Anyone using a pickup and trailer?

[Mr.Sparkle]

Hey I was just wondering if anyone here uses a pickup truck with a trailer instead of a van.

I ask because a builder I work for has offered to sell me his loaded 2006 Quad cab 4x4 Tacoma for quite a bit less than private party value and I need a new personal vehicle as well as a new work truck/van soon so I am thinking of killing two birds with one stone to save some money since I already have a small enclosed trailer. The only issue is the fact that the quote unquote "work" truck is still gonna cost me a pretty penny and it is the top of the line model TRD package, long bed etc....I never owned a vehicle this nice period hahaha and now I am contemplating making it my future company ride.

 

[Buck Parrish]

The Gas Will Kill You In That Big Truck

 

[480sparky]

Hitch. Unhitch. In oppressive heat. Hitch. Unhitch. In the middle of a blizzard. Hitch. Unhitch. When it's raining cats & dogs. Hitch. Unhitch.

It'll get to you eventually.

Another license to buy, along with more insurance. Gotta park out in the boonies when you go to the supply house. Makes it hard to grab a quick meal at the drive-up (or deposit that nice, big fat check!).

Then you need to back it up all the time.

 

[Minuteman]

I have seen several on the job. Mostly carpenters, but some are electric or plumbing/heating. They really hog up the parking spaces. Also, trailers are a hot commodity to steal.

 

[sparky59]

i have a trailer.....i don't like it. a van is much better.

 

[quogueelectric]

I was going to do the same thing but they wanted too much for the new trailer I wanted 3500 for a decent trailer it convinced me now I just bought a commercial cap for my quad cab 2500 I pick it up next week. It will get 3 diamond plate boxes out of the bed a much better look. Sliding windows to get 10 ft lengths in the truck. Leer 100rc w 2 toolboxes. Did I mention I hate vans??

 

[brantmacga]

I use a truck/trailer combo. The truck doubles as a personal vehicle on the weekends. I'm probably going to buy a van at the first of next year. The problem w/ a truck is that things are left in the bed and can easily grow legs. Plus when it rains, well, you know what happens. The trailer is nice but more and more I'm running into parking problems when going on service calls in small residential neighborhoods.

 

[frenchelectrican]

I have two diffrent truck size a pick up truck sized and large truck [ med duty truck ] for most of resdentail service call I used the pick up truck unless I run into very hevey work on resdential then I will snag my med duty truck in to otherwise med duty truck for commercal work due some of the specal tools I need to get my task done.

Yeah .,, I have trailer but not used very often. [ it can be pull behind either truck]

Merci,Marc

 

[ItsHot]

backup option

backup option

The trailer is a good "back up" option!:grin: But as Ken mentioned you get tired of backing. But I like the option of having the trailer. I don't think it beats a van!! But they do have there uses. If you ever get in a sitiuation to where you have to drop and leave trailer, have a good tongue lock and even a wheel lock!

 

[growler]

It's really hard to beat a van as far as a work vehicle goes. Not only that but if you look around I think you will find quite a few on the market that are allready set up ( bins and racks ) and are reasonably priced before long.

During the last recession I saw some real deals on vans but I really wasn't in the market for one haveing just bought one.

 

[480sparky]

It's really hard to beat a van as far as a work vehicle goes. Not only that but if you look around I think you will find quite a few on the market that are allready set up ( bins and racks ) and are reasonably priced before long.

During the last recession I saw some real deals on vans but I really wasn't in the market for one haveing just bought one.

Especially if they're deisels.

 

[growler]

Especially if they're deisels.

It really is a good time to pick up a low mileage deisel van or work truck. People ( for some reason) assume that because the price of fuel goes up that cetain vehicles will no longer be used or of much value but that's not really the case.

Remember those lines we had to wait in back in 1979 just to buy gas and then to only get 10 gallons. People thought life as we knew it had come to an end but the market adjust to it and life goes on. Charge each customer an extra $20 fuel sur-charge and use that money to fill up the tank.

 

[WJR]

Hey I was just wondering if anyone here uses a pickup truck with a trailer instead of a van.

