Looking at used Suburban 2500's

Didn't GM offer their vans with factory AWD ?

A 12 passenger 1 ton van will be a very useful tool for both a large family and friends(be prepared to be the designated bus driver when a large group wants to travel together) and a tow vehicle. I would choose a GM one ton with a six speed transmission(better fuel mileage and easier to get your load rolling). The GM 12 passenger van also has much less rear overhang which will help it be more stable when heavily loaded and towing a trailer.
Good luck on your choice and happy traveling.
ArizAl

We found a local Ford E350 12 passenger van for sale. 5.4 li V8 engine. Does not have tow package but dealership said they could put it in.

Also found a local Suburban 2500. Only downside is that this one is only configured for 7 seats, which is fine unless one of our kids wants a friend to come along.

kdlugozi wrote:
Sorry to sound dumb, but what should I look for with the van, in terms of making sure it is properly set up for towing, aside from checking Edmunds, etc for specs? Are there certain options I should look for?

For a newer Chevy Express I would suggest going straight for the 3500 (1-ton) model. It rides as nice as the 2500 and you're not giving up anything. Make sure it has the 6.0 engine, and not the 4.8. Ours did not have the towing package, but it did have the transmission and engine oil coolers. The tow package would be pre-wired for a 7 pin plug, I would highly suggest finding that, as it was a bit of trouble getting ours wired at the dealership. The other nice to have option is the limited-slip rear axle, it would give better traction in the snow. We didn't find one with that option, but our does just fine. I think the 2013's are available with a backup camera, which would be very handy for hooking up to a trailer.

We also have the Chevy Express, a 3500 with the 6.0 and 6-speed transmission. Tows 7500 lbs easily and gets 18 mpg non-towing @ 75 mph.

Reasons to get a van: it's a LOT less money than a Suburban, you get a LOT more space, and a LOT more weight capacity. Reasons to get a Suburban: 4x4, more refinement, bells and whistles, and it's not a van. :-)

As a family of 6, I think we chose the right vehicle.

The interior of the Suburban was updated with the 2004 model year, and was the same till 2006. I like the refreshed interior vs the 2000-2003. The 2007 would be the new body style but would still have a 4 speed transmission. In 2008 the 3/4 ton Suburban got the six speed tranny.

For a family of 7, if you look at anything 2006 or older I would get a 6.0L/4.10 axle at a minimum. If looking newer, get one with the 6 speed tranny. From when I was shopping a year ago, there is about a $7000 price jump from buying a 2006 to a new body style.

In regards to vans, I love our Express. The 6.0L with 6 speed is awesome in my opinion. It tows our trailer great and has more room than our previous Suburbans. It has also handled everything we have thrown at it with ease and it gets as good of gas mileage as our 1/2 ton Suburban we had.

I've also looked at vans, but here are some of things I saw which for me would be negatives:

1) Engines in vans seem to be derated compared to same engine in truck/SUV.
2) Ford only offers a 4-speed tranny (5-speed if you get the V10). IMO this is unacceptable by todays standards for vehicles. Chevy does have a 6-speed though.
3) Unless buying used, sticker prices can reach $40K plus, although I'm sure you could negotiate a much better price. But for that kind of money, I think there are better options out there.
4) Most of the used vans out there (especially E350/3500) seem to be fleet vehicles which often don't come with tow packages, etc. Also, if you don't like the color white, good luck.

On the plus side, as was mentioned previously, there are some great deals to be had for used vans if you are not too particular.

I had an 03 with the 8.1ltr and it was AMAZING. My only complaint was it was a serious gas guzzler and it used ALL liquids heavily. If you get that engine it WILL use alot of OIL, WATER AND GASOLINE. But it was the most reliable vehicle I ever had and it towed like a madman. I got that diesel itch and I got a GMC D'Max. Even though it is also excellent, the noise annoys my wife. 8.1ltr all day long.

I have pulled trailers 10's of thousands of miles in the snow with my non-4x4 van. It does great. The balanced weight distribution makes them far better drivers in the snow than 2WD pickup. I do have limited slip, and I run good tires (Toyo M55s). I've been through waist-deep snow (miles of it) which is high enough that it was coming over the hood.

kdlugozi wrote:
Sorry to sound dumb, but what should I look for with the van, in terms of making sure it is properly set up for towing, aside from checking Edmunds, etc for specs? Are there certain options I should look for?

Not a dumb question at all; you want to look for 1) a hitch properly rated for your usage, 2) a "towing pkg," normally consisting of a transmission cooler & sometimes a specific gear ratio, and 3) properly rated tires. To state the obvious, any and all of those can be added after-the-fact, but many will already have these features.

Of course this is over-and-above the normal things you'd inspect looking at a used vehicle, such as condition of the fluids, tire tread, brake wear, etc.

Vans are very underrated as TVs and can often be found for literally thousands less than a comparable truck or SUV. The drawback, as Jerem noted, is the lack of factory 4x4 unless you find a jewel that's been properly converted, or have the means to drop the cash to have it done. Though you may not be able to "boondock" in winter, a 2wd van with a limited-slip rear end, snow tires, and a good driver can handle a reasonable amount of snow.

Though it would be overkill for your trailer, a E250 or E350 with a V10 would manhandle your large family with the TT in tow with capacity to spare.