Truck/Van opinion

[gear junkie]

I'm thinking about getting a work truck within the next year(need to find out where the navy's sending me). Is it better when starting off to get exactly what you want ($40,000) or to get a cheaper vehicle and get another one later. I have the personality where save to get exactly what I want and hold on to it for a long time. Also, I'm navy so I know the truck will get paid off no matter what. When I retire in 11 years, I can see myself keeping this truck. Do I have dreams of dillusion as my wife thinks or does this make sense?
http://www.supremecorp.com/supreme.php?page=product&body=service&product=13

[HVAC HAWK]

nice truck i say go for it but
do you plan on hauling ladders or pipes ,the truck is a little tall.
think of what you will be putting in it to make sure you need all that room.
we have ford vans and we have all the room we need
how is it on gas ????

[Woussko]

If you can handle paying for it, I would get the good truck while you can. Upgrading it later will cost you more total $. If you traded it in after say 2 years you won't get that much trade-in for it. Have you looked at Freightliner and not the little Sprinter but a step up from it? International? The local rescue squad went for several 5 ton Freightliner trucks and while the ride sucks they have held up well for them. A good many towing companies are using International for their rollbacks.

I do know a plumbing company near me that has a few of the Isuzu much like the one you have in mind. For the most part they like them but they say the little Diesel engine really grunts when the trucks are loaded and they have any hills to climb. Maybe the engine issue has been addressed with the newer ones. Be sure to test drive it going uphill.

[DUNBAR]

If you will be doing a lot of driving whereby expressway driving is common, expect the drag coefficient to be horrible on those box type vehicles.

They are notorious for drag which kills gas mileage, unless of course you put one of those spoiler type assemblies on the roof.

It will help but won't cure the problem. A former plumber friend of mine had a chevy diesel with one of those real tall beds and as soon as he let off the gas pedal, the truck would backdrag something awful....almost like he was driving with the emergency brake on.

[gear junkie]

I was thinking about the same box but with a Sprinter chassis. The isuzu has been around longer but Drain Medic was telling me about Hino's. I don't have any experience with those. I need a big truck because I do plumbing and HVAC. I won't buy ford. Henry Ford was a Nazi and a Ford plant closed in my area causing many friends to become unemployed. Why am I seeing OSC's avatar flash before my eyes.:D

[Evil Gopher]

Company truck I drive is a Ford (we have 1 Isuzu) with that same box as urr link. Company I work for does both plumbing and AC.

Everyone who drives one HATES IT!!!!!!!!!!! those side doors tent to pop open ...everyone has a story of seeing tools go flying when they turned a corner..and since its alumanium and wood/fiberglass, a screw driver will pop open a locked compartment...soo free tools to someone who wants them.. that overhang over the cab....when it rains the water come right into the windows...even a little opend...like a funnel....

The guy before me cut a hole in the bottom of the cab/back wall on the left side of the the floor inside...so extension ladder fits...but its a royal pain to get out. The inside is narrow than it looks....long wheel well like thing on both sides...about 2ft wide running the leanght of the back...about 3ft up...cuts inside storage...and if u put anyhing on them....u can hear them hitting the floor when u turn and they slide off. plumers have 2 or 3 hot water heaters in the front end of the back of the truck...without any problem..but to put a package unit into the truck...the extension ladder has to be removed...and the package units just barrley fit.

hate too rain on your choice but that set up sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oldslowchevy]

Why am I seeing OSC's avatar flash before my eyes.:D

i have no idea what you mean:D:D:D

[ToUtahNow]

Ben,

Spartan was Marathon before Marathon went BK. They are located down the street from me. They are OK but they are not a steel body and I perfer a steel body. My trucks were similar but in 14' long steel and I had both the Isuzu and the GMC. They gave us good service but not near the service we got out of our Fords. Before you committ to a truck check and see what the DMV and insurance requirements are between different size trucks. I save a lot of money on my current truck by buying a left over model year and staying below 10,000 pounds (9,600).

