Express/Savanna 3500

Knminton wrote:

Hey Dadoffourgirls! You are one of the few that have me really considering this! I was just looking at the G80 option. Did you find one with the locking diff or did you find it not to be a big deal? I have heard it can be beneficial while towing, and on slick surfaces. I guess one could be added.

The only vans I found with the G80 had been normal, retail customer vans or I found that they had the 4.8 V8 engine. As the others noted, I think I will be fine without the G80. I drove my 2wd Silverado the last two days, and during the snow/sleet/ice storm. I think the G80 locked at start up, but the electronic stability was active after that.

As for the ride, we have used the van with up to 10 people for day trips. Nobody has complained about feeling sick. Mine is the shorter 12 passenger. I am not sure if the longer 15 passenger would be different. I don't find the ride a problem, but it is not nearly as quiet as vehicles I have driven. As for ease of driving, it is much easier than the Silverado HD Crewcab. Parking is a breeze.

It may be worthwhile to rent one from a rental agency for a family day trip to understand how you will like it. Since my van is one of 7 vehicles in the family of almost 6 drivers, I like that I have a less expensive, more useful vehicle that has a specific use. I had a Yukon XL 2500 that sat too much because of fuel mpg. And then when I switched my wife to having a 2500HD Silverado Crewcab as a daily driver, it was not as convenient and she missed the ability to take more than 6 people.