Very happy with Advanced Four Wheel Drive

[medicfernando]

Hello all. Our van has an Advanced Four Wheel Drive conversion and we have been very happy with it and the service we received. I was told the conversion would take 2 weeks and it was done on the day promised. The ride is better than when it was 2wd. The turning radius is tighter than stock and the work is very clean and very professional. Randy was very gracious with us throughout the process and we were very happy with the whole process. If you have read any negative posts about Advanced and have any questions about the work or the process, please let me know. I am also happy to let you look at my van. Here are pics of the van before, during and after the conversion. Cheers all.

[daveb]

Wow what a difference. I'll bet most owners 2wd can't even imagine their van can go through a change like that and come out looking so good. Glad you're happy with it...enjoy

[shenrie]

man, what a transformation! looks great!!

about your customer service. ive never dealt with advanced other than a phone call about thier conversions a year or so ago when i was weighing my options on buying vs building a 4x4 van. i had called looking for prices & timeframes on conversions and whether or not they would sell a kit so i could install myself. the guy was super helpful until I asked about just purchasing a kit, whoever i was talking to completely lost intrest in the call and got very short with me and made me feel like i was now bothering him and wasting his time. then i found this forum and saw a thread from a member (not in utah) about his dealings with the company that were negative. now after trolling around this and other forums, i can say ive seen more bad info than good.

im happy you had a great experience with advanced, but imho, i think being local has a huge advantage in how youre treated with some companies. being local you can go to the place of business and resolve situations more easily if your calls are ignored, whereas someone from another state cant.

i was in the custom vehicle business for a while and i am very familiar with word of mouth and how stories about companies like these work, and its not pretty. with that being said, the age difference between the majority of the customers i dealt with vs the people interested in 4x4 vans is a pretty good sized gap. i tend to take the stories i hear on this type of forum a lot more serious that i did with the 17-18 year kids that i was dealing with when i was in the biz.

again, not trying to discredit your dealings, just sharing some thoughts...

[BMWBILO]

The dude is all lovey dovey when he knows he has another sucker on the line.
Let's see how much you like him when you start having problems with your van.
That's when the fun begins. Maybe you're lucky and your van won't fall apart
and leave you stranded like mine did. Less than a year after it was converted.

[medicfernando]

Originally Posted by BMWBILO

The dude is all lovey dovey when he knows he has another sucker on the line.
Let's see how much you like him when you start having problems with your van.
That's when the fun begins. Maybe you're lucky and your van won't fall apart
and leave you stranded like mine did. Less than a year after it was converted.

Sir I am no "sucker". You are welcome to your opinion but not when it is personal and aimed at me. When I read personal attacks on people, full of rhetoric, it completely discredits that persons opinion for me. I know Plenty of local who have been very happy with Advanced's work over many years.

[BMWBILO]

Originally Posted by medicfernando

Sir I am no "sucker". You are welcome to your opinion but not when it is personal and aimed at me. When I read personal attacks on people, full of rhetoric, it completely discredits that persons opinion for me. I know Plenty of local who have been very happy with Advanced's work over many years.

Originally Posted by medicfernando

Sir I am no "sucker". You are welcome to your opinion but not when it is personal and aimed at me. When I read personal attacks on people, full of rhetoric, it completely discredits that persons opinion for me. I know Plenty of local who have been very happy with Advanced's work over many years.

