# Cargo Van vs Trailer vs Mini Van



## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

Have been using my mini van to run my business out of, unfortunately it doubles as the family vehicle. Am getting tired of the constant loading and unloading whenever I switch from my painter hat to my daddy hat, not to mention the wear and tear I have been putting on the new van. What are your experiences with different vehicles and / or trailers?


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

What? No love being shown to pickup trucks with a canopy?


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

RH said:


> What? No love being shown to pickup trucks with a canopy?




Haha don't feel like fishing out my gear with a hockey stick, although that would be very Canadian of me 


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

Keep the family van and buy a full size E-150 for work.


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

ridesarize said:


> Keep the family van and buy a full size E-150 for work.




You prefer the Ford over other cargo vans?


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

MurphysPaint said:


> You prefer the Ford over other cargo vans?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have found out the hard way that a mini van isn't the best for lugging around your gear. It's not designed for the constant weight.
Get an actual cargo van, or a mini cube van. 

Your maintenance bill will thank you


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## ridesarize (Jun 19, 2012)

MurphysPaint said:


> You prefer the Ford over other cargo vans?


Well in general I don't love fords. But for vans probably would get another one. Chevy vans have those huge engine covers. It's weird with cars I usually dislike ford interiors but the E series is good. I've had a cool old 76' E150 and an 89 e250 hd which was awesome as hell just used too much gas. The straight six is a good engine and I should get another one myself, my Astro is out of commission, 
Dodges are completely unappealing to me.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

I have a Chevy express. LOVE IT. I've worked out of an s10 blazer, 2 different trucks with canopies,A volvo, an astro (loved that little tank) a Ford transit connect and the express that I can remember....I think there was a Taurus station wagon in there way back when....lol. the express is the way to go. We have a trailer also for bigger projects but I can run a couple of crews outta the van pretty well and (usually) keep it stocked and organized...it's fantastic having a place for (almost)everything minimizing runs for the little things that tend to get buried in the usual hard to get to spots in a different rig. Definitely worth saving for as the time you save makes the purchase pay for itself after a while.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Dodge Caravan here. The only nice thing about it is that it has side doors on both sides. However, I'd love to have an E150 with a real ladder rack and shelves. I also hate it when live gets in the way and you've gotta unload the stupid thing cause your wife has found yet another need to haul something or other somewhere.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

We thought the 14' enclosed trailer would be very useful. With all the tiny side streets around here it was and is very hard to find a place to park without blocking most of the street. Right now we have 2 pick up trucks. We have been looking at smaller trailers, vans, or smaller box trucks. I am most likely going to grab a small 5x8 trailer for local work.


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## The Cutting Edge (May 25, 2014)

I drive a retired ambulance for work. Laugh all you want but I have crazy storage in that thing. I haul 3 airless units in it along with a texture machine and all my ladders fit inside. Even my 24 Ft extension ladder. It has heat and air in the back and a power inverter with outlets to charge battery chargers and run my coffee pot. If I have a late finish on a job and its dark I can light up a city block like a football field.


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## Joe67 (Aug 12, 2016)

I'm working out of a Ford Ranger, but I wouldn't call it "ideal" for painting in particular. I have it because I just need a pick up for life (general hauling of firewood and building materials and garbage and ...). It's got a heavy duty rack - very useful - but no cap. So all of my stuff goes into covered bins. I also do a lot of unloading and loading depending on what is going on with life and jobs. 

Lately I've been thinking a small trailer would be great to just keep loaded and then I just hitch and unhitch. But just in terms of overall utility for my whole life the Ranger is great. I went to that instead of a full size because its a 4cyl, 5 speed so I get closer to 24-25mpg rather than 17-20. (Newer full size pickups would do as well but I don't have the $$ to be anywhere near newer trucks. The Ranger is a '97).

If I could have a vehicle dedicated to painting alone, it would probably be one of the standard white work vans - Ford e-series or Chevy express and the like.

I worked for a long time out of a Ford Escort wagon. Don't laugh too hard. You can put a lot of stuff into one of those and it got over 30mpg. And since I am working FOR a contractor rather than being a contractor, larger hauling needs could be dealt with in other ways.


