Vehicle?

Tim0282

What kind of truck are you driving? Am looking into trading and want your input.

fr8train

'05 Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3L, does the trick for me.

d-rock

just got a chevy 2500 van, which is for tools materials etc. It costs $75-80 to fill it up, and I have a hard time parking in manhattan, especially if i put it in a lot costs around $55. So I am still seeking a small Subaru or Toyota to run around with.

PHS79

I have a 99 AWD Dodge Caravan that I use 99% of the time for work, it gets around great in all weather conditions, goes through mud at job site surprizingly well and yet has alot of tool storage. Otherwise I do have a 94 F150 4X4 reg cab long box that I use when I have to haul small amounts material, and a 02 F350 4X4 supercab, long box dually, diesel and 25' 20,000lb gooseneck trailer that I use if we have to stock rock at a jobs when the supplier can't deliver when we need.

On edit, the F350 and gooseneck aren't only used for hauling rock. They are more used for moving equipment, Bobcats-Telehandler-over various equipment, around from jobsite to jobsite, than hauling rock.

drywallnflorida

99 tahoe 4x4 no tools go in it all, all tools goes in the enclosed trailer so when I want to go some where other than work all I do is unhook and go.

wnybassman

'05 Tundra, but as Florida said, no tools in the truck, all in the trailer.

Tim0282

Do you prefer having all of your tools in the trailer? Do you do more than one job a day?

drywallnflorida

yeah somtimes I do go to more than one job in a day. With the trailer it is really nice to have everything there and not have to figure out and load stuff every night for the next day (because I would always forget something). I don't carry scaffolds of big ladders or scaffolds on a daily basis. Plus its real nice to be able to come home unhook(trailer always comes home everynight) and truck is empty and clean.

eastex1963

Ford f150 '05 120k still goin' strong. I do both...tools in truck and most of the stuff in the enclosed trailer. I carry it if I'm going to a location site unseen. Dunno what I might need.

Whatever you get, goes without saying......make sure you can clean the seats easy or get them covered......My truck seats need a douche....lmao!

Tim0282

Thanks for the replies. I have been figuring up what I have spent in the last five years on truck expense. Scared me half to death!! Have you ever figured it? I have a 2005 Ford F250 Diesel. Spend right around 16,000 a year on fuel, 2400 on service, repairs have been killing me the last two years. I have been averaging more than 25 thousand a year on truck expense for the last five years. Wow!! Have you ever figured it? Where am I compared to you?

PHS79

The problem is that you have a 6.0L Power Stroke, they are junk. Had a brand new 05 F350, nothing but problems, sold it and bought the 02 that I have now. It been a great truck no issues at all.

Tim0282

You hit the nail on the head. Beside all the repairs, a truck is an expensive beast to own.

eastex1963

I use my mileage on my taxes.....the mileage deduction actually pays my truck note.

PHS79

I don't know where you are located in Iowa, but if you are in the north east part of the state you should take a drive to West Salem, WI. There is a dealership there that will buy vehicles outright and the pay pretty good money for diesels. Sold the 05 F350, SC long box, FX4, XLT, 6.0L/auto with 40,000 miles and got 20,000 for it this summer. He offered to buy the 02 with 53000 miles for 23,000, since it is a low mileage 7.3L.

The funny thing is that I just got a call yesterday from a buddy in Texas that said he was having problems with his 04 6.0L powered Excursion. He told me what was going on and I told him most likely it as the hpop. He took it to the dealership today, the hpop and 3 injectors have to be replaced. I think he is dumping the Excursion once he gets it back.

If you don't need the towing or haul capacity of a 3/4 ton diesel, I would start looking for a F150. I have a 04 F150 SC, FX4, for my personal "good" vehicle and I like it ALOT. It has a nice ride, lots of room for the family inside, yet it will our 8000lb camper very nicely.

Kiwiman

Toyota surf (4 runner) 3L petrol, very reliable but hard on gas and could do with more room.

rebel20

I have a 86 VW Bus 4 zyl turbo diesel gets 23 miles to the gal. good thing though Diesel is around $4 a gallon here. Gas is $5 a gallon. The newer ones get around 30 miles to the gal.

fr8train

ya know, I never understood why diesel hasn't taken off more here in the States. I know it costs more per gallon, but it doesn't have too. Side by side, diesel is cleaner, and more efficient. But for some reason, they charge an exorbitant amount for that option. If you ask the average person about it, they will tell you that diesels are loud and smelly, but that is not true. Many of the new diesel cars are very quiet. It is just a case of educating the public. Same as with the electric car. They didn't want to HAVE to make them, so they didn't educate the consumers, and voila , death of the electric car.

I want and some day will have a diesel of some sort!

PHS79

fr8train, very true. Diesel takes less to refine, thus should cost less, but doesn't. But diesels, atleast before the emissions standards out of control for the 08 model year, do get better mileage and more power. You can take a comparably equiped gas and diesel, lets say my 02 F350 7.3L PSD vs another F350 w/6.8L V10. I get 16 mpg+ just daily driving, up to 20mpg on hwy, vs 11-12 daily driving with a V10 and at best 14mpg on the hwy.

Some people hate diesels, then others like my parents (more my dad) love them. They have a 03 F350 7.3L diesel, a 06 VW Jetta TDI, his Bobcat is of course diesel, and his lawn mower is diesel (Kubota BX2230). The only things that he owns that are gas powered are his boat motor, weed wacker, chain saw, and his motorcycle.

fr8train

"lets say my 02 F350 7.3L PSD . I get 16 mpg+ just daily driving, up to 20mpg on hwy" Is that stock? If you added a tuner, you could up the MPG significantly. Also add an intake and exhaust.

For alot of vehicles most people won't have them long enough to really get a return on their investment on the aftermarket parts. But diesels last forever, and you would probably see that return.

PHS79

When it was stock I was seeing 14ish daily driving and around 17.5 hwy.

The 02 is running custom tunes, intake, exhaust, injectors, FASS fuel system, a different turbo housing, custom built tranny. The next upgrades are going to be head studs, bigger injectors, and different tunes. Its at 441 rwhp/902 lbft torque currently. Hoping for 520hp with the next round of mods. Hopefully some time in the next few years I want to get a built motor and go over 600 rwhp. Granted the MPG will go down, but it sure it fun having a 8000lb daully that will run with Mustangs.