You didn't have to come from out of state 3 times to take him to court over
the crap work he did to my van. I was told I was getting a Dana 60 front axle
and I wound up with some hacked up Dana 44. My work order clearly stated
Dana 60 on it. When I called and questioned him he said " You don't need a Dana 60,
I've done hundreds of vans with Dana 44's" The van had 4 major issues with it
within the first year after the conversion. I had enough of his BS and lies
and had the van fixed by someone that did quality work. I then took Advanced to
court. The first court date he no showed and I won by default. He went to the
courts and cried to someone and got a second court date. Off to Salt Lake I go
for round 2. I win again, this time he files for bankruptcy because someone else
is threatening him with a Sheriffs sale to recoup their losses. He knows the way
to prevent the Sheriffs sale is to file for bankruptcy. I wait a few months and
call the court house to see if he went through with the bankruptcy. He didn't
so it's time for court date number 3. I win again, the judge awards me 1000 of
the 5000 dollars I claimed. I get paid, a couple months later he calls me and
asks if I still had the axle he put in. I say yes and he buys it back from me for
1000 bucks and sticks it in someone elses van. So go ahead and think all you
want about my rant, I know what I got and what I didn't get. Why don't you
look up some of the suppliers he's stiffed over the years by filing bankrupt
more than once.

[Warnerd9]

Congrats on the conversion. It looks awesome! We picked up an 03' EB50 7.3L 4x4. Since you helped us out we want to invite you on an adventure with us. PM me if you'd like to get together.

I wouldn't be too concerned with Advanced. We used to be a Ford dealer in Salt Lake and we had plenty of happy customers work with them.

[haweibel]

http://www.advanced4x4vans.com/clients.htm

Clients who own 4X4 VansOur Clients
4X4 Van Conversion4X4 Conversio
4X4 Van WarrantyWarranty
Pictures of our 4x4 VansGallery
What other clients say about our 4X4 VansReviews

When it comes to the durability and dependability of our 4x4 conversions, seeing really is believing. Take a look at how others have used our vans. Whether they are individuls seeking a more versatile four wheel drive vehicle or businesses trying to meet a specific need as efficiently as possible, Advanced Four Wheel Drive 4x4 vans have been the answer for over 36 years.
Snow to the Headlights - Canyon Transportation Snow Up To The Headlights!

Canyon Transportation

Shuttling passengers from the Airport to the various Salt Lake area ski resorts is no easy task. Utah's extreme winter conditions render many of the canyon roads impassable. So, in 1987, when Canyon Transportation began searching for a way to move more passengers with fewer drivers, Advanced Four Wheel Drive was the logical choice.

A 4x4 van was the ideal solution. The passenger capacity was more than double the size of the Suburbans they had been using which represented a significant cost savings in both fuel and personnel. Passenger entry and exit was easier, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

Today, the local sheriff's canyon patrol often waits for Canyon Transportation's vans to break the trail through headlight deep snow before entering the canyon. Over 10 million miles and nearly 40 vans later, Canyon Transportation can attest to the durability, performance, and cost savings an Advanced Four Wheel Drive conversion provides.

Canyon Transportation provides safe and convenient transportation to all the major Salt Lake area ski resorts. More information is available at http://www.canyontransport.com or by calling (800) 255-1841.
Average Joe Better Than The Rest.

Hans Weibel

Not everyone that buys a four wheel drive is moving hundreds of people or hauling a thousand pounds of gear. In fact, many of our customers are just everyday people who want the versatility and security of a 4x4 van whether they are exploring, camping, driving to the ski resort, or just moving a large family from place to place.

Hans Weibel is a perfect example. For years as a commercial tour guide in the backcountry of the Mountain West, Hans had been driving a four wheel drive van. Later, as a resident of Moab, UT he finally bought his own van and immediately went in search of a company that could convert it. From his previous experience with 4x4 vans, he knew he wanted the dependability of a leaf spring conversion which lead him to Advanced Four Wheel Drive. One of the main attractions for Hans was the extremely tight turning radius of and Advanced Four Wheel Drive conversion.

Today, Hans takes advantage of the rugged conversion components and excellent off-road capability of his 4x4 van to continue to explore some of the West's most breathtaking terrain.

Hans loves the versatility his van offers and enjoys meeting other 4x4 van owners. His Advanced Four Wheel Drive van consistnetly outruns all the rest regardless of the terrain.
People or Gear? - Holiday River People or Gear?

