So you have a large family...what are your options?

"David E. Davis" (imnotdedyet) 08/20/2018 at 08:24 • Filed to: Get your church van on!

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An unconventional one these days but common when I was growing up was a full size van. I picked the 2018 Chevy Express 2500 in LT trim with 12 passenger seating . Total cost for my load out was $38K including incentives .

Major options include 6.0L V8, kinetic blue paint, power seats, nav radio with USB , locking diff, trailering package, rear window defog and dual note horn among others.

I learned two things. Chevy no longer offers a 1500 half ton van and AWD is gone. It may have been this way for a while but I don’t spec full size vans often.

Nibby > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 08:40

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cram everyone into a 1993 hyundai excel hatch

Chuckles > Nibby 08/20/2018 at 08:51

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Riding in the trunk of a hatchback builds character. 

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 08:52

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I like the Ford Transits a lot, but to option it the way I’d like is like ~$ 47k

itschrome > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 08:53

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Chevy no longer offers a 1500 half ton van and AWD is gone. It may have been this way for a while but I don’t spec full size vans often.4

And the world has been a worse place since. didn’t they kill thee off in like 08 or so?

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 08/20/2018 at 09:04

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Now option out a comparable Surburban. You’ll be surprised 

OPPOsaurus WRX > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 08/20/2018 at 09:05

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if you were to equally option something like a Pacifica or Seinna, which would cost more?

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 08/20/2018 at 09:08

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Yea, they are ridiculous

Same goes for the Expedition though

Ash78, voting early and often > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 09:09

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Not half bad! I would also consider the Mercedes Metris just because I like odd cars. It’s cheap as Mercs go, but probably pushing $50k with similar equipment. This is a steal -- those are mid-range Odyssey/Sienna prices.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > OPPOsaurus WRX 08/20/2018 at 09:13

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They both option to around $30k for what I’d get , but that’s for a vehicle that holds 4-5 less people. Though I don’t think you’ll get much of a discount on those and probably could on the Transit.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Ash78, voting early and often 08/20/2018 at 09:17

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I have only ever heard the Metris is the absolute worst car ever. I was working with a German and he saw a Metris and just cussed it out. 

shop-teacher > itschrome 08/20/2018 at 09:19

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No, it was withing the last couple years.  When my wife was pregnant with our last kid, I spec’d a 1/2 ton AWD version.  I figured if it was twins, I’d go full on van.  It was just one kid though, so no need (not that I really would’ve needed a fullsize van anyways).  That kid is 3 now, so at least four years ago you could still get the 1/2 ton AWD version.

gawdzillla > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 09:19

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perfect combo

you cant kill these things

i hope it got the Dana 60

if so its time to throw a turbo or 2 in there and let it rip.

easy 700hp van.

how fast do u need to get to the soccer game 

shop-teacher > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 09:20

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I seriously considered that had my last child turned out to be twins. That’s exactly how I spec’d mine as well (except the nav , I DGAF about NAV).

Ash78, voting early and often > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 08/20/2018 at 09:23

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I also heard the same about the Transit ( in the first few years, especially ) but damned if they don’t just keep selling...

Spoon II > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 09:25

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Whew, 12 passenger Sprinter  apparently starts at $ 47,000 USD. I had a friend that went that route for his giant family and it apparently worked out pretty well though

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Ash78, voting early and often 08/20/2018 at 09:31

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Apparently it’s a special kind of bad. The Isetta is the lowest Dougscore and the Metris isn’t far behind lol.

fhrblig > Nibby 08/20/2018 at 09:34

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Oh, come on! They still need to get where they’re going. Cram them all into a 1993  Civic hatch.

Ash78, voting early and often > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 08/20/2018 at 09:36

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DougScore is a real thing? I thought Oppo made that up. Doug hates the Murano CC, so his opinions are invalid :D

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Ash78, voting early and often 08/20/2018 at 09:37

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I hate them because they stock me. Other then that, it is a pretty terrible vehicle . Murano have the CVT and much of them is very meh.

Nibby > fhrblig 08/20/2018 at 09:44

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1st gen toyota echo, will go for 333,333 miles

fhrblig > Nibby 08/20/2018 at 09:56

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2-door only

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Chuckles 08/20/2018 at 10:39

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You don’t know fear until you are the crumple zone and there’s a large truck behind who doesn’t seem to be stopping

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 12:05

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One of my grade school teachers had 9 adopted/fostered kids. Her DD was a 4 row Dodge van.

WiscoProud > OPPOsaurus WRX 08/20/2018 at 13:09

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You can get a Pacifica over $50k if you go all out on options. 

Transit > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 08/20/2018 at 15:03

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I like you too.

Transit > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 15:17

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We went with the Transit (obviously). 10-passenger with the towing package. V6, but it gets just shy of 18mpg average. Still c an’t tow a trailer big enough to sleep the whole crew :( It was around $36 k with incentives

Learned that a pparently rear heat & A/C is an option in the wagon (?) and that the opening side window ($95 option) is about the size of those tiny ones you see on the back window of some pickup trucks. I don’t think the vehicle designers have been in the back of a van in summer before.

TheYearIs1990 > David E. Davis 08/20/2018 at 21:39

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It was better when the Astro was a thing.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > David E. Davis 09/06/2018 at 11:40

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3 Chevy Sparks.

I knew a family growing up that had 3 Metros... or were they Aspires? IDK A ny way they had like 10 kids but the oldest was 18 or so.  I nstead of having one big car they had three little ones. O n the occasion that they all wanted to go to the same place they just took all three cars. And probably still used less gas than an Express.