I ask because a builder I work for has offered to sell me his loaded 2006 Quad cab 4x4 Tacoma for quite a bit less than private party value and I need a new personal vehicle as well as a new work truck/van soon so I am thinking of killing two birds with one stone to save some money since I already have a small enclosed trailer. The only issue is the fact that the quote unquote "work" truck is still gonna cost me a pretty penny and it is the top of the line model TRD package, long bed etc....I never owned a vehicle this nice period hahaha and now I am contemplating making it my future company ride.

What type of work do you do? I think a trailer is defiantly helpful for new residential construction where it is safe to leave the trailer overnight.

We have a site van and pull behind trailer on our tract projects. The trailer is dropped off at the rough and the van can be used for trims, service calls, etc.

If your Tacoma has the back-up camera, hooking up a trailer is really easy.

 

[WJR]

One other thing... I would recommend getting a bed slide installed in your pick-up truck. I have pick-up with a lid and bed slide and am really happy with it. It makes it easy to get to the items in the bed. Just pull out the bed slide and everything is right in front of you.

 

[cdolor]

I have a trailer. Tried the van and prefer the trailer. Easy to leave on site. No additional insurance or maintenance, cheap tags. If my tow vehicle has a mechanical problem I can tow with another. I am a small operation which may make if better for me to use a trailer. My daughter has a horse and I have a trailer to tow my tractors, so one tow vehicle works good for me. Besides the Expedition is good for family vacations.
If I were larger, 2 vehicles or more I would go with a vans....

 

[Mr.Sparkle]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Sparky I appreciate your honest pessimistic perspective hahaha......I mean that!

I worked out of a van for the entirety of my electrical career thus-far so it is nice to hear your opinions on the truck trailer combo. The only reason I am contemplating it is due to the fact that I will be on my own soon and am in dire need of a new personal ride as well as a work vehicle and am pretty sure I can't afford both (I own a 1996 Chevy p/u with a whopping 220,000 miles on it, even though it was meticulously maintained, runs 100% and doesn't leak or burn a drop of fluids I would have a hard time calling it reliable). I was thinking it might be a good thing to put that Tacoma under my business as an expense when I open up shop, it is a hard offer to pass up due to the deal I would be getting on the truck but in all honesty I will need a worthwhile work vehicle & am having a hard time justifying the Tacoma/trailer combo even though it will only be me and my younger brother for the most part.

It looks as though I won't be doing any type of trac work, mostly custom homes, additions, and word of mouth work in the beginning. A few of the builders I worked with for years with my old company seem to be interested in using me once I get the licensing squared away here, we'll see anyhow.

 

[480sparky]

FWIW, if your existing vehicle does the job, why replace it? Yea, it's nice to have a new truck, but at what cost? Like they say, If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Besides, if you're planning on hanging out your own shingle, starting out with a big debt that's essentially unneeded is, well, for lack of a better word, ludicrous.

As for taking your existing employers builders with you, you may run into legal problems trying that. I know there's many who say it's free enterprise, but you may have an agreement you don't remember signing with your employer. And some ECs place a clause in their contracts wigh builders (I know I do) about hiring the ECs employees.

 

[Mr.Sparkle]

Sparky,

Sorry for the confusion. I did not in any way mean that I was taking food off my old boss's plate, even though I do not work full time for him any longer I still do certain projects & have an excellent professional relationship with the guy. I worked for him for over 6 years, 4 as foreman of his company. I would never undermine my former boss or anyone for that matter like that. Unfortunately, even though he is a nice guy, IMHO he is a poor businessman & has lost quite a few contractors that way. A few of them however were very happy with my work & have kept in touch with me waiting for me to open shop. I have been honest with my former employer about this and have had conversations with the potential Contractors concerning this matter also. We will see if any of it pans out in the future.

As far as the vehicle thing goes I agree with you 100% I am just bellyaching over the fact that my current ride is 12 yrs old with 200,000 plus on it already & this deal comes along for the Toyota just as I was van shopping and with the price of gas etc etc etc now I am all confused.

 

[zog]

Here is our new truck and trailer Mobile circuit breaker shop, 480V Generator, Air conditioning, crane, 60,000A injection set, the works.

 

[frenchelectrican]

Dang Zog you beat me on trailer size but however you got nice setup.

Merci,Marc