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

It looks like the consensus is cargo van. CD you have confirmed my fears of an enclosed trailer, just too much of a hassle. Journeyman, my Caravan has taken so many KM's and abuse in the last 12 months it will be worth $0 and still have a $20k lien of I keep this up. 
Thanks to everyone for their feedback on their vans of choice, I'm going to see what I can do and will share any news with the group!

Edit : I would love a retired ambulance 

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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

The Cutting Edge said:


> I drive a retired ambulance for work. Laugh all you want but I have crazy storage in that thing. I haul 3 airless units in it along with a texture machine and all my ladders fit inside. Even my 24 Ft extension ladder. It has heat and air in the back and a power inverter with outlets to charge battery chargers and run my coffee pot. If I have a late finish on a job and its dark I can light up a city block like a football field.


If you can find one in your price point, they are worth every penny


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

MurphysPaint said:


> It looks like the consensus is cargo van. CD you have confirmed my fears of an enclosed trailer, just too much of a hassle. Journeyman, my Caravan has taken so many KM's and abuse in the last 12 months it will be worth $0 and still have a $20k lien of I keep this up.
> Thanks to everyone for their feedback on their vans of choice, I'm going to see what I can do and will share any news with the group!
> 
> Edit : I would love a retired ambulance
> ...


Most vans around here in our price range are rotted. A van selling for 5 grand can have so much rot/rust it may not be inspectable. Any vans without rot are going for over 10 grand. Since we already have 2 pick up trucks and plan on investing another 10-15 grand into the business We don't need a van that bad, it would be nice but not necessary for us. We prefer to buy tools for the trade.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

The Cutting Edge said:


> I drive a retired ambulance for work. Laugh all you want but I have crazy storage in that thing. I haul 3 airless units in it along with a texture machine and all my ladders fit inside. Even my 24 Ft extension ladder. It has heat and air in the back and a power inverter with outlets to charge battery chargers and run my coffee pot. If I have a late finish on a job and its dark I can light up a city block like a football field.


I'd be thinking of a way to capitalize on its unique appearance. "Paint RX" or something catchy on the side of it...market it and yourself. I can definitely see the appeal with the mods on it!


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

Couldn't be happier with my 2014 GMC Savana 2500. I like how GM handles compared to ford and that the rear doors swing 180 deg.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

cdpainting said:


> We thought the 14' enclosed trailer would be very useful. With all the tiny side streets around here it was and is very hard to find a place to park without blocking most of the street. Right now we have 2 pick up trucks. We have been looking at smaller trailers, vans, or smaller box trucks. I am most likely going to grab a small 5x8 trailer for local work.


Ain't that the truth...and on many of these small, tight streets you have to have a permit to park it overnight or for a couple of weeks....if at all. It's a bummer for sure.....


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

It depends what you are doing.
We never had a full size cargo van or pick up.
We do interior mostly, 60% commercial, run 3-4 crews and quite often have big jobs.
Organization and a well visited shop works good.
Here are two crew vehicles


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

lilpaintchic said:


> Ain't that the truth...and on many of these small, tight streets you have to have a permit to park it overnight or for a couple of weeks....if at all. It's a bummer for sure.....


Some streets we do need permits to leave a trailer there. Some streets no but man can some of the neighbors be cry babies about it.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

MurphysPaint said:


> It looks like the consensus is cargo van. CD you have confirmed my fears of an enclosed trailer, just too much of a hassle. Journeyman, my Caravan has taken so many KM's and abuse in the last 12 months it will be worth $0 and still have a $20k lien of I keep this up.
> Thanks to everyone for their feedback on their vans of choice, I'm going to see what I can do and will share any news with the group!
> 
> Edit : I would love a retired ambulance
> ...


Hey Murphy, You may know this already but I didn't know about this site until someone told me a few years ago. But I use CARGURUS.COM when looking for a car or truck or in your case a van. You sign up to get e-mails sent to you when another van in your area would come on the market for sale. You punch in what you are looking for , What price range and miles specifications and options even what color or if color maters. and how far you want to go to get it. Hope this helps. Good luck on your search.


