what vehicle is best?

[adamants]

is everybody using big trucks? or are you using vans, people movers etc? i am considering upgrading a vehicle in the near future and want to know, how big is too big and what is too small. we cover a wide range of jobs, mostly resi service and most jobs are within 10 miles of our shop, which is pretty well stocked, and i am wondering whether to carry more, less or same amount of stock on vans and refill more or less often?:-?

 

[ultramegabob]

I do alot of commercial service call work and right now my truck is an astro van, I really like it, its good on gas, easier to manuver and park in cramped parking lots, and I can haul quite a bit of stuff in it considering how small it is. If I need to haul alot of material, I pull my trailer

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I perform a wide variety of services. I use (and am very satisfied) 1-ton GM vans (long wheelbase). The mileage is not great (around 12 MPG), but I usually travel with a total loaded vehicle weight of about 9,000 lbs. It is important to me that my vehicle be rated for the load I carry. Anything smaller would be a hazard (IMO) because the braking system would be overloaded.

 

[roger3829]

I perform a wide variety of services. I use (and am very satisfied) 1-ton GM vans (long wheelbase). The mileage is not great (around 12 MPG), but I usually travel with a total loaded vehicle weight of about 9,000 lbs. It is important to me that my vehicle be rated for the load I carry. Anything smaller would be a hazard (IMO) because the braking system would be overloaded.

Ditto. I have always had a full size van. 10mpg:-?

 

[elf friend]

Just bought a extended size E-359. Love the room-hate 11mpg.

 

[elf friend]

Just got myself an extended E-350. Love the room-hate 11mpgs.

 

[bikeindy]

10 miles is a long way to go to get something you don't have stocked in the truck because of space, and you lose time. I have two vans one is an Astro and the other a full size chevy. I use the Astro for service work and the full size for install work and they are stocked accordingly. The Astro is a great van, for a light small truck it can tow 6000# and can be loaded pretty well safely. I get 3 miles to the dollar in the full size van and 4.5 miles to the dollar in the Astro. I stopped thinking in MPG back when gas hit $3 a Gal. it helps the bottom line to be thinking in terms of what it cost you. I also am biased to GM since I have always found them to run well for many many miles and repairs are much less expensive when they are needed than other brands. I don't know about others here but I also only buy used tires. I can get a set of take offs for about $35 a tire and get 30,000 miles out of them.

 

[ultramegabob]

1 I don't know about others here but I also only buy used tires. I can get a set of take offs for about $35 a tire and get 30,000 miles out of them.

I just had a set of tires I bought off of a friend for 100 dollars put on my astro about a month ago, they look practically new, his vehicles transmission took a dump on him and it wasnt worth repairing, so he is parting it out. I think I paid 10 dollars per tire to remove and replace and ballance.

 

[c2500]

I have an Chevy Silverado 2500 4WD pickup. 10 city, 14 highway (except that trip to Tennessee where the temp never hit 40 degrees and I got 15 )
Since I am also a builder I need a truck instead of a van. I am seriously contemplating a new/used base Ford Ranger or Toyota Tocoma as a run around vehicle at more than twice the milage, and use the Chevy when I need heavy duty hauling.

c2500

 

[tonyou812]

I have a 2500 140", Hitop Sprinter . I average 19 miles to the gallon. I got it just before the price of diesel went up. It was a bit expensive when you include the price of the shelving. But I love it and anyone that works with me also love it. I think the fact that you dont have to bend over all the time saves your back a lot of years. And theres lots of room to carry material and room to spare.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

10 miles is a long way to go to get something you don't have stocked in the truck because of space, and you lose time.

AMEN to that.

.... I get 3 miles to the dollar in the full size van and 4.5 miles to the dollar in the Astro. I stopped thinking in MPG back when gas hit $3 a Gal. it helps the bottom line to be thinking in terms of what it cost you. I also am biased to GM since I have always found them to run well for many many miles and repairs are much less expensive when they are needed than other brands.

I prefer GM also.

I don't know about others here but I also only buy used tires. I can get a set of take offs for about $35 a tire and get 30,000 miles out of them.

Somehow I just can't do that. I can barely get 40,000 out of new tires, how are you getting that with used?

My calculations are a little different. I expect to recover the cost of my van in 100,000 miles.

