Trucks

[ToUtahNow]

This is a continuation of a post which was jacked. Lets try to keep the truck posts in one area.

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=81460#post81460

If you are only going to keep the truck for a few years a lease may be the way to go for you. I usually self-financed my trucks so I saved a lot of money over leasing or dealer financing. Because of what I spent to have custom bodies built and signage it did not make sense for me to turn them over every few years.

Mark

[gear junkie]

I think I'm going to go w/ the leasing for now. My problem is that I'm still in the navy and so I don't know where I'll settle down for another 9 years. I'm leaving VA in jan 09 so I'm not sure of how big of a committment that I want. If I stuck only with plumbing, I could work out of my truck, but I also do HVAC so I have a ton of stuff. Need a van, big van. Thanks for the info.

[ToUtahNow]

I think I'm going to go w/ the leasing for now. My problem is that I'm still in the navy and so I don't know where I'll settle down for another 9 years. I'm leaving VA in jan 09 so I'm not sure of how big of a committment that I want. If I stuck only with plumbing, I could work out of my truck, but I also do HVAC so I have a ton of stuff. Need a van, big van. Thanks for the info.

Thank you for all that you do for our Country.

I understand and I am looking for a larger truck again which makes no sense as I do not carry tools or materials anymore. My problem is I am trying to add a sleeper area for my out-of-State jobs. I keep thinking I will need to stick with a cut-a-way but that crew cab is sure tempting

Mark

[Crappy days]

Utah have you thought about a sprinter. If you do not carry much gear other than camera equipment, it might be ideal. http://www.sprinterpart.com/
http://www.pleasureway.com/ You can out fit these van in almost anyway imaginable. You could put everything in including the kitchen sink. Or just keep it simple sleeper head and room for gear.

[ToUtahNow]

Utah have you thought about a sprinter. If you do not carry much gear other than camera equipment, it might be ideal. http://www.sprinterpart.com/
http://www.pleasureway.com/ You can out fit these van in almost anyway imaginable. You could put everything in including the kitchen sink. Or just keep it simple sleeper head and room for gear.

The Sprinter is on my short list but the idea of the new truck is to keep my wife comfortable on our longer drives or I'm afraid she will mutiny on me. I'm thinking if I can give her a place to watch TV and take a nap a 10-hour drive may not seem quite as far.

I might even be able to do a conversion on my current truck as with proper planning I could fit my stuff in half the space.

[Crappy days]

You should test drive a sprinter. When I looked at them the salesman said it was the biggest seller among the retired. Not suggesting you are retired or ancient. He pointed out that women feel very comfortable driving them as well as the men. You can walk in them and as the links show there are plenty of options. The other thing that could work is a trailer to go with it , a small 6 by 6. This way if your wife wants to go shopping she can leave you at the job site. The other great thing is the fuel economy.

[ToUtahNow]

You should test drive a sprinter. When I looked at them the salesman said it was the biggest seller among the retired. Not suggesting you are retired or ancient. He pointed out that women feel very comfortable driving them as well as the men. You can walk in them and as the links show there are plenty of options. The other thing that could work is a trailer to go with it , a small 6 by 6. This way if your wife wants to go shopping she can leave you at the job site. The other great thing is the fuel economy.

The Sprinter is one I have been looking real hard at but then I remember when I was using Step-Vans. I know I can build a bulkhead to cut down on noise but there is also the issue of security. With my Step-Van once they got in the back they could unload the truck. With my current body all of the doors are double locked and alarmed so all they can steal is what doors they can get open. But then again the savings in gas is tempting as I sometimes drive ove 1,000 per week,

A trailer won't work because I am usually in residential areas and might inspect anywhere between 4 and 14 homes per day depending on what I am doing. I am not too worried about picking a truck the wife can drive as she can pretty much drive anything anyone else can drive. I can remember many years ago (1976?) when trucks were more important to us then cars and she drive a 12' rough-in truck to the grocery store. She has also has a bunch of miles driving our Class A Motorhome all over the place pulling whatever trailer we happened to need at the time.

Mark

[gear junkie]

Mark, what kind of gas mileage do those isuzu's get?

[ToUtahNow]

We use to get around 14 mpg which does not sound like a lot until you figure they weighed 8-tons and were pushing a giant Billboard through the wind. The down side is they are not much for racing unless you are racing another slug.

Mark

[apf]

I'm always leary of having the outside boxes .One key gets me in my van , one key to lock everything .I just purchased a Ford E-250 , 5.4L ,super cargo van . I don't even have lettering on yet , though my sign person is working on it. It has 130 miles on it . Cd player , tinted windows , cruise , air , cages on the window , pipe rack , shelving , and a great alarm system , with a class 1 towing package . It"s my first new van . I've bought used in the past and currently working out of my pick-up , which is clean , professional appearing ,as professional as a pick-up can look anyways , and set-up well . The shelves came with the van and they are metal framed with plastic/abs type shelves , which makes it lighter . Large bins as well as plenty of storage for small parts with pull out drawers. Really a nioce package .

[westcoastplumber]

I'm always leary of having the outside boxes .One key gets me in my van , one key to lock everything .I just purchased a Ford E-250 , 5.4L ,super cargo van . I don't even have lettering on yet , though my sign person is working on it. It has 130 miles on it . Cd player , tinted windows , cruise , air , cages on the window , pipe rack , shelving , and a great alarm system , with a class 1 towing package . It"s my first new van . I've bought used in the past and currently working out of my pick-up , which is clean , professional appearing ,as professional as a pick-up can look anyways , and set-up well . The shelves came with the van and they are metal framed with plastic/abs type shelves , which makes it lighter . Large bins as well as plenty of storage for small parts with pull out drawers. Really a nioce package .

Congrates on your first new van :D Good luck with it and enjoy:D

[apf]

Hey , thanks dude [see how I put a Cali. accent on there]

[ToUtahNow]

Hey , thanks dude [see how I put a Cali. accent on there]

LOL-When I closed my eyes I thought you were on of the California plumbers.

Mark

[davevb]

I got my truck trend mag yesterday and they had two interesting items in there. Sprinter is going to a toolside body (the cab looked very skinny, not much leg room?), and Ford is putting a locking/side access toolbox in the front of an 8' bed making the bed 5' 4" or so.

[Aaron91]

Where I work, we have 3, 2500 Sprinters. We're just like every other tradesmen, we're not perfect with them, but still we don't beat the piss out of them, and hands down I have to say there junk. The key less entries don't work after a few months, the passenger side sliding down doesn't 'latch' flush usually, it takes some time to get it to latch. All of them are notorious for dieing for no reason, maybe it's just the stock battery, I don't know. But they do get great mileage, or so they say, I don't think anyones actually done the math on one.

[michael stephen]

The Sprinter is on my short list but the idea of the new truck is to keep my wife comfortable on our longer drives or I'm afraid she will mutiny on me. I'm thinking if I can give her a place to watch TV and take a nap a 10-hour drive may not seem quite as far.

I might even be able to do a conversion on my current truck as with proper planning I could fit my stuff in half the space.

love that truck!!