tow vehicle ?

I found what looks to be a good deal on a GMC 3500 series van with 143K and a V8 and auto. Any thoughts on how it woudl fair as a rally service truck? I am more familiar with Ford engines and trannies how does the GMC hold up over time?

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

I have been using a 1998 Chevy 3500 which is the the same thing for the last 4 years, G3500 is a great platform, especially if the one you found is a long wheel base model. Other than the fuel pump and the damn sliding door interior trim that keeps falling off I didn't have a problem with it. Towing is not a problem at all, it tows my trailer and heavy ass Gaylant at around 80mph uphill. Fully loaded, with spares, tools, tires, full 55 Gal fuel drum and one or two passengers I get about 10 mpg towing, not the best fuel economy but acceptable, front wheel bearings are slightly weak, stay away from after market front rotors and spindles, factory parts are reasonably priced and worth the extra few bucks you will pay when time comes to replace them.

I bought mine from an electrical contracting company with a tow package and complete commercial bins and wiring for 120V already installed. All I added was a strong enough converter to run the flood lights and power tools and chargers.

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Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

Duramax+Allison FTW. Find a 3500 with the six speed used if you can. I'm getting 21 on the freeway with mine sofar and it is not broke in yet.

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JohnLane

Overkill is consistently more fun

Thanks for the input. I am going to check it out mechanically and see if it fits my needs. Of course they only want $4900.

I originally wanted a diesel but after looking at some used vehicles (trucks and vans) I could not justify the cost difference. Living in a service industry baseed economy diesel vehicles command a premium.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

mothra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the input. I am going to check it out
> mechanically and see if it fits my needs. Of
> course they only want $4900.
>
> I originally wanted a diesel but after looking at
> some used vehicles (trucks and vans) I could not
> justify the cost difference. Living in a service
> industry baseed economy diesel vehicles command a
> premium.

A few round trips towing and you might make up the difference.
I always think of the "Cost per 1000 miles" and just the fuel might be as much as 150 bucks MORE per 1000, if the fuel is the same price, just from better fuel economy.
My Chev diesel gets about 14+ when loaded to the gills, overloaded really till the springs are on the bump stops cruising max 70.
20~~~ under lighter conditions.
Its a manual trans.
>
> Matt Smith
>
> Of course the car has graphics...
> We did them in satin black, flat black, and gloss
> black

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

mothra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the input. I am going to check it out
> mechanically and see if it fits my needs. Of
> course they only want $4900.
>
> I originally wanted a diesel but after looking at
> some used vehicles (trucks and vans) I could not
> justify the cost difference. Living in a service
> industry baseed economy diesel vehicles command a
> premium.

You will eventually sell it to buy a diesel. I've seen it happen multiple times and know of two fuel based tow vehicles for sale locally that are being replaced or have been replaced by diesel ones.

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Grant Hughes

why does diesel tow better?

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Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

Dazed_Driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> why does diesel tow better?
>
> Feisty Peacock?

Better fuel economy, more torque from 20:1 compression, turbo diesels get even more torque and better economy. Full loaded car carriers semis get about 6+7 miles -gallon, V8 gas pickups towing maybe 10.

Where are those strut bodies?????!!!

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I defintely want the diesel and the diesel fuel economy. I also wanted to run biodisel which is easily foudn locally. I spent the last few years towing with my friend's 460 Ford pickup.

The problem is around here the diesel's are all very high mileage 200+K and still $15+K for trucks. I have yet to see a diesel van for sale.

So $5K for the gasoline van or $15K for a similar diesel truck. With the annual mileage I expect I don't see that I can recoup the difference.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

mothra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I defintely want the diesel and the diesel fuel
> economy. I also wanted to run biodisel which is
> easily foudn locally. I spent the last few years
> towing with my friend's 460 Ford pickup.
>
> The problem is around here the diesel's are all
> very high mileage 200+K and still $15+K for
> trucks. I have yet to see a diesel van for sale.
>
> So $5K for the gasoline van or $15K for a similar
> diesel truck. With the annual mileage I expect I
> don't see that I can recoup the difference.
>
> Matt Smith
>
> Of course the car has graphics...
> We did them in satin black, flat black, and gloss
> black


Then come out West and pick up something for less.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I finally did a spreadsheet on my van's fuel consumption for its trip from San Jose, CA to NEFR and back via Ojibwe.

Here's a link to the exported data:

http://www.grok.com/hoche/van_fuel.html

It's a 2001 Ford E350 with a 5.4l gas V8, auto trans, loaded with 12 wheels + tires, 8 boxes of spare parts, 4 more boxes of misc shit, tools, generator, yaddayadda, and hauling my YARG on a wood-decked all-steel dual-axle open trailer.

Summary: it gets about 12.4 mpg towing at highway speeds.


I'm not saying anything about gas vs. diesel, just presenting some facts I collected this year. I have a similar spreadsheet for San Jose to Colorado, and it has similar numbers.

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Self-righteous douche canoe

john vanlandingham Wrote:
> Then come out West and pick up something for less.
>
> John Vanlandingham
> Sleezattle, WA, USA
>
> Vive le Prole-le-ralliat
>
> www.jvab.f4.ca


If I come out west I'm not coming back.

I should probably add that the distances you plan to tow shoudl factor into this discussion. I generally plan to do 3-4 local events. 3 hours, 4 hours, 10 hours, 10 hours. As opposed to a full season of 6-10 events all with 12-20 hour tows. If you lean toward the later then a diesel is almost a must. If the former you have to think about it.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

Hey Matt,

What year is this 3500 van? Keep in mind the 143k miles on a gas motor is about equal to 250-300k on a diesel, particularly if the engine has been in contractor service work. And, if you go to sell, then the higher resale of the diesel may make all the difference.

Are you only looking on lots? Track eBay for a while; I see an 2002 F350 7.3L diesel crew cab with 6 speed manual trannie on there right now with 81k miles with a <$13k buy-it-now price in the Houston area. It would take about $600 for a chaep ticket out of Raleigh and for the fuel get it back to NC; a good weekend warrior adventure! Trucks in TX have been going for lower average prices for a while; there is a glut out there of large P/U trucks coming off of leases.

Take the same precautions on ebay as with any dealer; if it is an establisehed dealer, you're probably as well off as anywhere. We bought our gold F350 diesel dually out of Kansas City and have been quite happy with it.

FYI, the 6.0L Ford diesels get notably better mileage than the 7.3L, but you need to get a newer model for the 6.0L. The 5.9L Cummins in the Dodges is the best out there IMO that I have driven, for both power and economy; we have one along with the Ford, and have had the older Chevy diesel too.

Good luck!
Mark B.

With all of the advice I have been getting I am going to make another attempt at finding a diesel vehicle.

As luck would have it I stumbledd on a 2000 f250 diesel extended cab long bed 4wd with a manual tranny with 141,000 for a reasonable price. It needs a camper top but shoudl be sweet otherwise. It's the 7.3L but still better than a 5.4 or a 460 gas engine.

Mark, thanks for the advice to look further out. Here in rural NC disels really get hammered and still command a premium.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

Hey Matt et al,

If you do get any expensive used vehicle, do a CARFAX or similar title search; usually turns up nothing, but you would not want to end up with Katrina flooded truck. I have found a few 'interesting' historys in these reports that made them worthwhile.

Regards,
Mark B.