Mark

[gear junkie]

Gopher, no apologies needed, you might have just saved me 40k. I have no real experience with that brand so if anyone knows a better brand out there by all means, chime in.

[Herk]

If I could afford whatever I wanted, I'd get Hackney's P-2000 (http://www.hackneyplumbing.com/). Comes with shelves already installed, low rear entry, ramp too, and folding side brackets for pipe or ladder. What I'll probably wind up with is a used Isuzu that I'll fix up to suit. I'd stay away from the external doors - would you rather be inside on a rainy day picking out your parts, or outside going from door to door trying to remember where something was? And there's nothing as fun as the door falling open while you're cruising down the freeway.

[toolaholic]

.Hi Gear , I'M confused, please help Me out. Seems You're full time Navy. Do You have a plumbing license ? Are You running a part time Buss., in addition to Your Navy job?
Thanks tool

[Woussko]

ToUtahNow has a good point about staying under a 10,000 pound GVW rating. Around here any truck of 10,000 and up has to stop at every weigh station and that is one royal PITA if there is one. Insurance and registration are higher too. For what it's worth you might take a good look at what other HVAC contractors and plumbers in your area are using and ask the guys driving them around. You do need a good tuff body and think about security. Hmmm Maybe a nasty attack dog or two might help. :rolleyes:

[gear junkie]

.Hi Gear , I'M confused, please help Me out. Seems You're full time Navy. Do You have a plumbing license ? Are You running a part time Buss., in addition to Your Navy job?
Thanks tool
Here's my story: I'm active duty navy(9 years) and do plumbing and air conditioning as my primary job. I don't go on ships, we provide land base support for Marines, Army and SF units. I worked part time for another company but quit about a month ago because they were cheats. I'm currently looking for another employer. I was going to work for another company but they wanted me to sign a non compete clause.

My ultimate goal is to start my own business while being active duty. I'm working on getting my journeyman's now and I'm up for the test right now. After holding it for 1 year, I'll take my masters then get my contractors. I don't want to be big, I just want to be legal when I do sidework. If I made 1k a month, I'd be happy. I'm lucky because I look at this trade as a hobby, I'd rather snake a line than watch a football game. My eyes light up when I get an AC call.

Being a Seabee suits me because there are 2 places where we're located; Port Hueneme, CA and Gulfport, MS. I plan on going back to MS and spending the next 11 years there which is feasible. During that time, I'll continue to have my business.

The same day I step out of my uniform, I'll step into my service truck and go on a call. That's the dream and it will happen.

[PLUMBER RICK]

ben, i have pretty much the same truck. it's a gmc w4500. 14,050# gvw.

the gas 350ci. engine is 6 mpg fully loaded:eek:

i have the 12' body with the outside doors only on the passenger side and shelving interior. the truck can steer circles around anything thanks to it's cab forward design and the 109'' wheel base.

the insurance , motor vehicle requirements and chp requirements require me to have a minimum $750,000 liability.

ben,i wouldn't buy such a truck until your in business and know what your game plan is. no need to make all the payments if this is just a part time thing. for me it's great. in the 7 years i've had it, i have 42,000 miles and it's been reliable;) my body is the 5/8'' thick frp and i have worked from on top of the 9' high box.

call me for more info.

rick.

[toolaholic]

Thanks' Gear for explaining. Rick is right,keep it simple now .If You need a truck get a used 1 ton van from Hertz, Your family life is more important. Momma ain't gonna be happy with those payments. Maybe the sebees make a lot more than Marines.

[gear junkie]

Thanks for the good advice from everyone. As far as a bigger vehicle being a gas guzzler; my stance is(and tell me if this is wrong) that a smaller vehicle is the gas guzzler because you don't have everything on your small truck so you have to run back to the supply house to get it. You can't charge the customer for time wasted because you didn't have the part so it's lost money for you.

So the general consensus is buy newer and take care of it to last a long time?

