Barn or Sliding Doors

[Dezzmo]

I'm in the market for a newer Van and I'd like to know if anyone prefers one type of side door to another. I found a newer GMC Savanna for sale with a sliding door and was interested in it.

My current Van has barn doors and a couple of years ago one of the hinge pins "froze" to the hinge so now I can't open the left door anymore. Also, they don't seem to close completely therefore allowing unneeded road noise and cold/hot air into the cabin.

I understand this is somewhat normal "wear and tear" that these vehicles go through but I'm wondering if anyone here can share their likes/dislikes with their sliding doors?

TIA

[tlperry68]

If we were looking to buy a new van I'd opt for power sliding doors. Reason is that I have 2 littl kids. Just my two cents.
By the way, we looked at the Dodge Town and Country and they thought of everything.

[TRPLXL2]

My dad has a stripped out 1986 "work van, metal floor, metal sides no carpeting no nothing. It has about 38,000 miles on it now. He has the sliding door on his and he loves it, we have never had any issues with it at all as far as the door is concerned. You just have to make sure to keep the track greased or lubed to keep it sliding good, the reason my dad went with it was because he didn't want the mess of the hinges on the barn doors. I would say if they were good back in the 80's, then they should be even better today with all of the design improvements. He hauls a lot of wood in it, so the large sliding door definately comes in handy.:great:

[tlperry68]

One more plus to the sliders is that you get more room to get in and out of the van as opposed to hinged doors.

[Dezzmo]

Thanks for the info folks. So if I find a Van for sale with sliding doors I won't hesitate to buy it.

But could you tell me what year did Chevy/GMC begin to offer Power sliding doors? This would be a very nice option:glasses:

[TRPLXL2]

My aunt had a 2003 Chevy Venture with the dual power sliding doors, but it was the Warner Bros. edition so that might have been a special option for that vehicle??

[fairyandtroll]

I've had experience with both kind of doors. I feel sliding doors are better for loading and unloading of passengers and stuff. A barn style door is curved inward at top which I have hit my head on many times and sounded worse than a sailor from it. Also barn doors don't open as wide or safely as sliders do. Barn doors tend to close on you by themselves if you park on a slight slope, sliders have a catch to stop them. A barn door is great if your in a rainy areas you can close them on the way in a slider has to be slid after you get in. I myself will never buy a van with a Barn Type door! But it depends on your needs.

[1flyfisher]

I just ordered a 2010 GMC Savana with the Sliding Cargo door. I slide a kayak into my van and the 60/40 barn doors would block that from happening, much more ease of access with the cargo door and it is bigger/wider entry. The 60/40 would also block my view when I am kicking back on the bed looking out over the lakes I flyfish. Also the 60/40 are a pain as they blow closed in a breeze.
So for me....cargo door.....

......also I use a wheelchair and I will transfer in to the van through the cargo door and then roll/pull my wheelchair in. The cargo door is easy to slide closed. And closing one door as opposed to trying to reach around my wheelchair and close the rear side door would be a pain.