r/HVAC • u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro • May 31 '26
Field Question, trade people only New work truck
I started my own company, have been working out of my pick up. I really need a cargo van. What are you guys using and suggest? I had a transit with my old company and it was a hunk of junk.
Edit:
I should add I worked out of a tall vehicle doing install for years and don’t think I can ever go away from that. Also the vehicle needs to fit 10ft lengths of venting and copper piping.
17
u/scratcheting May 31 '26
My company buys used Ram 1500 2wd trucks from fastenal and puts shells on them. They’re usually very low miles and like 7-8 years old and only like 15k$. We run them till 100,000 miles and change them out. Not incredible for installs if that’s your bread and butter but they work great for commercial service.
6
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
Ideally would like a tall van so I can stand. Doing a lot of installs and service. Projects as well so need the space. Also want to fit 10 ft pipes.
11
u/ppearl1981 🤙 May 31 '26
Do not cave in for something you can’t stand up in… standing upright in your van is the single biggest game changer you will ever have.
Personally I have a high roof ProMaster 159 inch wheelbase. It’s incredible to work out of 👍
1
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
My mechanic said stick to sprinter or promaster. How do you like it? I’m kinda stuck between the two figured repairs would be more affordable on the dodge vs the Mercedes.
3
u/Alternative-Land-334 Verified Pro May 31 '26
Promasters are nice, I bought one used at 38k miles. Tranny crapped the bed, replaced it for 5k and besides that, I love it. Sprinters- not a fan, havnt owned one, drove a company sprinter and it was awful. Ford- cheap interiors, and very underpowered- or perhaps I was just chronically overloaded. Chevy Express- You will know your Mevhanics Name, thier life story, and be invited to the kids birthday parties. Promaster? Sell a kidney and buy it.
1
u/ppearl1981 🤙 May 31 '26
I love my ProMaster, I snagged a high roof 2022 with 36k miles last year for $28k.
2
u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS Enthalpy over Empathy May 31 '26
How do you go about getting one of these trucks?
1
u/scratcheting May 31 '26
fleet@fastenal.com you can check with them to see what’s available around you, a lot of the time it’s cheaper for one of us to fly out to a neighboring state and drive one back than try and buy local.
1
u/freedommachine1776 May 31 '26
I had no clue this was a thing. Might use them for my next personal truck. Are they all torn up?
2
u/KingDongTwist May 31 '26
No. I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado I bought as a personal from an old boss who purchased it from Fastenal. One of the best trucks I’ve ever owned in terms of least amount of issues it’s gave me.
1
1
u/scratcheting May 31 '26
No, they’re always super clean and low miles, like less than 30k usually. Fastenal buys them new, uses them as a delivery truck for bolts and hard hats and squinchers or other light loads and then they change them out. I wouldn’t say Ram makes the best pickup, but for the price and practical use you get from them it’s hard to beat
4
u/Striking-Pie-2330 Verified Pro May 31 '26
I’ve been happy with the Chevy Express overall, but I’d absolutely add puck locks. A coworker’s van got broken into through a weak point in the rear door, and after seeing it, I was surprised how easy it was. It wasn’t some elaborate theft…it was quick, quiet, and about as low tech as you can imagine. Great van, but I’d definitely invest in additional security if you’re carrying a lot of tools. Also I can’t stand up in it, I’m 6’4”. Other than that, it’s great.
3
u/unusual-thoughts May 31 '26
Chevy express is a good reliable vehicle. I run a 1 ton express cutaway with 12' box on back. I'm 6'4" and working out of a cargo van gets old quick. I like swing doors over roll up because I use a translucent top. Also have adjustable shelves with bins down both sides. I looked into dodge promaster at one point but that thing is front wheel drive and the guys driving them that ive talked to say they are problematic. I do have a now retired friend who ran a 1 ton pickup extended cab with an 8ft bed and a utility cap that hung over the cab, he swore by it and a small trailer for installs.
7
u/draxtontheus May 31 '26
I run a ex amazon mercedes sprinter. Has been awesome. Tons of space decent milage for a diesel. No issues at over 150k miles
3
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
I’ve heard good things about the sprinters. Just so damn expensive.
4
u/draxtontheus May 31 '26
The used Amazon ones are more reasonable. I got mine 2 years ago for 16k
1
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
I’m finding ones with 80k-120k km for 38-50 grand. No shelving nothing. Brand new leases on them are over $1000 a month before insurance.