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## Joe67 (Aug 12, 2016)

Around where I am used cargo vans are a dime a dozen. People - and companies - are dumping them all of the time. Evaluating condition is tricky though. And in central VA the rot issues aren't really there. If we get one or two good snows a year, that's a lot so the road chemicals are constantly bathing the frames and undersides. So it's more about how abused and worn out they are.


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

007 Dave said:


> Hey Murphy, You may know this already but I didn't know about this site until someone told me a few years ago. But I use CARGURUS.COM when looking for a car or truck or in your case a van. You sign up to get e-mails sent to you when another van in your area would come on the market for sale. You punch in what you are looking for , What price range and miles specifications and options even what color or if color maters. and how far you want to go to get it. Hope this helps. Good luck on your search.




Look promising. Better than scouring kijiji everyday. Unbelievable news is that we just got offered a free car from a family member, so it looks like I won't be making a purchase in the immediate future! Minivan it is!


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

Come to Iowa and I'll hook you up! I might even pay you to take it 😂


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

AngieM said:


> Come to Iowa and I'll hook you up! I might even pay you to take it




Will you throw in the ladders? 


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

MurphysPaint said:


> Look promising. Better than scouring kijiji everyday. Unbelievable news is that we just got offered a free car from a family member, so it looks like I won't be making a purchase in the immediate future! Minivan it is!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That is so awesome Murphy. I'm happy for you.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

AngieM said:


> Come to Iowa and I'll hook you up! I might even pay you to take it 😂


Angie, If Murphy don't take it and you want to get rid of it fast. Call your local junk yard. 5 or 6 years ago my daughters 1990 Nissan Maxima transmission went bad. We got almost $400 for it. They weigh it and give you the price of what metal is selling for. 

I'm not saying your van is ready for the junk yard. If it starts and gets you there safe, somebody could use it. I just suggested it in case you didn't want to mess with selling it.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

I was chatting with an older GC I know about my wanting of a cargo van for work and having a hard time finding one for around $10k. He said "You wanna know why they're so hard to find in that price range? Because there's so many cheap skate trade guys like you out there looking for them. It's supply and demand." Around here, the only used cargo vans I come across are selling for around $30K. Can't do that right now.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

007 Dave said:


> Angie, If Murphy don't take it and you want to get rid of it fast. Call your local junk yard. 5 or 6 years ago my daughters 1990 Nissan Maxima transmission went bad. We got almost $400 for it. They weigh it and give you the price of what metal is selling for.
> 
> I'm not saying your van is ready for the junk yard. If it starts and gets you there safe, somebody could use it. I just suggested it in case you didn't want to mess with selling it.


We donate our used/junk vehicles to Kars for Kids. Myself I like helping others and it's a tax write off. Our first vehicle we donated was my old F-250 van, we got $750 tax write off, our f-150 pick up we got like $275. Van had blown up engine, pick up still ran great but frame was so rotted it was unsafe. Plus most of these go to the scrape yard.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Wildbill7145 said:


> I was chatting with an older GC I know about my wanting of a cargo van for work and having a hard time finding one for around $10k. He said "You wanna know why they're so hard to find in that price range? Because there's so many cheap skate trade guys like you out there looking for them. It's supply and demand." Around here, the only used cargo vans I come across are selling for around $30K. Can't do that right now.


Same here. A good condition van rot/rust free are expensive. We are on the fence right now with financing another vehicle until at least one is paid off. We have 4 payments a month as it is.


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

MurphysPaint said:


> Will you throw in the ladders?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Buy the ladders and I'll throw in the van as a bonus. 😆 Like I said in a different thread, if the thing didn't run so flippin good, I could have easily junked it a long time ago. It can sit for weeks and it'll fire up in the dead of winter *shrug*.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I drive a pickup. We get into everything under the sun, so I often pull a dump trailer. It's a mixed bag sometimes. They look cool, but it can be a pita to unload sprayers and what not. We could use an enclosed trailer, being somewhat rural, but I haven't needed one badly enough to buy yet. We don't really have parking issues, so I bought a bus.


