Service Vehicle

[DIY Dave]

My service van is getting older and will need to be replaced soon, so I'm considering a new one. Right now I drive a Chevy Express van, and I do mostly just residential / commercial lock work. I was just wondering what type of vehicles everyone else drives and for what type of work they do. How long and how many miles do you put on them before replacing them?

I'm wondering full size cargo van? Smaller van? High roof van? What make? Buy new used? ect

(If this has been discussed just point me in the right direction)

[GringoLocksmith]

My Astro hit 200,000 miles yesterday. It gets 16 mpg and would probably do better than that if I'd get around to changing the air filter. It would be nice if it had more storage space, but I think part of that can just be chalked up to poor planning when I set it up.

[mdc5150]

I am an employee not an owner but I just got a 2013 Mercedes Sprinter in January. Short length but a high roof. We do 98% commercial work so I keep a lot of inventory, a lot of power tools, and a few tool boxes with other tools and hardware. The van was new off the lot at $40k. We used the old Adrian Steel shelves out of my old van and fortified them with angle iron so they will never shake loose.

We had a marine deep cycle battery and an isolator put in so using the invertor will never drain the main battery but the back one gets charged when I drive. My work bench has a pin kit, duplicator, Mul-T-Lock machine, an A2 punch and plenty of work space. By the way the a/c works awesome. The picture below is before it was snickered obviously.

IMG_20131213_073041.jpg

[bmc1284]

2014 Chevy Express Cargo Van. Wouldn't trade it for the world!

]

[UnlockD]

BMC, I'd just like to express how jealous I am that a fellow PAL worker gets a big van like that! I myself am working out of a ford transit. Tight, but very manageable considering I do Auto and regular locksmithing. They're not too bad on gas either.

[GWiens2001]

BMC, I'd just like to express how jealous I am that a fellow PAL worker gets a big van like that! I myself am working out of a ford transit. Tight, but very manageable considering I do Auto and regular locksmithing. They're not too bad on gas either.

And they don't use cheap wafer locks. They use cheap disc detainer locks, instead.



Gordon

[socaldevin]

I feel you unlockd ( I'm a fellow PAL employee). I too have have the transit. Aside from the sortamo bins I would rather have an express.

[bmc1284]

Seems like a lot of PAL guys are running Transits! One of my local buddies hates his because it's way too small...and he is 4'9"!!

I don't know how you guys do it!!

[UnlockD]

All the PAL guys in Ontario drive Transits except for one guy, he drives a Nissan van (unsure of the model).
I'm a small guy so I don't really mind it too much. Have had a bunch of problems though. Backup sensors, windows (wouldn't roll up), inverter has blew twice, transmission problems, a ridiculous amount of stone chips in the window (the thing is like a stone magnet).

[socaldevin]

I've had pretty good luck with mine so far but my boss has had the same problem with the windows and the weather stripping on his. I've talked to a lot of other people who have had trans. problems, so I try and keep the weight down in mine as best I can to hopefully help the it last as long as possible.

[GWiens2001]

The Transit, especially the first year, was way underpowered. Think it had a 1.6 liter engine. I left Ford in 2009, so have not had to work on one yet.

Gordon

[rzr800]

I get 20 miles a gallon on mine. Adrian steel on both side with a fully loaded safe full of electronic keys and programming equipment. PPE level four chip (400hp). Took the exhaust filter off running straight pipe. Raced a Nissan z with it and smoked it as soon as he shifted. 2009 GMC savanna duramax diesel.