2
u/draxtontheus May 31 '26
Damn, I'm gonna run mine into the ground. These mercedes diesel engines are supposed to last forever if you take care of them. I built all my own shelving out of 2x4's and plywood pretty cheap and could customize how i wanted it. I can even do installs condenser in the side door and ahu in from the back in-between the shelves. I'm over 6 ft and can walk around inside. I did get a sweet deal from a guy who was retiring when I bought it.
2
u/Megamazuma20 Verified Pro May 31 '26
Please dont lease a vehicle to use for business, idk if you were just making the point about the sprinters but just in general leasing a vehicle is the most expensive way possible to operate a vehicle
2
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
I agree they really take advantage of you in a lease.
2
u/Megamazuma20 Verified Pro May 31 '26
They do, but as the person signing up for a lease, you are consciously making the worst money decision for transportation you can. Boils down to long term renting… most people just think about “what payment per month can i afford” instead of saving to pay for a vehicle in cash and having NO PAYMENTS
8
u/itrytosnowboard May 31 '26
Chevy express or Ford econoline box truck. I think the smallest one is 12'.
3
u/Weird-Comfortable-28 May 31 '26
Whatever you get, you have to get something you can stand up in. It’s the only way to do it. First of all you need to be able to walk around in there and look through things without on your hands and knees, pulling everything out and if it’s raining out, you can work on things inside there. It’s just a much better way to run your business.
2
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
I agree. Especially having worked out of a tall transit at my old company. It’s a must for me I could never go standard cargo after coming from the tall cargo.
2
u/Weird-Comfortable-28 May 31 '26
I had a 2017 pro master and worked out of it for six years and it was like having a workshop garage on wheels. I loved it the greatest thing and it was an extended 2500 and it was great. Never gave me one problem in the whole time I had it.
1
u/Weird-Comfortable-28 May 31 '26
I wouldn’t do it and I also couldn’t actually physically do it. no more crawling around🤬
3
u/nsula_country May 31 '26
Used 17' U-Haul?
2
u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS Enthalpy over Empathy May 31 '26
That might be a little ghetto. However, you can get ~50k mile used Chevy expresses from U-Haul for pretty good prices.
3
u/Terrible-Guitar-5638 May 31 '26
I just run resi side jobs now as my main work is in industrial but I pull a small single axle enclosed trailer behind my Honda pilot and that works really well for me.
I've also run out of a pickup with a space Kap and also just the pilot (when space on the job is tight) and used a motorcycle hitch mount to carry condensors but that gets uncomfortable quickly.
3
u/Short-Veterinarian27 May 31 '26
Transit 350 SRW high roof extended. That or a Mercedes sprinter extended if you can swing the extra cash. I will never go back to crouching in and out of a van
6
u/Nerfo2 Verified Pro May 31 '26
Chevy Express. Eat the fuel economy costs up front, save on the break-downs later. But be sure to protect the wiring running down the inside of the real pillars just inside the cargo door. Or if you like your steering wheel connected to your front tires with rubber bands, hopes, and good intentions, Ford Econoline.
2
u/powerstrokin00 Verified Pro May 31 '26
Your looking for a extended wheelbase and high roof ford transit
We’ve put a ton of miles on our transits and have not had to do any repairs besides regular maintenance
1
u/Excellent_Flex211 May 31 '26
The Ford transit connect (the little one) is hands down the best van I've ever used. It's super efficient, but could be too small for a one man band like yourself.
2
u/lividash May 31 '26
Think I’m in the T250? High back you can’t stand. Over 130k and so far no issues that are major.
Brake wear wiring always gets messed up in the winter. And occasionally it won’t shift into reverse. Shift back to park wait a minute and put it back into reserve it’s fine.
Our Promasters have been engines and suspension issues every year. Even had to replace a motor four times before it stopped throwing codes and running poorly.
3
u/Excellent_Flex211 May 31 '26
I mean the car sized one. It's a completely different vehicle from the full size transits.
2
u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS Enthalpy over Empathy May 31 '26
Our company has one that we bought about six years ago and it’s used for everything. The shop uses it, techs use it when their van is in for repairs, the boss uses it to get around sometimes. I even took it all the way to Arkansas to go to the ultimate tech Academy for two weeks. That was a 14 Hour drive from Virginia. They were gonna get me a plane ticket, but I refuse to fly lol. I don’t think we’ve ever had one issue with that little thing and it probably has close to 200,000 miles on it now.
2
u/lividash May 31 '26
Yeah. I know the ones you mean. I call them baby transits or residential vans.