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## [email protected] (Mar 1, 2008)

I have a ford van with a Extra set of seats in it. These set I add. Thank god it is just the four of us. That have worked for me for years. I all so have a 14 foot trailer that I store most of my things in or on. My girls are grown now and


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I've always had trucks. Every now and again, I would like a van, but haven't reached the tipping point yet. Here's my other one:

and the dog and wife in the distance

The F150 fits in the garage without racks. The 250 not so much.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

cdpainting said:


> Most vans around here in our price range are rotted. A van selling for 5 grand can have so much rot/rust it may not be inspectable. Any vans without rot are going for over 10 grand. Since we already have 2 pick up trucks and plan on investing another 10-15 grand into the business We don't need a van that bad, it would be nice but not necessary for us. We prefer to buy tools for the trade.


I tend to forget about the rot/rust issue until I travel into the Salt Belt. We were driving across WI recently and I saw a dealership with a big banner: "CALIFORNIA CARS". I can understand the appeal. I think it was WI, although it could have been MN...or the UP.

We've been hanging out in N. Ontario and it's alarming to see how quickly the vehicles rot away. I can't imagine you could get a 7-year loan on a new rig....


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Gough said:


> cdpainting said:
> 
> 
> > Most vans around here in our price range are rotted. A van selling for 5 grand can have so much rot/rust it may not be inspectable. Any vans without rot are going for over 10 grand. Since we already have 2 pick up trucks and plan on investing another 10-15 grand into the business We don't need a van that bad, it would be nice but not necessary for us. We prefer to buy tools for the trade.
> ...


A used car dealer just opened a place up. Only Florida cars and try is his sign says. He has yet to actually put any in his lot. I have already called and left a voice message with them saying what we are looking for.

Yeah a 7 year loan around here the vehi me would be rotted away by that time. MA uses tons of road salts.


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## bobross (Jun 27, 2016)

I use an f150 with cap and also have a 6x10 trailer. I also built drawers so that i am not fishing or digging around for stuff. Never been a fan of the van just dont want to be in the same space with chemicals all day long.


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## bobross (Jun 27, 2016)

cdpainting said:


> We thought the 14' enclosed trailer would be very useful. With all the tiny side streets around here it was and is very hard to find a place to park without blocking most of the street. Right now we have 2 pick up trucks. We have been looking at smaller trailers, vans, or smaller box trucks. I am most likely going to grab a small 5x8 trailer for local work.


6x10 has been the best here. 5x8 packs in real fast.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

ParamountPaint said:


> I drive a pickup. We get into everything under the sun, so I often pull a dump trailer. It's a mixed bag sometimes. They look cool, but it can be a pita to unload sprayers and what not. We could use an enclosed trailer, being somewhat rural, but I haven't needed one badly enough to buy yet. We don't really have parking issues, so I bought a bus.


I chose a truck over a van. I think I chose comfort over efficiency. Here are some pictures that show the pita factor that comes with owning a truck rather than a van.

I am happy to have a comfortable ride but sometimes question whether I made the best choice. Crawling around under that topper to get to tools at the front of the bed isn't getting any easier!


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## Vylum (May 12, 2016)

does anyone use an suv? i dont like vans or trucks


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

SemiproJohn said:


> I chose a truck over a van. I think I chose comfort over efficiency. Here are some pictures that show the pita factor that comes with owning a truck rather than a van.
> 
> I am happy to have a comfortable ride but sometimes question whether I made the best choice. Crawling around under that topper to get to tools at the front of the bed isn't getting any easier!


I just had to say this. Those Husky garbage bags are the best garbage bags known to man. I swear you could fill them with 50lbs of nails and not one hole would appear. Only place I've seen them is big orange so every time we're near one I grab a few boxes.

Anyhoo, had to mention that.


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

Wildbill7145 said:


> I just had to say this. Those Husky garbage bags are the best garbage bags known to man. I swear you could fill them with 50lbs of nails and not one hole would appear. Only place I've seen them is big orange so every time we're near one I grab a few boxes.
> 
> Anyhoo, had to mention that.


They are all that. And if you keep filling them to the top they are a back killer for exactly these reasons!


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

Yes, the Husky bags are good ones. And yes, a justification for visiting Home Depot once in a while (another is Zinsser products).


