Buying a full-size van--advice?

[BoxsterCharlie]

My wife and I are contemplating a coast-to-coast move (3,200 miles) and have decided that buying a full-size (and probably extended) van would be the best option to move our modest amount of stuff—we live in a one-bedroom condo.

Interestingly, UHaul and the like charge so much for rentals of this distance (easily $3,000 or more), that we like the buy/sell option even with the costs of sales tax and transaction costs factored in. Plus we could hang on the van for as long as we need it for local storage runs and the like. Heck we might even keep it long term, this is such a practical kind of vehicle.

So, what should we get? Our budget is very flexible, we can even trade-in one of our cars ('01 Boxster and '04 Mini Cooper S) for a new van and avoid having to deal with any extra car to sell or ship. Or we can go the super-cheap route which seems to have the least transactional cost risk. Would $6,000 get a reliable cargo van like an Econoline 350?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Poorboy]

With all the "Smart Buy" deals out there I would get one for about 36-48 months and then decide if you want to buy it.
I bought a full size GMC and it's great. There are many advantages of this one over the Fords...available doors on the driver side make loading and unloading very easy, no climbing in to get to stuff, and they moved the engine forward and out of the cabin, this makes the ride quiet and repairs are all done from the exterior. The leg room also is increased with the change in engine placement, if you are tall. The rear cargo doors are also better than the Ford in that they open completely out of the way.
These are some of the reasons I picked the GMC, besides the awesome 6.0 engine with hauling transmission package ...

[BoxsterCharlie]

Thanks for the advice. I'd read a few reviews which were getting me toward the GM side of things. And Dodge doesn't even make a normal van anymore--they have the "Sprinter" which is a mongo-sized Euro truck. Actually it has gotten great reviews but it is expensive and oh-so commercial!

[taxidriver]

Yepp,the Dodge Sprinter are sold as a Mercedes in Europe.
Rebagded as a Dodge in the U.S
If you should concider one. go for the diesel