Since we were all reminiscing, how about the Ford E350 with the 7.3 diesel? 1 million miles and I touched neither the engine nor transmission, 21 mpg loaded, poor van had 3 trans flushes and maybe 50 oil changes for that mileage lol (good thing it took 16 quarts)
Closest mentally I've got to an ideal newer van than my 2005 sprinter: Promaster 3500 diesel (with egr dpf def deleted) but then I think of the horrible m40 transmission jumping into neutral...
Why oh why can't they improve on a T1N sprinter? I have a choice of better fuel mileage and random unfixable problems, or horrible mileage and still not lasting as long as 15 year old vans...