Van, $30,000 (I like power windows, locks, CD player, etc. etc.).
Tires, $1,800
Oil changes and servicing $2,800
Misc. $1,000

Total, $35,600/100,000(miles) = $.36/mile.
Gas @ $4.00/gallon / 11 MPG = $36/mile.
My cost is $.72/mile.
I get 1.4 miles per dollar.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

is everybody using big trucks? or are you using vans, people movers etc? i am considering upgrading a vehicle in the near future and want to know, how big is too big and what is too small. we cover a wide range of jobs, mostly resi service and most jobs are within 10 miles of our shop, which is pretty well stocked, and i am wondering whether to carry more, less or same amount of stock on vans and refill more or less often?:-?

I see you are from New Zealand. It is awesome to be able to discuss this kind of stuff from someone who is virtually from another world. We hardly ever hear much news about your country...other than it makes for a great vacation.

With that out of the way:
What do you pay for your petrol/gas?
What kind of vehicles do you have available to you.

With such a short radius for work, I would not be as concerned about having a large truck/vehicle, as the trip back to the shop is relatively short.

 

[cadpoint]

If you where to search here, use a few variables of "stock" (maybe)
A certain active character posted a list, as I recall...

 

[480sparky]

I get great mileage with my truck.....

:grin: :grin:


(With apologies to Frizbeedog! ) ​

 

[tonyou812]

I get great mileage with my truck.....

:grin: :grin:


(With apologies to Frizbeedog! ) ​

If he is a real border collie he would be to smart for that gag

 

[bikeindy]

I can barely get 40,000 out of new tires, how are you getting that with used?

I buy take offs, they are nearly new, come off of cars and trucks that have been totaled. The last set I got for my van still had the little knobs on the side. paid $40 a tire. I go to the same guys every time and they take good care of me. $4 to plug a tire. I'll take some pics of my tires and show you.

 

[220/221]

I use 16' box vans. I don't like to waste time driving to and from the supply houses.

 

[adamants]

I see you are from New Zealand. It is awesome to be able to discuss this kind of stuff from someone who is virtually from another world. We hardly ever hear much news about your country...other than it makes for a great vacation.

With that out of the way:
What do you pay for your petrol/gas?
What kind of vehicles do you have available to you.

With such a short radius for work, I would not be as concerned about having a large truck/vehicle, as the trip back to the shop is relatively short.

it's a different world down here, you guys all seem to have huge gas guzzling chevs or big box trucks, which look quite cool to be honest, but down here not so available, most of our vehicles come from the asian market, with some from europe, so we are all trying to work out of a van, which you would probably call a shoe box. the majority of our vans are deisel, which now costs around $1.70 per litre, or $7.65 per gallon (approx), and you think you've got it bad! try that with a charge out rate of $65/hour!
on top of that we also have to pay "road user charges" of approx $350/ 10000 km's. i have only been out on my own for a little over a year, so can only afford a second hand vehicle at this stage, a nissan vannette 2001 cost me $7000, ex courier with 180000kms on the clock, but good nic. box trucks over here are still $20k for 10-15 years old.

 

[DanZ]

Take a look at what you absolutely need to get your jobs done. If you have two vehicles, there may be a possibility of having one of them being a small 4 cylinder truck (Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma) if that one can be used for less intensive jobs (estimating, switch changes), and keep your van for when you'll need more.

 

[bikeindy]

it's a different world down here, you guys all seem to have huge gas guzzling chevs or big box trucks, which look quite cool to be honest, but down here not so available, most of our vehicles come from the asian market, with some from europe, so we are all trying to work out of a van, which you would probably call a shoe box. the majority of our vans are deisel, which now costs around $1.70 per litre, or $7.65 per gallon (approx), and you think you've got it bad! try that with a charge out rate of $65/hour!
on top of that we also have to pay "road user charges" of approx $350/ 10000 km's. i have only been out on my own for a little over a year, so can only afford a second hand vehicle at this stage, a nissan vannette 2001 cost me $7000, ex courier with 180000kms on the clock, but good nic. box trucks over here are still $20k for 10-15 years old.

Yeah we don't have it bad, we just like having it better. It sounds insane that you have to pay so much and charge so little. I hope your housing is cheap. anyway not to rub it in but i paid $600 for the full size van in the pic. it's a '99. The astro is a '95 I bought it new it has 235000 miles (376000 KM) on it. The lettering cost me $597.50 ea. We have toll roads here as well just not as many. $.18 per Gal federal Tax times 400,000,000 Gallons of gas a day is $72,000,000 a day collected in gas tax thats $26,280,000,000 for road construction each year, add that to all the state gas taxes then add other fuels taxed It builds a lot of roads.