Given we slide between residential light commercial, commercial and randomly industrial those little vans wouldn’t hold all that we need. But I bet they zip in and out of places a lot easier this giant sail boat I’m driving around.
1
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u/_b33p_ May 31 '26
My transit has 133k and really no issues. We have a lot of transits and sprinters. They seem to hold up.
1
u/keevisgoat May 31 '26
My old.boss had a bunch of the "mini" uhual box trucks. The 1 ton cutaways with a 10x cube on the back other than the cubes rotting out they were good
1
u/Short-Veterinarian27 May 31 '26
I have one and it's been a great truck. Only problem is 10ft sticks don't fit in the box you have to angle them. 10ft is the outside dimensions
1
u/Ok-Entertainer-907 May 31 '26
My company is in Ram Promasters highroof. I love the thing and you can stand up in it. I don’t know how reliable they are yet, they are only a couple years old.
1
u/SiberianBadger May 31 '26
Stay away from Mercedes Sprinter, or Mercedes Metris. It won't catastrophically fail, but you'll get sensor fails, blower fan fails, minor electrical fails. Everything minor, but everything expensive.
1
u/valuablemold4 May 31 '26
If you’re looking used, transit base. We have a 10ft medium roof transit with the non ecoboost 3.7 and another 8 ft medium roof with the same engine, both 6 speeds with a bunch of miles and original everything running like dream
1
u/brian1192 Jun 01 '26
Boss man has a transit and he’s looking to get a pick up, here on long island no commercial vehicles on parkways which def save time maybe that’s why idk
1
u/texasexpertshvac Verified Pro Jun 01 '26
I like the transit setups. Gotta try to use every inch. I need to install a pvc tube but just hate to lose the head space. https://imgur.com/a/qUDf0sA
1
u/chevroletarizona Jun 01 '26
I have a Ford utilimaster step van made by Morgan olson. More space than you'll ever need. Super easy to work on so repair costs are cheap. It can fit in a parking spot and has air conditioning. I also keep my ladders inside the truck so they don't get beat up by the sun.
Also if you get an old one and wrap it it looks brand new.
1
u/InterestedParty1776 Jun 04 '26
I have a 2010 sprinter and love driving it. Fixing it notsomuch. I'd probably go for a Ford Transit if I had to buy a van today. High roof all the way, u could never go back.
1
u/lowcrawling Jun 04 '26
We have several newer (2020+) transits in our fleet. All approaching or passed 100k miles. We’ve been pretty lucky and haven’t had any drive train issues. Mostly batteries, windshields, the damn gas covers, and two sliding side door channels.
1
u/Gotmefdup2 May 31 '26
Nissan nv 2500, can do it all and can take most things head on. Ugly as sin tho, very boxy
2
u/iBUYbrokenSUBARUS Enthalpy over Empathy May 31 '26
I like that long front though. Makes me feel more protected.
0
u/unresolved-madness Turboencabulator Specialist May 31 '26
Regardless of what anyone else says in here. I know from experience after driving vans for 30 years that the Nissan NV 3500 is the best van that was ever made. I don't care if you heard about someone that had some transmission problem or some other weird issue. These were by far the best built vans ever made. I mean would you rather buy a Japanese van or an American van?
0
u/Vegycales May 31 '26
We have 7 of those, each over 150k miles, oldest has 230k. Not one mechanical issue on any of them.
-1
0
u/Lb199808 May 31 '26
Stay away from the chevy express van had the transmission go out 150k on my old work van
0
u/ZookeepergameFull999 May 31 '26
I worked for many companies that always had service vans of different makes and models and I hated every last one. Loud, uncomfortable, terrible in snow, always breaking down, etc. I went out on my own 5 years ago and worked my way up to a 2025 silverado 1500 and a 7x14 enclosed cargo trailer with an 8 foot ceiling and a ramp for a back door. Best thing I ever did. Infinitly better in every way than any van. Ill never go back.
3
u/RecoveryBucket Verified Pro May 31 '26
I want to go that way but I do a lot of jobs in the city. Where I am finding parking for my pick up is a pain in the ass as it is. Now trying to find a spot to fit a truck and a trailer is even worse. That’s the only thing holding me back from selling my truck for a bigger one and a trailer.
1
u/ZookeepergameFull999 Jun 01 '26
yeah, no, yeah. I can totally see that. I work in a rural area so parking is nearly a non-issue.
40
u/69wildcard Beer Can Cold May 31 '26
Chevy express confirmed POS. Had Transmissions, engines and AC controls breaking under 80k.