Sport > Express. I would say wait and get a sport unless you like a very plain interior. The express don't come with color matched handles or side mirrors. While you can match the handles the side mirrors you're pretty much stuck with. Well you can swap them out for sport mirrors, but you won't have the turn signal to be functional because the express aren't wired for that. Maybe I'm biased because I have a sport...but I would never buy an express. It may cost you a few thousand more, but really look closely at the differences. Even if the place you go only has a sport in a CC or QC, still look at it to see how the interior is different. Also, keep in mind the option of ordering one. The way I looked at it when I bought my truck was that if I'm going to be paying on it for a while, I want to be completely happy with it. Just so happens they found my truck at another local dealership so I didn't go the ordering route.
As far as body lifts go, there isn't going to be anything different from a 10 to a 12 except maybe they used a different sized bolt. Other than that a body lift for a 4th gen is going to be a body lift. Leveling kits, same thing. That part of the suspension (well it just bolts on to the stop of the strut) I don't believe has changed at all.
If you want to stay garage height, your best bet is going to be a 4" and 35s or leveling kit and small body lift. After having just added a body lift myself, I would say not to do any more than a 1.25" body lift. As it is the engine sank down there a pretty good ways, more than I would have expected. I can't even imagine how far it would be with a 3". Plus with a 3" it involves extending wires, brake lines, etc.
