Buying a big van

[Tillmanator]

Hi Folks,

My husband and I are starting a band. We have LOTS of stuff. Big road cases with guitars and staging and amps and all kinds of things. Our little Mustang can hardly carry one guitar case. Every time we buy something new I have to borrow friend's SUV.

Anyhow, sometime between now and summer (or late summer) we will be looking into buying a cargo van for use in hauling our stuff to gigs and back. This will be the van's only use. I live in a condo with a garage that says clearance 6 ft. 6 in.

Does anyone have any experience with cargo vans like the Ford E150 or the Chevy Savannah or others in a simialr range? I can't find any specs on the internet about clearance height for any van. I want a new one. I realize I'm gonna have to pay in the upwards of $25,000. I just want to make sure it has a low enough profile. Don't want to spend all that money and then scrape the top crushed the first time I drive it home.

So any advice out there? (by the way.... too much stuff to get a pickup with a covered bed.... we have LOTS of stuff.)

[sstg]

Re: Buying a big van

Sorry,not gonna fit. I say that (mines) a one ton.1/2 tons might be a little lower.But I still think 6.6 is not high enough.

[BlueZero]

Re: Buying a big van

Check MSN Autos, they should have all the dimensions you need.

Here's one I looked up... 2007 Ford E-Series Van

The E-150 is 80.9" tall, that's 6'-8-7/8".

[the other pc]

Re: Buying a big van

Just include a trip through your garage in the test drive.

Be sure the salesman’s behind the wheel when you get to the tight spot.


PC.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Buying a big van

My friends are in a band and they use an E-150 conversion van..dont know about clearance though.

[Tillmanator]

Re: Buying a big van

Check MSN Autos, they should have all the dimensions you need.

Here's one I looked up... 2007 Ford E-Series Van

The E-150 is 80.9" tall, that's 6'-8-7/8".

Cool! Useful link. Thank a bunch.

[guitarman502]

Re: Buying a big van

buy one.. then get a lowering kit for it... hey.. it could work.

[BlueZero]

Re: Buying a big van

Just include a trip through your garage in the test drive.

I forgot about that but I did do that once. I told them that I needed to see if it would fit length wise in my apartment garage. Then later when we where doing the paper work and I told them I wanted a line added for that. They said they thought I was kidding before. They then let me take the test drive home to make sure it fit, took me a bit over an hour for that test drive. I had 12" total to spare, that's still pretty tight.

[jjbleds]

Re: Buying a big van

I've had many Chevy Express vans over the past 10 years. The 07 3/4 ton that I have now is the lowest. I'm really pushing it when I'm in a garage marked 6' 8", I always scrape the sign on the way in. I dont know if the garage you are talking about is a tower, but even if you fit straight in you will not make it up and down the ramps. The 1/2 ton may be slightly lower, but may not hold all the heavy amps and such.

[Tillmanator]

Re: Buying a big van

It looks like I may have to rent a parking space in a Public Storage or something like that. But at least that way it will be out of the elements. I live beachfront and the garage (even if I could get in) gets all sorts of mung on my mustang. I don't look forward to having to wash a huge van once a month. At least in a PS it will protected from the elements. Perhaps that's worth the $100 a month.

[Jeepster04]

Re: Buying a big van

Dang, 6ft-6in isnt much at all. Im not sure if my Jeep would fit in there.