Want to Buy

[spencerm]

I really want to buy this one, but it's out of my price range!!

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...top-23873.html

[1der]

The 2001. - why did they change the upper and not the lower? The C Channel radius arms have risk of cracking.

KTM’s van - I would find a way to make it happen. That rig is really well put together including a generator, solar, electric top, and has the much better riding Agile front end. His price is actually very good. I sold a 1999 V10 SMB with far less equipment for $50k last summer. His van will be a “kicking oneself” for missing it can for someone who is looking for something like his.

[BroncoHauler]

How about a slightly different strategy, buy something like this van, and then buy a camp trailer to tow behind it which would provide far more camping space than a van alone. Then, when you're ready to take the next step, sell the camp trailer and put a pop top on this thing.


http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...mer-21356.html




Herb

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

How about a slightly different strategy, buy something like this van, and then buy a camp trailer to tow behind it which would provide far more camping space than a van alone. Then, when you're ready to take the next step, sell the camp trailer and put a pop top on this thing.


http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...mer-21356.html




Herb

Solid advice right here... ^^^

We sold our SMB and got a passenger van about 5 years ago. Did the minimal van camping thing for a bit then went with a tent trailer and now a toy hauler. I feel like its the best of both worlds having a van as a tow rig and a trailer as the base camp. You have all the room you need in the tow rig and being able to set up and leave the trailer is nice. Also having full size amenities is awesome. If you plan on full timing with a family in an SMB, remember you will need to break down camp every time you need to use the van to go anywhere (if you dont have a second vehicle).

[Offroading_is_Fun]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

How about a slightly different strategy, buy something like this van, and then buy a camp trailer to tow behind it which would provide far more camping space than a van alone. Then, when you're ready to take the next step, sell the camp trailer and put a pop top on this thing.


http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...mer-21356.html




Herb

I suppose that's the other approach...

But I think that a lot of people are leery about the six liter vans for good reason. They strike me as a very finicky motor that needs religious maintenance and $$$ preventative maintenance to fix and/or upgrade the things that should never have gone wrong in the first place.

At least this one is an '06 and looks to have a lot of work done to it already.. Then again, the price reflects that as well.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by Offroading_is_Fun

I suppose that's the other approach...

But I think that a lot of people are leery about the six liter vans for good reason. They strike me as a very finicky motor that needs religious maintenance and $$$ preventative maintenance to fix and/or upgrade the things that should never have gone wrong in the first place.

At least this one is an '06 and looks to have a lot of work done to it already.. Then again, the price reflects that as well.

That was just a single example, there are plenty of other passenger vans (gas or diesel) out there, far more than camper van conversions. IMO, a properly updated 6.0 can be very reliable, and require no special maintenance. Is the routine maintenance somewhat more costly than a gasser, yes.


Herb

[Offroading_is_Fun]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

That was just a single example, there are plenty of other passenger vans (gas or diesel) out there, far more than camper van conversions. IMO, a properly updated 6.0 can be very reliable, and require no special maintenance. Is the routine maintenance somewhat more costly than a gasser, yes.


Herb

I'd be a lot more fond of the 6.0 if it wasn't a $8K option that required another $5-10K of parts/labor + registration in a no-smog state to be viable (Figuring new radiators, trans cooler, EGR delete, tuned, head studs, exhaust, and money set aside for when the turbo needs replaced). Haven't talked to any 6.0 owners, but I'd imagine you still run into heat issues and can't turn the boost up too much without worrying about the motor putting additional stress and wear on the trans, transfer case, etc.

If your budget is $50K and a well sorted, clean, low miles 2005+ EB E-350 is going to run you $40-45K, that doesn't leave a lot of room for building the interior out or the "SHTF" slush fund when something inevitably breaks. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but cars and trucks alike all have a risk of breaking down, usually when least expected and when it cant happen at a worse possible time.

Still remember my dad buying one of them Dinan E60 M5's. All the problems worked out, lots of motor upgrades, only had 55K miles. Took it to cars and coffee, and at ~60K miles I had the dashboard light up like an Xmas tree before I was even out of the parking lot. Clutch went out and was a "That'll be $7K please" item -- After having driven 5K miles flawlessly, and had shown no abnormalities that morning or on the drive to cars and coffee. While anecdotal and tangential to this discussion at hand, I'm just trying to point out that sometimes "shit happens".

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by Offroading_is_Fun

I'd be a lot more fond of the 6.0 if it wasn't a $8K option that required another $5-10K of parts/labor + registration in a no-smog state to be viable (Figuring new radiators, trans cooler, EGR delete, tuned, head studs, exhaust, and money set aside for when the turbo needs replaced). Haven't talked to any 6.0 owners, but I'd imagine you still run into heat issues and can't turn the boost up too much without worrying about the motor putting additional stress and wear on the trans, transfer case, etc....

Well, not to go too far down the 6.0 rabbit hole, but a few points:

• Figuring new radiators - not necessary

• trans cooler - not necessary

• EGR delete - not necessary, and therefore a 6.0 can be registered in any state

• tuned - personal choice

• head studs - not necessary unless going with an outrageous tune

• exhaust - personal choice, but not necessary

• money set aside for when the turbo needs replace - turbo only needs to be cleaned or replaced if it sits for extended periods of time, or if the turbo is not fully exercised while driving (an excuse to drive it like you stole it).

What is necessary is the updated factory Ford oil cooler, and the Bullet Proof Diesel EGR cooler is very strongly recommended. All those other aspects typically raise their ugly heads when 6.0 pickup owners added really significant tunes to their engines (the pickup 6.0's have something like 80HP more than the vans, so when adding another 100+HP, things start to go wrong, and go wrong badly). With the lower HP levels in a van, you're not going to be stressing and of the running gear. There are also a few sensors in the 6.0 that if they fail, you're dead on the side of the road. Most are well documented, but still a major PITA if it happens to you.

FWIW, I had my 6.0 van, I lived in CA and had it registered there, and once I took care of the oil cooler and EGR cooler, I had zero issues, including zero over-heating issues.


Herb

[Offroading_is_Fun]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Well, not to go too far down the 6.0 rabbit hole, but a few points:

...

Herb

I agree for the most part.... But I can't imagine that the EGR and turbo are the "small contributors" to the heat problem in the engine bay.

Getting rid of the EGR and running a straight pipe (Or at least getting rid of the cat) is going to lower EGT's significantly, I'd like to say by at least 200* if the trucks are anything to judge by. A byproduct is that I would also presume your coolant temps would drop a few degrees as well. While running a tune wouldn't be absolutely necessary, I'd presume that having one would make the van run better and optimize power delivery. Between an EGR delete, Oil cooler, tune, and exhaust modification I'd presume that's $3000 in parts plus probably another $1500 in labor.

Maybe I'll get a ride in a 6.0 van one day and jump onto the 6.0 bandwagon, but from an outside-looking-in point of view... I can't help but wonder if people are doing themselves any favors by going with a 6.0 over a 7.3. Figured the only reason people liked them was that they came in 2009+ w/ creature comforts, and that finding immaculate 7.3's was like trying to find a unicorn.

Erik

[BroncoHauler]

Factors favoring a 6.0 over a 7.3
significantly greater availability
more creature comforts
far superior transmission