Tradie vehicle advice experience

[stockies]

I've used the gas powered FG utes personally - had about 3 (two R6's and an XR6) was brillant for anything that could fit under the hardlid. Reverse camera is a must however. Those utes can be hard to park in small city spaces and carparks (turning circle is woeful.)

I'm currently in a VW Caddy LWB van (Petrol) and I quite like it. Other guys I work with use the iLoad and as said above - the engine is quite grunty. The latest model (TQ3) with the camera and bluetooth/app connect is the one they have. We have run into a few carpark issues with height with the iLoad however. If carparks arn't an issue - and your after size - the Iload wins over the VW caddy and Toyota Hiace.

 

[Mike Litherous]

The only problem with a van is if you are a car enthusiast and are forced to drive a van for a living you totally suck at life. I had a crafter before the Ute and hated it as you feel like a courier.

 

[blackve76]

Had a look at a ranger today, single cab but with a service body fitted had heaps of lock up storage room for ladders etc, so I'm sold on the service body just what's under it, LPG falcon, ranger 3.2 or 3l hilux?.
Already have misses Prado in garage so servicing hilux would be easy.

 

[JMP]

I have a Hiace for my work car and I'm in maintenance. Works great for me as I have racks on one side for all my tools and hardware, I have heaps of space in rear to load sheets of gyproch etc, I can load up fairly big equipment inside with the use of ramps as it's not too high so I don't need a tailgate lifter, when it rains I jump inside the back to load up on what I need. I can fit long lengths of timber and ladders on the roof racks, when you leave the van you just arm the remote and all tools are locked so no need for padlocks and extra keys. For me it works better than a ute but it does worry me about leg protection in an accident. I'm am a car enthusiast but it doesn't bother me driving it and actually makes me appreciate my car more and I love getting in it on weekends and taking it for a run. For basic maintenance work I would be going for the van, if I was more builder orientate it would be a Ranger ute.

 

[blackve76]

still looking no real rush atm like this style service body

Lots of ex Telstra stuff around so might check out a few auctions, thinking the lpg falcon might be heavy on the gas loaded up

 

[stockies]

With the gas utes - see if you can find one with the newer EcoLpi engine. I had mine loaded up with about 450kgs of stuff under the hardlid all day, everyday. the older engines gave me about around 380 -400kms per tank and the newer engines gave me about 440 - 460kms per tank.

The factory alarm (if fitted) doesnt cover the service body however - only the cabin and bonnet.

 

[blackve76]

With the gas utes - see if you can find one with the newer EcoLpi engine. I had mine loaded up with about 450kgs of stuff under the hardlid all day, everyday. the older engines gave me about around 380 -400kms per tank and the newer engines gave me about 440 - 460kms per tank.

The factory alarm (if fitted) doesnt cover the service body however - only the cabin and bonnet.

Cheers for that did notice some have the old 4spd auto egas engine green. Any problems with the ford lpg system??

70L usable tank in VE and I get 530>550 a tank(its dual fuel so 20>30kms would be petrol)

 

[stockies]

Only problems I had with the older egas (green rocker cover) engines was the convertor gumming up and theres a hose on the drivers side I think it was? that rubbed against something and had to be replaced. The guys I work with had them at the time too (before purchasing the iLoad) and some of them ran them up to 200,000km without too many issues.

With the newer EcoLPI one I did notice that the XR6 was more heavy than the R6's I'd had.
I had a red 2011 R6 that had a EcoLPI engine - that thing was fantastic, but was written off in an accident (T boned) - but being the R6 model - it had airbags in the dash and chair - whereas the base model utes only have them dash.
This red R6 did nearly 600kms per tank, The XR6 was only good for around the 440 - 460km mark - I did run the XR6 out of gas one day and had to have it towed but I'm pretty sure that was because the sender in the tank failed (under warrenty) so I think since then I was pretty conservative about how many kms I could do before filling up again.

- Another note is the XR6 MK2 screens and bluetooth are shithouse. It you can't get into the menu and change the themes from Night, Day and Borderless etc - its gonna need a software update from Ford - and I'm pretty sure most dealers will charge and arm and a leg for it now, seeing as most Mk2's are out of warrenty. Had massive problems in mine for months with the battery going flat as well, because of the ICC system.

Someone out there has a 2012 swift XR6 ute that was built poorly and I was very happy to see it go lol.

 

[blackve76]

Pick up 2013 ranger tomorrow, misses running 130 vehicles at her work means a awesome deal and great car 120k.

 

[Mike Litherous]

Cool. 120k for a ranger?

Gold lined engine bay perhaps LOL