Thread: School me on commercial vehicles.

Canopies are the bees knees But they can be pretty expensive.
I have a full canopy on my 79 series and it it FAR more useful than my D2a wagon ever was.
I can put heaps of gear in the canopy and have easy access to ALL of it and I don't really care it it gets a bit grubby because I can hose it out at the end of a trip, This was definitely not the case with the D2a or any of the other 4WD wagons I have owned.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Many of the tradies around here seem to be ditching utes and buying vans from Ford, Renault, VW etc.
I guess they can load them up with lots of tools and gear and then lock the doors and it is all safe inside.

Vans are so much better and more convenient than utes for our trade,there is just NO comparison.
The only reason many use utes is so the kids can fit in,space cabs,dual cabs or whatever.

The space or extra cab is better as the tray can be longer,but the days of putting baby seats in them will be over once the new Ranger appears.
All the other brands have already stopped putting in the seat harness points,and they are not available aftermarket for any,except the 79.

Vans for some reason also seem to be rediculously reliable,more so than the utes,but that could also come down to the brand.
They also have a lot more sheetmetal to scratch and dent,than the utes,which is a nuisance,and dont have the towing capacity.

In the UK a van can be had with 5 seats and a safety barrier behind them as one configuration option so can carry a work team or family on weekend

Vans are popular as transport with bike riders and cyclists as can lock them away and carry maintenance repair equipment using the can as a workshop space

Originally Posted by 3toes

In the UK a van can be had with 5 seats and a safety barrier behind them as one configuration option so can carry a work team or family on weekend

Vans are popular as transport with bike riders and cyclists as can lock them away and carry maintenance repair equipment using the can as a workshop space

Yes but with 5 seats,as we can get here,they have less room behind the seats than a ute.And are very expensive.
Unless you go for one of the larger vans,some are huge,but parking in some carparks is often impossible due to their height.

So for us they are out.

Ford Transit have a few models,but we find the Jap vans by far the most reliable,and suit our needs perfectly.

Originally Posted by scarry

Yes but with 5 seats,as we can get here,they have less room behind the seats than a ute.And are very expensive.
Unless you go for one of the larger vans,some are huge,but parking in some carparks is often impossible due to their height.

So for us they are out.

Ford Transit have a few models,but we find the Jap vans by far the most reliable,and suit our needs perfectly.

The vans can be more reliable because they are a lot simpler, mostly they are just used for commercial purposes and don't need the niceties. The Hiace has always been low powered with robust running gear.
The older Hilux was similar but now the utes have been moved upmarket they have a lot more features and more power and have lost some of the reliability.

Originally Posted by trout1105

Recreational 4WD buyers tend to get twin or single cab utes because they at far more adaptable for their needs and when not 4WDing they can chuck their rubbish in the back to take to the tip
However sparkies, plumbers and mechanics are better off getting a van so that their tools and hardware are secure from theft and kept out of the elements.
.

Most tradies here have moved to trailers.
Can use vehicle outside of work and secure trailer in garage when not in use.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Most tradies here have moved to trailers.
Can use vehicle outside of work and secure trailer in garage when not in use.

Ahhh,the fun of parking a trailer in the city….

Originally Posted by Geedublya

The vans can be more reliable because they are a lot simpler, mostly they are just used for commercial purposes and don't need the niceties. The Hiace has always been low powered with robust running gear.
The older Hilux was similar but now the utes have been moved upmarket they have a lot more features and more power and have lost some of the reliability.

The latest Hi Ace has just as many features,and power up close to a 2WD Ute,so far,as reliable as the older 200 model.

In fact it probably has more power than the common commercial 2.2L Ranger,which we have as well.
The Ranger actually spends all day reving it’s arse off,which won’t be much help for engine longevity one would think.
And doesn’t use any less fuel than the loaf of bread shaped new Hi Ace,carting the same sort of weight around.