Looking to buy a van for towing, and had few questions regarding the reliability of a used van.

Car and trailer weigh about 3100lbs and my budget is $5000 and was looking along the lines of an E150, or E250 since an enclosed trailer is out of the question for a long time and probably even longer once I get a van.

I have never owned a Ford or anything similar so need some help on buying something that will not require more work than the race car. I know you guys can't give definite answers but just some guidelines or experiences you have had.

I have found several in my price range that have around 100k miles, but at the same time I have seen some with the same mileage that already have rebuilt engines and trannys.

Typically how long are these engines and trannys good for(provided they haven't been hammered on by being used as a delivery truck)

Also thoughts on the Chevy Astro Cargo Vans as I see a lot of those for sale.