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

bobross said:


> 6x10 has been the best here. 5x8 packs in real fast.


We already have a 14' enclosed so a smaller trailer would be for job to job, I wouldn't have to keep it loaded with every thing just what we would need.

I'm going out this weekend and looking around at vans and pick ups and trailers.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

cdpainting said:


> We already have a 14' enclosed so a smaller trailer would be for job to job, I wouldn't have to keep it loaded with every thing just what we would need.
> 
> I'm going out this weekend and looking around at vans and pick ups and trailers.


You going to make the leap to new(nor almost) vehicles this year? I know you said in another thread this has been a good year financially for you. Your accountant might want you to send some money before the years out. Reliability is gonna be important, especially with the commute to Boston. Think about it!


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

PRC said:


> cdpainting said:
> 
> 
> > We already have a 14' enclosed so a smaller trailer would be for job to job, I wouldn't have to keep it loaded with every thing just what we would need.
> ...


I'm looking at 2010 or newer. Low miles, I don't care V8 or V6 Full size or mini I guess will depend on cost and milage overall. Commuting 100 miles a day they are racking up on my Ram fast.

Our account always wants us to spend big money. Lol. We do plan on investing 10+ grand just not sure if it will be before or after the new year. We usually reinvest a few grand a year, timing depends on how much we spend already that year. It will be a vehicle and other tools and equipment. Plus I'm pretty sure a vehicle is going to cost 10-20 grand. That brings me to another thing to think about. Pay the vehicle off or finance. Right now we have 2 almost paid off loans on our trucks, 2 on our personal cars. Another loan may be tough since the bank may say we are stretched out. This is the hard part. I know we can put a big chunk down as well to male payments lower.

I will find out when we go shopping what we will do.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

SemiproJohn said:


> I chose a truck over a van. I think I chose comfort over efficiency. Here are some pictures that show the pita factor that comes with owning a truck rather than a van.
> 
> I am happy to have a comfortable ride but sometimes question whether I made the best choice. Crawling around under that topper to get to tools at the front of the bed isn't getting any easier!


That's what I hated about the trucks....never again. Takes forever to find anything .


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

We picked up a 2014 Chevy express with 32k on it for 17k....still under warranty. If it were my decision, I'd throw as much down as possible, get a low payment and double pay it every month. It's nice not having any vehicle problems,, a warranty if anything goes wrong, and lots of room to organize stuff comfortably and not get wet when the monsoon seasons are here... (in the pnw, there are 3.fall, winter and spring...lol)


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## bobross (Jun 27, 2016)

A little organization is all it takes for a truck to be the best choice. I have been running this set up for years.


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

I bought my van from a painter and got hooked up with the custom shelves and drawers.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

lilpaintchic said:


> We picked up a 2014 Chevy express with 32k on it for 17k....still under warranty. If it were my decision, I'd throw as much down as possible, get a low payment and double pay it every month. It's nice not having any vehicle problems,, a warranty if anything goes wrong, and lots of room to organize stuff comfortably and not get wet when the monsoon seasons are here... (in the pnw, there are 3.fall, winter and spring...lol)


My truck has been getting tripple payments monthly, it will be paid off just over a year early, the other loans are always double payments and still owe a bit more than my truck. I am also fortunate there are crap tons of car dealers with in an hours drive. SO I know I will find some thing. I do like my truck but the storage part stinks. I was thinking today maybe a box truck or one of those Grumman's.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

I bought my F250 in March or so...around $56K out the door. I put $10k down, but I somewhat regret doing that. I've got 0.9% interest for 72 months, so I could've done something else with the cash to easily beat that.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

ParamountPaint said:


> I bought my F250 in March or so...around $56K out the door. I put $10k down, but I somewhat regret doing that. I've got 0.9% interest for 72 months, so I could've done something else with the cash to easily beat that.


I'm pretty sure I won't go brand new unless its a smoking deal. I would be kicking myself in the arse if a drip of paint spilled, I've had enough paint spills and dirty water bucket tip over and leak all over my bed in the Ram.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

ParamountPaint said:


> I bought my F250 in March or so...around $56K out the door. I put $10k down, but I somewhat regret doing that. I've got 0.9% interest for 72 months, so I could've done something else with the cash to easily beat that.


