GMC Diesel Van Ponderings

[bgadow]

Been daydreaming about this over the past week, so thought I would bring it up to my friends here for comments. I've been thinking some over the last couple years about what will be my next daily driver. My '96 Dakota (V6, AT, Club Cab) as served me very well, but as it nears 260k I find myself wondering just how far it can go. This is our vacation/day trip rig. At least once a year it makes a 2k mile trek (last fall we saw Martinsville, VA, Mt.Airy, NC, Greenville, SC, Johnson City, TN, etc.) This year might see us making two long trips. The Dodge remains very reliable but oil consumption (I think half leakage/half burning) is rising. (I think that trip south and back took 3 quarts) It now starts consistently with what sounds like a bearing rattle. I am not really worried about it, the truck owes me nothing, but do I really want to spin a bearing 8 hours from home?

Now, Kim likes the idea of a small motorhome or large van, mostly so she can comfortably sleep on the way. So, last week I was talking to a friend of mine and he said he is going to sell his GMC Rally van. (full size window van, well optioned) He bought it new, I think it's an '84 (could be 82-83) and has always been garage kept. Very clean and, I'd assume, well maintained. 165k, mostly highway miles. He uses it for vacations, mission trips, going to hamfests. A rare bird, it has the 6.2 diesel and delivers 26mph on the highway. The mileage is what really caught my attention. I can think of some minuses: I know a number of people who couldn't get a 700R4 to last a year back around that time frame. (maybe this one has been rebuilt/beefed up? I would need to ask) And I know that 80s GM products aren't the pinnacle of quality, though it varied quite a bit...I do know a bunch of folks still running 80s/90s G-series on a daily basis. What kind of experience have you guys had? Am I nuts for using an old (if well maintained) rig on such trips? Heck, I've come close to taking the 67 Impala, or even the 51 Ford, on such a ride but the lack of AC and the fact that Kim gets carsick in the mountains when riding in a car (but not a truck) have nixed that idea so far.