what vehicle is best?

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adamants said:
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.
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Is the vannette kinda like a 2 door car with the back windows painted body color? I traveled to Ireland several times back around 2000 (a woman of course) and literally only saw one small pick up truck. However there were tons of vehicles that were commercial that had the back and side windows painted body color.

c2500
 
adamants said:
is everybody using big trucks? or are you using vans, people movers etc?
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I just retired 2 older vans and replaced them with a Dodge Grand Caravan. I wanted to go even smaller than that, but just couldn't make myself do it. I looked hard at a Honda Element before deciding that I really liked being able to carry ladders. Heck, if I had had a fuel-efficient, compact European or Asian contractor van as an option I would've taken full advantage of it. I don't have size and power issues. :)

Granted, I only do residential (mostly service) work, so I don't have to stock a huge van full of stuff. And I actually enjoy taking breaks to hobnob at the supply counter.

I'm still learning to work out of it, only had it 2 weeks and I spent the first week fishing out of it in the Adirondacks. :) When I got home I stowed the seats, put down rubber matting in the back (it has -- gasp -- carpet!), and put a rack on it. Still haven't figured out storage, right now everything's in crates and buckets. Getting used to a toy van will take a little time, but my first tank of work gas lasted me all week with some to spare. That won't take any getting used to at all. And at under $20K, it won't take long for it to pay for itself, either. :)
 
adamants said:
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!
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With fuel prices in the US steadily climbing, I don't think it will be long before we see diesel "vanettes" (as you call them) over here.
 
Wish I could ride my bike (bicycle) to work - but that wont cut it.... I live on a hill it would be easy to work - real pain to get home...
 
Sprinters for the men, I drive a diesel Dodge 2500 (my first Dodge always been a Ford man). I was getting 17.5 MPH just but a A.R.E. Fiberglass top on mileage went to 19.5 MPH.
 
I guess most people who have fleet cards that require the driver to enter his odometer reading notice that it's pretty easy to track the truck's mileage if you fill up every time. This gets screwed up if you use the truck's card to fill up generator gas or trencher gas, though. For this reason, it's better to have a different "truck number" for miscellaneous gas purchases.
 
I wished toyota would have come out with a good work van here. I see some of them in the Caribbian. They sound like a good investment. Toyotas can really take a beating as well as Hondas.
 
adamants said:
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?:-?
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I like the wrap on your van. Was it expensive? I think a good image sells. people can Identily your company from other companies that have their name in small letters.
 
DanZ said:
... 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.
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The reason I don't think that would work for me is because it seems like some corollary of Murphy's law dictates that it's always the simple jobs that turn into a can of worms. Either that, or you get a bite on a bunch of recommended extra work and you're there all day when you thought it would take 20 minutes. I've always said that it's really hard to sell what you don't have. If I have to run to the supply house or the shop for something I get far fewer sales than if I have one (of whatever) on the truck.
 
mdshunk said:
The reason I don't think that would work for me is because it seems like some corollary of Murphy's law dictates that it's always the simple jobs that turn into a can of worms. Either that, or you get a bite on a bunch of recommended extra work and you're there all day when you thought it would take 20 minutes. I've always said that it's really hard to sell what you don't have. If I have to run to the supply house or the shop for something I get far fewer sales than if I have one (of whatever) on the truck.
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I totally agree the key to a good service truck is one of everything. Keeping a running stock is top on the list.
 
tonyou812 said:
I like the wrap on your van. Was it expensive? I think a good image sells. people can Identily your company from other companies that have their name in small letters.
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i have a mate who is a signwiter, so the signage for my van was around $1500, i also have matching uniforms, nice bright gold shirts and black pants. the thing i was going for when i started, was that i wanted to look like i had been around for years and was already established, also i wanted t get noticed (which i do). most guys starting out, get there name on the side of their van, and start working, which i dont think looks very professional, plus we always have a conversation starter when we turn up to a job, giving us a good rapport with our customers straight away.
 
brian john said:
....... (my first Dodge always been a Ford man)......
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Same here. My fingers are crossed, hoping it works out OK. I'm going to keep one of the old Fords mothballed in the garage for a spell, until I'm sure. :)
 
adamants said:
i have a mate who is a signwiter, so the signage for my van was around $1500, i also have matching uniforms, nice bright gold shirts and black pants. the thing i was going for when i started, was that i wanted to look like i had been around for years and was already established, also i wanted t get noticed (which i do). most guys starting out, get there name on the side of their van, and start working, which i dont think looks very professional, plus we always have a conversation starter when we turn up to a job, giving us a good rapport with our customers straight away.
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Can you post a larger picture? It looks good, but it is difficult to see in your avatar.(too small)
 
Kuv

Kuv

Knapheide%20KUV129SUK%20%20Chevy%20CG33503%20-%20worker.jpg


I know my fuel bill is up by $300 per month, not quite a truck payment so Im not ready to crawl around inside of a van again for another expense.

My chevy, one ton, diesel, KUV body truck, about 10,000lbs of it gets just around 15mpg. I have a friend of mine with the same truck with a gas engine, he gets just under 12mpg.
Diesel is mileage per gallon is %20 better if I did the math right, and around here diesel is about %20 more than gas. So daily operation is somewhat of a wash.
Seems like someone is discouraging the use of diesel for some reason.
I been experimenting with a couple of different fuel additives with mixed results.
Biodiesel is traded like regular diesel and for no reason is the same price as #2 diesel.

This move has biodiesel people suspending operations in some places.
 
mdshunk said:
The reason I don't think that would work for me is because it seems like some corollary of Murphy's law dictates that it's always the simple jobs that turn into a can of worms. Either that, or you get a bite on a bunch of recommended extra work and you're there all day when you thought it would take 20 minutes. I've always said that it's really hard to sell what you don't have. If I have to run to the supply house or the shop for something I get far fewer sales than if I have one (of whatever) on the truck.
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I want to work for Marc or 220/221, both run large trucks and see the advantage.

They provide me with a nice van, GMC 3500 Durmax standard wheelbase, but there is not enough room to keep all the tools and materials I need to do the varied work I am assigned.
 
mdshunk said:
The reason I don't think that would work for me is because it seems like some corollary of Murphy's law dictates that it's always the simple jobs that turn into a can of worms. Either that, or you get a bite on a bunch of recommended extra work and you're there all day when you thought it would take 20 minutes. I've always said that it's really hard to sell what you don't have. If I have to run to the supply house or the shop for something I get far fewer sales than if I have one (of whatever) on the truck.
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tonyou812 said:
I totally agree the key to a good service truck is one of everything. Keeping a running stock is top on the list.
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True, but you guys also do more varied work than some other people! It also helps if you don't carry around a small supply house worth of equipment and tools. :grin: It's one of those things that works for some, and not for others.
 
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