You have a nice truck for sure and I am happy for you and I might be a little jealous . To each his own , but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I made this deal.:blink:


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

bobross said:


> A little organization is all it takes for a truck to be the best choice. I have been running this set up for years.


That is a nice set up. There is am manufacturered set up like that here at the truck shop that bolts in a truck bed around $800. Did you make that your self? Does the bottom of the drawers have rollers or wheels to help it slide out?


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## AngieM (Apr 13, 2016)

Those drawers look like mine. They're not on rollers or a track. But even though, they still slide out without problems.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Cargo trailer for the win. Not the easiest to back up or turn...but I won't trade my 16ft of storage for a van. No thx.

Ford or Chevy for the pull. Too many negative long term reviews from Dodge. Although the leramie longhorn did appeal to me. Tempting...


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## bobross (Jun 27, 2016)

007 Dave said:


> That is a nice set up. There is am manufacturered set up like that here at the truck shop that bolts in a truck bed around $800. Did you make that your self? Does the bottom of the drawers have rollers or wheels to help it slide out?


I built it years ago just 2x6 and plywood the bottom plywod is smooth side up so the drawers slide in and out no problem with out rollers total cost $40 years of use 5 and counting.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

cdpainting said:


> I'm looking at 2010 or newer.


Good call. I'd say stay under the 5 year old mark. Reason being is you'll still have access to the factory warranty and if anything goes wrong, almost everything 's covered (except wear parts).

Hard lesson learned: don't let your factory warranty run out. Costs tons more money and isn't worth the headache. Just keep it renewed at all costs lol.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

woodcoyote said:


> Good call. I'd say stay under the 5 year old mark. Reason being is you'll still have access to the factory warranty and if anything goes wrong, almost everything 's covered (except wear parts).
> 
> Hard lesson learned: don't let your factory warranty run out. Costs tons more money and isn't worth the headache. * Just keep it renewed at all costs* lol.


Maybe, and maybe not. Take proper care of your vehicle and the costs of occasional repairs "post" warranty may not exceed the costs of keeping the extended warranty. I'd rather know my vehicle is under warranty for a longer time, but the thousands needed to pay for the extended warranty can be saved for future repairs. Depends upon how one looks at it.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

woodcoyote said:


> Good call. I'd say stay under the 5 year old mark. Reason being is you'll still have access to the factory warranty and if anything goes wrong, almost everything 's covered (except wear parts).
> 
> Hard lesson learned: don't let your factory warranty run out. Costs tons more money and isn't worth the headache. Just keep it renewed at all costs lol.


The warranty I had on my Ram was great, bumper to bumper. I was told it was for 3 years from the dealer, all forms I signed stated 3 years. It was only a 2 year, I had to resign for a third year. I found out the hard way, truck broke down and the garage told me my warranty expired. .

Next vehicle I am going to make sure I fully understand the warranty length, coverage and renewal. It does save a crap ton of money.


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## painterina (May 25, 2015)

Mini van 

Nissan NV200 (same is Chevy City Express)

Pluses:
-Gas mileage. My average is 25.6 mpg.
-Low price.
-Extra sliding door on driver's side.
-Compact cargo van.

Minuses:
-Lack of power. It drives like a 4 cylinder car (it's a V4 engine). Towing capacity? Good thing I don't have anything to tow.
-Limited space. After each job, I have to organize & take out stuff/equipments that are not needed for the next job, in order to have some room for new paints, supplies etc. If one likes to carry everything in the van all the time, it'd be very hard to do.
-It kind of has a feminine aura.
-I miss my previous Chevy van. That van can carry tons of stuff.


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

I looked at various mini vans and came to the realization that, as you say, they are under-powered and actually have rather limited storage space. I have to shuffle items in and out of my truck depending upon the job I'm doing, but it has a v8 engine, a tow package (in case I decide to pull an enclosed trailer some day), and is a very comfortable ride. Gas mileage is crappy, however...around 16 mpg.


