I could walk faster....Best bet for economy would be a 4.9 In line six , which they don't make anymore...I would buy that Van in the Picture...It looks real clean.... Just my Dollar....

 

"1) What is real difference between e150/250 and 350 (other than 5.4 L engine). " I don't know anything about E150, but I've had a 2003 E250 V6, and I curently own a 2007 E350 V10. I have seen no evidence that they are different aside from the obvious (springs, maybe sway bar, etc). I believe the frame/body/brakes/etc is the same.

"2) Is it a much heavier vehicle?" I'm pretty sure they are the same, except for the weight of the engine, transmission, and maybe the rearend is beefier.

"3) Is it going to drive like an Abrams tank compared to e150/e250?" My E250 and E350 are the same. it's a non-issue. Again, I can't speak for the E150.

As far as the gas mileage thing: that's a WHOLE, separate discussion.

You said plan to drive at least 130 miles per day; I assume that's largely highway miles. If you average 12.5mpg with a V10 van (like I do every week), that's 10.4 gallons per day. Same drive at 16mpg is 8.125 gallons. Thats a little over 2gallons difference. That's $38 per week (based on $3.30 per gallon).

I don't mean any offense to you, but if $38/week is going to make or break you; then you should rethink your strategy. A full size Ford van going 130 miles per day is not for soccer moms getting groceries. A Ford E-series is a tool- it's a work truck.

"or even 14 per gallon. Yikes!" Bro, if you're scared of 14mpg; you do NOT want an E-series van.

Let us know what you think.

 

I am not an expert but have driven & owned both 250 & currently 350- Like Im50fast said weight wise there isnt that much. I believe the 350 has one more leaf spring in the rear pack & heavier coil springs in front also. They both drive about the same. You wont have to run 80 psi in the rear tires as you arent hauling that much weight so it won't rattle your teeth. I am used to a van but I have a lot of weight in mine. I just turn up the stereo.That is a nice looking van in the link. Best Luck

 

I run a E350 extended, 15 passenger with seats removed. If I baby it on the hiway it will do around 14-15. I have gotten 16.5 at times. With my torque app on my phone I can see the MPG's as I drive (a little optimistic) and can see that even lite acceleration it will drop to 3-7 MPG around town. Keep in mind that I have alot of junk in the back and the extra long body. Front air will have a hard time cooling the back. Mine has dual air but rear air is down at the moment, so not very cold. 5.4L 214,000 miles just put a tranny in 7K ago. Great truck but like others have said, you don't buy them for gas mileage.

 

Based on your described needs, sounds like you and your guests (dogs) would like to be comfortable with your time on the road.

I think this is best achieved with an E-150 Wagon XLT or better. The wagons have factory panels and insulation in the cargo area, which means quiet regarding road noise, many have rear A/C (mine does and it is really nice on a hot Georgia day)

Some window vans will have factory tinted glass to help with climate control and curious eyes. When the weather is favorable, you can pop open the windows on both sides and rear of the passenger areas. Ours has the optional sliding side door, and it is handy in tight parking areas for passenger entry/exit.

Since you aren't hauling heavy loads, the ride and suspension is much more comfortable on the E-150. Maintenance, brakes/tires/suspension, costs could theoretically be a little less due to the lighter duty components. Since you aren't towing, a 4.6L would be fine, but I prefer the 5.4L (better power/torque without much penalty in fuel)

I would avoid conversion vans, With a factory wagon package, you just pull the seats you don't need, put down a floor covering of choice over the factory insulated carpet, and you are ready to go...convert it back later for the family trip.

A Chateau package on an older one, traveler, or xlt premium on a newer one is the top of the line factory passenger version.

Shopping in Texas?, here's one that caught my eye: At first glance, with the windows and wheels it should at least be an XLT, maybe even a Chateau package. If the towing package is factory, you benefit from HD cooling for trans, etc.
2001 Ford van-Excellent!!!

May not be in your budget but Enterprise Rideshare sales (E-350s) and American adventure vans in North Carolina (fly out and drive home) have some nice used versions.

Good Luck

 

Many of these same questions were asked and answered previously. No offense but rephrasing them won't yield answers you're likely to appreciate or connect with so I'll add this once again...................

For your needs an E150 that is NOT the later version (with 8 lug wheels) will NOT suit your needs---plain and simple. The smallest engine will NOT be a much a gas miser as you seem to be hoping for. Those saying buying a van for MPG's is foolhardy. Adding to that though is my '03 E250 EB with 5.4 motor weighs right at 7,500# as a daily driver and gets me about 13 MPG. As its mostly a work truck that's fine----I do have to get to my work in order to pay for things, gasoline is just another tool.

MOST Club Wagons or the so-called 12-15 passenger van's are built on the E350 chassis because they designed to handle the weight of those passengers and their carry-on baggage.

IIRC you've not yet stated or effectively guesstimated your maximum or daily cargo loads so that tends to make much of this nothing more than a crap shoot giving you advice. Until there is a very clear idea of what your real needs are its difficult.

And as already said if MPG's are the major consideration one can't have it all, ie; 22 mpg with cold interior temps on the hottest of days. We all understand budgets but we also understand the need dictates the choice IF the need is real, as opposed to "want".............

The idea an E250 rides significantly rougher than an E150 might be true only from the aspect of that ride being gauged in a similarly loaded state or condition. A lot of E150 conversion vans had a lot more weight added than might be evident from simply looking inside. That being the case many of them were probably pushing the envelope of their maximum SAFE cargo carrying capacity. If that's so then the suspension would seem to "ride better" as its too busy trying to control the weight rather than properly damp bumps in the road etc.