Holiday River

For Holiday Expeditions, a four wheel drive van was a no-brainer. Up until the early 90s, Holiday Expeditions had only offered river trips. But, when they added multi-day bike excursions to the menu, they quickly realized the need for a more multi-dimensional vehicle. River trips require large passenger capacity, but rarely require four wheel drive. But, on a multi-day biking expedition, carrying food, water and gear for a big group requires a large cargo capacity and a vehicle that can handle extreme off-road conditions.

Today, Holiday Expeditions loves the versatility they get from their Advanced Four Wheel Drive van. The van has helped the company streamline their operations. It can be used to shuttle rafting passengers to and from launch sites and, when necessary, the seats can be removed and the van is literally ready in minutes to transport food, water and gear for the next bike trip.

Only a 4x4 van can offer such versatility, which is why they truly are the ultimate SUV. Period.

Holiday Expeditions offers whitewater rafting, mountain biking and ranch vacations throughout Utah and Idaho. Visit http://www.holidayexpeditions.com or call 435-564-3273 for more information.
Palmetto Ford Getting The Deal.

Palmetto Ford

Competition in the commercial vehicle market is fierce. Palmetto Ford caters to the commercial needs of municipalities and government agencies. But, their location in Miami, Fl also puts them in the perfect position to service a large international market.

When Palmetto wanted to land a large volume purchase with an international mining company, it turned out that Advanced Four Wheel Drive made the difference. The mining company had been using 4x4 vans from another converter, but when Palmetto told them they could get a superior product while saving thousands over what they had been paying, the deal was as good as done.

Dealers across the country love working with Advanced Four Wheel Drive. Whether the client is out of the country and hundreds of miles from the nearest city, or right across the street, the safety, serviceability, and ease of getting them outfitted with an Advanced Four Wheel Drive van will help set you apart as an industry expert.

Palmetto Ford is a family owned company in Miami, FL specializing in light and heavy duty sport utility and commercial vehicles for individuals, municipalities, and businesses. For more information visit http://www.palmettotruck.com or call Charlie Rodgers at 305-470-1334.

[carringb]

WTF is is going on with this thread???? At first I thought the post above was random old man ramblings but now it looks like we're copying and pasting entire websites into forum posts?

[arctictraveller]

I purchaced a 2001 GTRV with an Advanced conversion about five months ago. I will say that the van rides nicely, with no bump steer, but in my opinion, the quality of workmanship on the conversion was very poor. The exhaust system is crap. In order to make bends, the pipe had pie shape wedges cut out, and then it was bent back together and welded. Most of the hangers have broken and been replaced over time due to pipe strain and the leaf spring hanger bolt has rubbed a hole in the pipe too. The hole in the floor for the shifter was just hacked out leaving sharp jagged edges, but oddly, it wasn't cut quite big enough, causing the Xfer case to occasionally pop out of 4low due to a lack of travel in the shifter. (an easy fix though). The transmission cross member modification for the front drive shaft was so poorly designed that when I got the van, it was cracked about 98% of the way through, and ready to drop the transmission. There was no reinforcement, but again it was a pretty easy fix. The gas tank shortning was done by cutting the tank and putting an oversize plate on the end with a big lip. The welding is horrible, but it doesn't leak, so I guess it's ok, but there must be five weld passes on it with huge blobs. All in all, I'm pleased with the ride, but I think who ever did the welding and some of the design work was a first year apprentice (or perhaps blindfolded). If I had to do it over, there is no doubt I would go to Chris for a far superior conversion.......................Arctic Traveller.

In addition, I just found a service report from the original owner who returned the van to Capistrano Ford for many issues including:
Exhaust has been smashed with a hammer for clearance
Cat converter not correctly bolted to exhaust
Transfer case linkage hits floor
Left front bump stop for the suspension is miss welded, instead of hitting the top of the leaf spring, it hits the ubolt threads
Brake lines are zip tied to axle
Brake lines are rubbing on brake caliper

More evidence of lousy workmanship, I rest my case.