Choice of Vehicles

[Turbo2003]

Hi All,

I hope this post belongs in this section of the Forum. My apologies if it does not.

I've been doing install work out of a van for past year+ and it's time to go after new vehicle due to mileage and getting too much down time. I am considering going to a pickup instead of another van. Although the van has some advantages I think the a truck might be a better choice here in Northeast.

If anyone wishes to comment on their choice of vehicles and why I'd appreciate the input before I make this purchase. Thanks!

 

[bcshields]

Two words: Gas milage.

Consider a small pickup with a cap, maybe a Toyota or a Nissan for better gas milage and reliability.

Just my $0.02

 

[dishjockey]

A truck with a cap is a pain to work out of and has less space than a van.

I use a truck myself but only because I need it for towing.Probably the only guy around installing out of a one ton turbo-diesel.

 

[Mike500]

I use an old Mazda MPV with four doors and a back van lift hatch. The rear seats have been removed. The back doors provide easy access to tool boxes. There is no heavy clumsy sliding van doors. The front bucket seats have a 10 inch space between them. I can easily carry 10 ft pieces of conduit in the van with the rear hatch closed. A 22ft Little Giant ladder easily fits inside, as well a s a 6ft fiber glass step ladder. The rear hatch pulls up and provides an awning. so you can work under it when it rains. Since it is rear wheel drive, it lasts longer than a front wheel drive vehicle, when loaded. There are no CV shaft and boot problems.

 

[Wayd Wolf]

Since you're in the northeast, you might want to remember the weather and get an AWD/4WD vehicle.

You might also want such a vehicle in the form of a van for its storage and cargo capabilities.

Pickups can be far too cumbersome when it comes to storage requiring a lot of shuffling no matter the cap.

Actually, I'm looking to buy an AWD van with a good articulated bucket myself.

 

[Stargazer]

Toyota & Honda has good reliability and good gas mileage but can be steeper to work on and higher in price. A Ford Ranger also has good reliability, good gas mileage, is cheaper to buy and cheaper to work on.

 

[Turbo2003]

Since you're in the northeast, you might want to remember the weather and get an AWD/4WD vehicle.

You might also want such a vehicle in the form of a van for its storage and cargo capabilities.

Pickups can be far too cumbersome when it comes to storage requiring a lot of shuffling no matter the cap.

Actually, I'm looking to buy an AWD van with a good articulated bucket myself.

Do you find enough jobs where you can actually get the bucket in close enough to justify a purchase? Or are you also doing line work?

I even looked at some of the towable buckets like the Genie TZ34/20. Good for old guys like me with sore knees New ones are too pricey but some of the used ones I've seen are not bad. Expensive investment but they seem to hold their value.

 

[Wayd Wolf]

Most of the places I work, the roof ridge can be reached by bucket from the driveway on one side and many customers will have workmen drive onto the lawn for siding, carpentry, etc. without a problem. About one third of my installs are above the second floor to a 45 degree slope roof and the number will only get worse, to half being 60 degree or better with the explosion of artsy McMansions with insane rooftop designs.

I also do cable system projects when I can and a bucket is good there as well. Working every passive from a ladder gets very time consuming and Osmose just did the statewide survey of utility poles so the utility companies are like 20% of the way into replacing them, leaving a lot of bad poles that can't take extra load. Problem is, they tend to replace them with taller poles with higher attachment points. Soon every cable and phone tech will require a bucket truck.