[mrs. westcoast]

ben, i have pretty much the same truck. it's a gmc w4500. 14,050# gvw.

the gas 350ci. engine is 6 mpg fully loaded:eek:

i have the 12' body with the outside doors only on the passenger side and shelving interior. the truck can steer circles around anything thanks to it's cab forward design and the 109'' wheel base.

the insurance , motor vehicle requirements and chp requirements require me to have a minimum $750,000 liability.

ben,i wouldn't buy such a truck until your in business and know what your game plan is. no need to make all the payments if this is just a part time thing. for me it's great. in the 7 years i've had it, i have 42,000 miles and it's been reliable;) my body is the 5/8'' thick frp and i have worked from on top of the 9' high box.

call me for more info.

rick.


Rick ,

why don't you post a real pict of it? Mark showed us his,drain showed his,rob showed his....I would like to see it...hmmm i think i did on google maps....lol..you cannot miss it:)

[ToUtahNow]

Ben,

They don't make a truck large enough to carry everything. That is why you need to decide what is important enough to pay to haul around as a just in case and that will tell you what size to get.

Mark

[mrs. westcoast]

Ben,

They don't make a truck large enough to carry everything. That is why you need to decide what is important enough to pay to haul around as a just in case and that will tell you what size to get.

Mark

Mark

you are right.

Robert would love to have the truck you have or the one rick has.

1)the one rick has wouldn't apply with our HOA policy and it definatly wouldnt fit into our complex

2)he loves your van mark,but it is too expensive for starting out..we already have a new truck plus a new van..our car loans would be $1000 a month with the truck we have now..not including insurance and all the things that go along just for the cars..

Rob got a used van and we don't have the van payment..so thank god for that...I tell you if we did...let's just keep it on we don't..:)

Now if we were renting and had no plans to have children in the future then we would definatly buy the van you or rick have.

Plus the van rob has now is ok....he doesn't has to come back all the time cause he forgot something...

It is about current needs and future plans and i think on that you decide what suits for you the best...No one can tell you get it if they don't know you,your family and your budget:)

Hope you get what is right in your heart and mind:)

[Evil Gopher]

Gear I was thinking about this today...

dont know about the plumbing side...but around here 1 hour HVAC comes to mind...they use a van for service calls and then use a trailer when the do change outs and installs......since ur kindof sort of doing this part time-ish...why not use a simaler set up...truck or van with a trailer for the bigger jobs....would be lower insurance...trailer tags here in Florida are cheap..

U could also use a larger trailer...load it up for everything...then just use it when u actualy go out on jobs...use your truck/van what ever for too from work...get a ac or plumbing job..hook up trailer...tools parts ect inside the trailer and go...

just a thought...

[Woussko]

Later on you might add a second trailer so you have one for type A jobs and the other for type B jobs. Then if you really get busy pickup a third open trailer to haul junk to the dump. By then more than likely you'll have a dump truck.

[gear junkie]

Just got off the phone with Rick and he said the same thing about a trailer. This is not an immediate purchase. I plan for big purchases like this wayyy down the road. A realistic timeline for my van would be around 2 years. I'm just trying to prior plan. You guys and ladies have given me alot of good info to think about.

[toolaholic]

I'm startin to feel low about this New Truck Fever . I'm thinkin to throw 5 big ones in the kitty for our Boy.I figger MARK IS THE ONE WITH ALL THE BREAD, Rick is a close second , Josh is next all Clear follows up. Now pass the HAT. HOLD IT ,CAN We get WHATZ HIS NAME BACK
IN? Gear will have a custom HUMMER VAN !

[wookie]

My stepvan (ups type body) is the perfect truck for me. Aluminum body, 14' cargo, easy access front and rear, 4 cylinder cummins diesel ( 15mpg). Everything is out of sight/weather. I also pull a 5x12 enclosed trailer as needed for large jobs. Go for a used one. Once you know what you want it sounds like you have the time to wait for one to come your way.

wookie