On Friday, June 23, 2017 at 11:22:03 AM UTC-5, -MIKE- wrote:


I've used a minivan for years, for both drums and tools.
I can fit more in the van, it's dry, smoked windows, much lower
gate/door level, etc etc etc. HOWEVER, I just got a pick-up again so I
can get bigger loads of supplies, easier.

All good things. I have a couple of my fellow workers and a couple of subs that are using minivans and they have substantially less break in problems than us pickup drivers. I have to have a pickup
to haul lumber, 5 gallon cans of mastic, and when I finish up a job it doubles as the trash truck. The vans get better gas mileage, and seem to have less maintenance requirements. But again, the biggest thing is mitigating theft.

I got a Ram1500 crew cab, took the back seat out, and put down 1/2"
plywood on the floor. It's great, because the boxes go in there with
plenty of room and I can use the seat & seat-belt anchors for tie-downs
to secure the tool boxes. I can fit as many tool boxes back there as I
can behind the back seat of my minivan.

Now that sounds like a great setup. You could drag all your tools around without them being in plain sight and you could still haul materials and even long stuff as needed.

Yes, it's higher and I wouldn't try lift it all up there 3-in-1 style.
But i don't do that in the minivan, either. To me the dolly feature is
for to and from, not so I can He-Man the entire set in and out of a
vehicle. I have enough back problems.

Right there with you. I find myself being much more in tune with the aches and pains that 40+ years in the trades are causing. I hate it, but I have to look for just about every advantage I can muster these days.

I am wondering how long all the new cargo type vans will be around. They were the rage, then they weren't, now they seem to be again. Mercedes, Ford and Chrysler all have their offerings, and I can't decide if that would be a good thing or not. If I locked my truck up in a secure, protected area every night and never took it anywhere they look great. But what I drive is my only vehicle, so transportation has to pull not only work but play duty as well.

Still, the vans look sweet and I am starting to see more and more on the road these days. All tradesmen, too. I hope that doesn't start another theft trend.

Robert