Quarter million mile gremlins haunting me... ABS module, internal transmission wiring/sensor, catalytic converters last year, .... Autotrader here I come.

I'm thinking I'll go GM on my next van. My closest buddy Is a 15year GM technician. I can't find anybody willing to take my money to work on this Ford. (Except the dealer, which is beyond my cash flow)...

GM doesn't make a V10 van but I bet their 8L Vortec would suffice... Can I sign over my new Gold FTE Membership to someone here?

 

I would never own a newer GM van

 

You could hang around here if you get the GM and compare notes on how you like it. I have driven Fords most of my life (60+) but that's mostly because I have so much Ford "stuff" and have learned how they build "stuff". Will this be a built in China model or is it only Buicks being imported so far? I know GM sells more cars in China than in the USA but I don't think it is the same models. jim

 

Well, I'm still here and drive a Dodge minivan.

The worst vehicle I ever had was a '96 Savana that we bought new (my late stepdad was a GM lifer and we got employee discounts). Bought a 60k mile warranty.

In 66k miles, the van went thru 7 valve bodies, 3 transmissions, 2 fuel pumps, an alternator, a starter (which would stick ON), 4 oxygen sensors, windows falling out of their bonded frames, interior panels that would fly off when you closed the doors, dead CD player, broken power window motors, warping exterior panels, numerous weatherstrip pieces. Side doors were out of alignment but the hinges are welded on so they can't be replaced without cutting and welding...

When the warranty ended at 60k, I had to buy 2 new oxy sensors on my dime. Then the Dexcool dissolved the intake manifold gaskets and needed those replaced. I wrote lots of letters and got GM to reimburse half the cost.

Then I traded it in for my Ford van. This is the only vehicle I ever traded in--always sold them on my own--but it was such a POS that I was afraid to sell it to someone who could come back and kill me...

It left me or my wife stranded on the road in really bad situations about 4 times. I HATED that van and would never consider one. My Ford never once left me stranded in double the miles. Prior to the Savana, I had an '86 GMC 2500 camper conversion and it was *OK* but pre-96 vans are getting pretty long in the tooth.

I'm sure others have had better luck with GM vans or trucks, but I decided that I would never again buy GM. My stepdad passed away so I no longer have the GM discount anyway.

So buy what you want, and hope for the best. But I don't think a GM van is the solution to any problem you believe you have.

George

 

The biggest engine they offer in recent GM vans is a 6.0 V-8. Less than 400cu inch , less than 400 hp and less than 400lbft torque. I'll pass.

And, they have four-speed automatic transmissions with overdrive. Big turnoff. This five-speed automatic in my van is great.

The 8.1L V8 was available for the model years that are too old for me. Although I would enjoy trying one of those vans just for towing, and then also get a young, low mileage Ford van with a 5.4 for my day-to-day job.

Shoot, if I had a 8.1L GM van, (and if it was paid off) I would love to have one of those nerdy euro van Transits… They seem great except for wimpy towing capacities.

 

George I always appreciate your input!
But this time we differ- because the problem I "believe I have" is simply regarding repair work.

My 9 year old 254,000 mile Ford van is ready to release the gremlins and I don't have a good option to deal with them.

I don't have tools, nor experience with vehicles this new, nor time to learn, nor margin for downtime, nor enough cash flow to pay businesses that have tools and experience/knowledge.

I have good cash flow, but not enough for Ford dealer. I could gladly pay a Ford technician a good cash wad to work on my van. I've made posts on FTE and local Craigslist, and two local Ford dealerships seeking good Ford help. Lots of mediocre help offered but not good help.

On the flip side I have a close friend who has been a GM technician for nearly 15 years. Also another acquaintance that's a 25year GM technician. Both guys do side jobs but want a premium price (which is perfectly acceptable because it's a fraction of the dealership premium price). I'll gladly pay either guys $40/hour at book rates compared to $125/hr for their employers.

So that's what I'm up against.

I also feel that a newer younger Ford van would serve me well... But even then when something does go wrong then I'm still in the exact same predicament.

