Tradie vehicle advice experience

[blackve76]

After some advice on guys with tradie vehicle

Been running a small business for a few years(while working full time) basically handyman but working mainly on rental property's do exit cleans gardens general property maintenance. Took redundancy 6 months ago and business is flat out now got work from 2 real estate agencys I've been using the family car LPG VE berlina sedan and has worked well so far tows trailers fine and tools etc in boot and back seat(packaged in crates). Being lpg has been cheap to run

Lads about to get full licence so he will get the Berlina so looking at a tradie base car/ute van

So many options out there new /2nd hand

Commodore wagon/ute(pros love commodore, cons tooling harder to access need ute with canopy.
Ranger hilux(pros towing cons bigger not fun to drive need canopy)
Mondeo wagon(can get ford dirt cheap as misses runs fleet) Unknown
Van??

What are guys using and find good bad?

I've got some bigger jobs lately putting up a fence, pergola etc so roof racks for ladder a must.

 

[mpower]

tradies all seem to drive hilux/colorado/amorok/ranger these days at about a million miles an hour.

if i was a handyman i'd probably be curmudgeonly and drive an SS/HSV ute and keep her looking shmick - reason, i appreciate a nice V8 ute. practically yeah it's a tough sell.

 

[blackve76]

tradies all seem to drive hilux/colorado/amorok/ranger these days at about a million miles an hour.

if i was a handyman i'd probably be curmudgeonly and drive an SS/HSV ute and keep her looking shmick - reason, i appreciate a nice V8 ute. practically yeah it's a tough sell.

Lucky already got a V8 Ute but a 239/247 cam isn't a daily.
I personally don't get the 4wd dual cab Tradie thing as tray small and cab small

 

[Smitty]

.. I do similar
and would never use a wagon.. just a PITA in my experience

If i was doing it fulltime, I would get a Holden or Fraud ute
or a Ranger/Colorado/HiLux as a proper tradies vehicle

 

[blackve76]

.. I do similar
and would never use a wagon.. just a PITA in my experience

If i was doing it fulltime, I would get a Holden or Fraud ute
or a Ranger/Colorado/HiLux as a proper tradies vehicle

The I see the wagon as a pain.

Been told to get a van but just can't see myself in one daily, my vs might only be a Berlina but with suspension mods and good tyres is still fun through the Adelaide hills.

Commodore Ute with canopy might be OK.

 

[_R_J_K_]

Been told to get a van but just can't see myself in one daily, my vs might only be a Berlina but with suspension mods and good tyres is still fun through the Adelaide hills.

Sounds like you're trying to dual purpose it too much. You need to look at it as a tool for your business and its ability to help you run it better.

You're asking about advice for a tradie car, but still want to run through the hills. Well, what do you want it to do?

 

[axemurderer101]

If it was me i would just set up a custom trailer and buy what ever vehicle you want to tow it.

 

[_R_J_K_]

Trailer could be the go.

Wouldn't rule out vans just yet, everybody I've talked to who has driven a diesel iLoad has said they're super torque-y.

 

[figjam]

Drove one of those (iLoad rental) Sydney to Melbourne return. It drove really well for a commercial van. (It's a work vehicle, not a sports car)
I would prefer that to a ute or trailer, ie load height, and you don’t get yourself or your gear as wet if it rains.
A cargo barrier and load restraints inside are a must.

 

[Tonner Matt]

From a "Work Vehicle Only" point of view I would suggest a Toyota Hiace van.....Petrol or diesel will come down to personal preference.
I had a petrol one that was setup for doing forklift field service a few years ago, it got along really well considering what I used to cart around in it all the time.

It used to have on board at all times:
All of my tools
Air compressor
A large vice that was setup on a 4" box steel slide so it extended out through the back door when you wanted to use it.
Oxy/acetylene bottles
Spare gas cylinder for a forklift
2 shelving racks full of spare parts
20 & 60 litre drums of oil for the forklift fleet, plus a few empty drums that were used to transport the waste oil.
And that is just what I remember off the top off my head.

What I liked about it:
Security of your tools & equipment being inside the vehicle whenever you are away from it.
Numerous options available to deck out the rear cargo area to suit your specific kind of work.
Everything was setup with safety in mind...Cargo barrier installed & restraints were used for other equipment that was onboard.

What I didn't like about it:
Your legs being part of the crumple zone in the event of a front end accident
Other than that, I liked it and it served it's purpose well​