Another opinion I'll add is trying to essential custom build a van after the fact will be an uphill battle, perhaps very possible the one you believe you need or want was never made. As E-Series are no longer being built new the available for sale pool is your only choice. My rough guess is once the real need has been established something more than suitable could be found within 100 miles of your location.

 

Thankyou very much, gentlemen for your input. No time to reply pr even read carefully now but I wil do so later.

Thanks again. I like the van crowd. I am going to buy a van just for the fellowship! Pickup guys often fail to answer your question and tell you you are an idiot and you should have used search function and not wasted everyone's time, and then they go off on some rant.

Or they go: "Ugh."

k9dr

 

It's NEVER a waste of time---speaking for myself--IF we can direct you towards what will work best in your circumstances.

Don't be shy or bashful---anything offered (most times) is in keeping with the above.

 

Hi there:
Sorry but was offline yesterday doing a huge volunteer operation for a bicycle race.

I still like the 150 for ride and think it will serve you well. It is still a truck despite what JWA seems to think For practical purposes, when I talk about a 150, I mean a PRE-2007 E150. 2007 and later 150's are 250 "lites".

I have averaged 16.1 mpg over 121k miles, every single tank, with my '02 E150 with 4.6. I can get 17-18 mpg on the road at about 70 mph. Hardly worse than an older minivan, really.

The 250/350's have thicker and deeper frame rails and sit a few inches higher than the 150. Suspension parts, brakes, and axles are tougher and springs are stiffer. They will use truck tires that take a lot of pressure and hitting bumps with 60+ lbs in the tires will be felt more than my P-rated XL car tires with 41 lbs. The base weight for a 250/350 is 400-500 lbs more than a (pre 07) E150. My E150 is about 81" tall and fits in parking garages and car washes most of the time. Tires for a 150 are much cheaper than for 250/350 vans. One weak spot may be brakes--I have warped rotors on my last 3 full sized vans (the first one was a flatnose Ford with drum brakes all round).

Seats behind the front row will come out of conversion vans but I would avoid conversions with aftermarket (deep trapezoidal) windows. And watch out for cheaply built conversion vans (if you are buying used, look at excessive wear on seats and other interior parts). If you can find a conversion like mine with factory glass, all seats will come out and I could (and have) covered the floor with moving quits or carpet scraps to carry ugly stuff. The insulation in a passenger van or conversion will make the van significantly quieter inside and keep it cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter. I have actually read that a van that looks like a conversion or passenger van might be less apt to suffer break-ins because people are not expecting to find expensive tools inside like a contractor might use. NO raised roofs, though...

I had a full size van with front A/C only (dark gray in color) and drove it 100k miles including many trips. It would cool down OK after about 50 miles (and my wife made up window shades for it). We had it in South Carolina one summer and the front only A/C was just pathetic... I really like rear air in something with the cubic footage of a full sized van.

Good luck,
George

 

Hey K9DR...you are a pickup truck guy. Compare the ride of an F150 with that of an F250/350 and IMO that will be similar to the difference in vans. I would guess the van will be louder in every trim since it's a large echo chamber. And our basic van platform dates back to 1975 (with a lot of evolutionary changes) as opposed to the pickup platform(s) which have evolved over the years and likely have better isolation built into the structures because today's comfort/noise expectations are different regarding trucks.

An old AM radio won't do either and is one of the reasons we like a quieter place to be while driving.

Finally, lightly loaded vans and trucks with big springs in back will tend to "buck" hard over whoops in the road. In my old 3/4 ton '86 GMC van, it had really heavy springs (albeit with car tires) and I remember watching my son and his friends bounce up half a foot or so on the back seat on whoops. Made my wife sickish for her to ride back there.

I am an animal lover (just put our beloved 20 year old cat to rest last week) and frankly think that skittish dogs would do better with the softer ride of an E150. And IMO the temperature and sound insulation of a passenger (or high quality conversion) van along with rear air would really make a difference for their comfort. The Chateau and Traveler factory packages are really nice, but don't rule out a "simple" conversion (avoid too much glitz because it falls off). Dogs are some of my favorite people.

You could cover your windows with that perforated "vehicle wrap" stuff which is almost opaque but which you can see out of just a bit (when it's not wet). With a biz logo if you wanted one...

So I vote for comfortable dogs,
George

Good luck,
George

 

Maybe an extended cab or crew cab pickup with a topper might be a better choice for what you want to do.

Pet barrier set up behind front seats, dogs ride in AC behind you...remove rear seats if needed. Very similar to the Border Patrol K9 Units. I think a couple of pooches will be alot safer and more comfortable in the small confines of a pickup cab versus a 10 foot by 4 foot by 6 foot open area with shifting cargo in the event of an accident. Hey...it happens.

And the covered cargo area out back will probably haul all of your equipment...and then some.

Just thinkin outside the box...er...van.

 

Based on the miles you say you're gonna be driving, I'd say a Transit Connect or Ram C/V minivan cargo van would be the most economical way to go with plenty of payload for your needs.

Start adding up expected gas costs over a year or two based on your commute and work business, and any extra up-front cost for a newer (or brand new) cargo type minivan will be absorbed in two or three years.... 130 miles per day for 250 work days a year is 32,500 miles per year. At 15 mpg and $4 per gallon, that is $8667 per year in gas (choke). Kick that up to 25 mpg and you're talking $5200 per year in gas. And a single AC unit should do a minivan somewhat better.... Your payloads are simply not that high.

George