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## ParamountPaint (Aug 25, 2016)

007 Dave said:


> You have a nice truck for sure and I am happy for you and I might be a little jealous . To each his own , but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I made this deal.:blink:


Different strokes for different folks, for sure. I wanted what I wanted and was happy to pay for it. I would not have been in the position a few years ago, but business is good and I'm well pleased driving it.

We also work in a 50 mile radius and if I'm gonna be on the road for a couple hours a day, I'm gonna outfit my vehicles to suit me. Hopefully, she'll give me no troubles for a few years and then I'll get another one.


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

bobross said:


> A little organization is all it takes for a truck to be the best choice. I have been running this set up for years.


Thanks again Bob for sharing this.:thumbsup: I built this in my truck today.


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## Showtime (Dec 10, 2016)

what matters is if your residential or commercial. As a startup my focus was to get out of residential do to the headache of low bidders. My goal to get into sticky commercial. No one in my state uses Utility Commercial Trucks. You can fit 3 rigs, extension ladders most important the lock and storage units on the side that fit tools and material perfectly. Do BIG tings bro :thumbup:


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## DEK Painting inc. (Dec 31, 2016)

2004 Toyota Tacoma and Amp 5x6 cargo ! Its a bit small but gets the job done !!


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

RH said:


> What? No love being shown to pickup trucks with a canopy?




It wasn't even on my radar, but after months of thinking and waiting, I've decided to buy a full size pickup. A few reasons factor in.

1. I'm 6'7" and the cargo vans I've sat in have had less than adequate leg room. Full size pickups on the other hand are wonderful for cab space.
2. Normal cargo vans will not be any more convenient for me to access the inside. A sprinter would be nice, but $$$
3. Leaning towards a tonneau cover instead of a cap, for ease of access. If I get an 8' box, I should still have more than enough room for everything and still be able to lock up.


Murph


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

MurphysPaint said:


> It wasn't even on my radar, but after months of thinking and waiting, I've decided to buy a full size pickup. A few reasons factor in.
> 
> 1. I'm 6'7" and the cargo vans I've sat in have had less than adequate leg room. Full size pickups on the other hand are wonderful for cab space.
> 2. Normal cargo vans will not be any more convenient for me to access the inside. A sprinter would be nice, but $$$
> ...


I have side doors on my shell for easy access. I see a lot of painters using little trucks and hauling very little gear. I don't see how they do it. I know a guy that works out of a small car, It seems to work for him. I have a full size extended cab with an 8' bed and still feel I need a bigger truck. My tarps take up a lot of room.I'm always trying different ways to arrange my gear to keep it neat. Still don't have it mastered.


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

007 Dave said:


> I have side doors on my shell for easy access. I see a lot of painters using little trucks and hauling very little gear. I don't see how they do it. I know a guy that works out of a small car, It seems to work for him. I have a full size extended cab with an 8' bed and still feel I need a bigger truck. My tarps take up a lot of room.I'm always trying different ways to arrange my gear to keep it neat. Still don't have it mastered.




I'm getting an 8' box, it should be sufficient for the time being without a cap. Got a quote on a cap with a ladder rack and side access panels, it was $4100 including installation and taxes. 'm going to have to save up for that. I used to work out of a Jetta TDI with leather seats when I first started, so this is infinitely better.


Murph


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

That's a lot of money. for a cap. In 2005 I went to order one without racks and it was $2,200. I thought that was a lot. I started looking on ebay and everywhere else. I found the one I have now for $500 and had it painted to match my truck. It has worked out great for me.


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## MurphysPaint (Nov 23, 2015)

007 Dave said:


> That's a lot of money. for a cap. In 2005 I went to order one without racks and it was $2,200. I thought that was a lot. I started looking on ebay and everywhere else. I found the one I have now for $500 and had it painted to match my truck. It has worked out great for me.




Ya the base price was $2300. Basic ladder rack was $600 and each access panel was $369. I briefly looked at used ones, but it's a crap shoot of finding one that fits the truck, most were for 6' boxes. Anything half decent was still over $1000. This one guy posted "I'm not going to lie, this is in pretty rough shape" and it was still $400.


Murph


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