 

I learned my....'turbo wis bang' lesson back in the 80s, no more for me! Ford needs at least a 5.0 Coyote and a 6 speed before I buy another Van..........lol

 

If you have these mechanics as resources, it does tilt the scales in favor of GM. But my Savana sucked down about 15 grand of work during the warranty period and I could not trust it. After getting the intake manifold gaskets fixed, I assumed that water pump and other gaskets were also prone to being dissolved by Dex Cool. There were 3 month periods during which I had a loaner car more days than my van.

I am pretty sure that my Savana was the worst possible lemon of a Savana ever built. Many of the body and trim problems were due to the first year for a new body, but the most significant drivetrain and other problems were on "tried and true" mechanical bits. Events like the fuel pump going out and stranding my wife and young son in the Detroit ghetto during a snowstorm where my stepdad was dying in the hospital haunt me. I don't tolerate vehicles that die on the road and my Savana died on the road. A bunch of times.

I loved the guts that the 350 engine had. It had legroom for my wife in the front passenger seat. So there were appealing qualities, but the problems were so constant and continuous that I was facing serious problems on a monthly basis on a truck that I bought new and kept for only 6 years. Same as the 10 year old English sports cars I started with early in my driving lifetime. (At least those taught me how to work on stuff.)

Good luck with whatever you choose. I sure hope my Grand Caravan is not a die on the road kind of vehicle.
George

 

This GM van stories are bringing back memories I have of a 65 Chevy van my pop bought new. 230 cube 6 inline made up from left over Iron Duke parts and left over 283 parts. Stainless steel piston rings and molysteel cylinder walls with hydraulic lifters.

He put a couple thousand break-in miles on it, then we left bootheel Missouri for a trip to California to see relatives. Pulling into Joplin, the valves were rattling so bad we thought it would explode. Checked the stick, NO oil. Dumped in 2 quarts, filled with gas, and kept going. Before the next gas stop, same noise, same stick. It was burning oil with only a few thousand miles on the motor. We burned 26 quarts of oil on that trip.

Got back and headed to the dealer, minimum compression on all six holes. The stainless rings and moly walls would not seat, being the 2 hardest metals in the engine.

Long story shortened, 13 trips to the dealer for warranty in the 12 months we owned it. Pops bought a Savana in 1986, kept it 2 years and traded it for a new 88 e150 club wagon. I got the van 2 years ago, replaced a bunch of stuff since it had been sitting a couple years, and sold it.

It is licensed and still on the road.
jim

 

The 6.0 GM in trucks gets about 10 MPG, I'm not impressed with GM after the bailout they seemed to have the money to invest in China, Cadillac helped sponsor a communist dictatorship film about it's rise to power in China. Dads Chevy truck, a 2000 has ignition issues, but GM won't add it to the recall list, he's gotta eat it on his own, then there is his Buick, was leaking oil at 40,000 miles, the GM customer service person told him that was to be expected in a 5 year old car with those miles, gotta laugh about that since my 99 E350 still isn't leaking with 148,000 on it. In disgust, dad traded the Buick in for a Honda, road noise makes it into the interior, something the Buick didn't have, but thats all, he loves it, mileage, handling, etc, American auto manufactures are losing to foreign vehicles for good reason.
I have reverted back to driving a 73 Econoline, it's all original, nothing has been rebuilt or overhauled, the biggest point for it is you can work on it, everything is simple, something I have missed.

 

Just stop doing that to those vans!

(driving them, I mean)

 

No way. NOT driving them is what kills them. Or any vehicle for that matter. Gotta keep moving.

 

You KNOW you want one of these....

 

Yes that van does look awesome.

My replacement van search appears to be ending... GM vans are scarce in my searches.

Therefore I've been looking at a lot of Fords- even considering some nice newer vans with a ::gasp:: 4.6L V8.
I found some nice newer ones 2014 and 2012 with low mileage...

But then I kept remembering the fact that I don't have anyone to work on them.

I'm leaning towards just keeping my current steed for another year.... If it actually makes it, it'll be 300,000 miles.

 

If you don't tow or haul heavy loads, the 4.6 works fine.
I know, I have one.