Which 10-12 passenger van is best?

ok - all this talk about headrests has me wondering - we just bought a 2006 15 passenger chevy express, and I'd love to get them installed in our van. Can one of you tell me how to get that done?!?

Thanks:thumbsup:

my dad drives a diesel sprinter (the model of first year they came to the US) and LOVES it. It gets awesome mpg too. But, it's horrible in the snow going up hills and we live NH, so that's a bummer.

I do want to say one of the the biggest differences between the ford vans as to the Chevy or GMC's. Is the GMC and Chevy have the extended wheel base. Meaning they move the back tires closer to the back of the vehicle making it much more stable. Not so much over hang in the back. Plus there is more leg room inside.

I have been doing a great deal of research on these vehicles and plan to purchase one in the next few weeks. What I have found is as Follows:

Chevy Express/GMC Savana - Generally, I like to stay away from M Vehicles. I have owned them in the past and was not satified by the reliability or the customer service I recieved. BUT (note capitals)... When you look at safety, GM far out paces Ford. Ford has been working on phasing out it's aging Econoline brand for it's european model called the Transit (hence the Transit Conenct currently on the market). There is little I have found about the Transit being anything more than a cargo van. They have been trying for years to bring it here and as a result have spent little to no money on R&D on the Econoline. GM, on the other hand has made improvements. In 2004 or 2005, they extended the wheel base on the 15 passenger platform which adds to the stability. The Fords still just add on to the tail end. GM models have new engine components, newer body styles, etc. While th Ford has just really changed the grill, dash, and stereo.

Ford - The Econoline is a dying brand. The Transit is coming in 2014 and may be a while until we see a passenger version. The Ford has better reliabilit rating but the mechanics I talk to say that the ignition coils go out on them frequently ($1500 a pop). The Ford V8 perfroms and lasts better than the Vortec (Chevy). The Van is higher with higher center of gravity than the Chevy so rollover and cross winds are a factor.

I have driven both. The GM van drives more like a car and Ford drives like a bus. I did not mind driving both vehicles but I am leaning more towards Chevy. My mechanic says they are good for about 150K-200K miles before you see major problems which is about 10 years of driving for us. The Ford may last longer but I am just really hesitant about buying a vehicle that will not exist in 3 years. What will that do to the resale? Service? Etc. I own stock in Ford and trust me, I want it to go up, but I have to look at all of the angles.

Chex--I know it's been a while since you've posted! How do you like your new vehicle? We have four children and live in Utah as well (Layton). We do foster care, so we need a larger vehicle (we have a sienna right now). I'd love to hear how you like your new vehicle.