On Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 11:59:41 PM UTC-4, -MIKE- wrote:
On 6/24/17 7:03 PM, wrote:
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


Yeah, the minivan is pretty theft-proof. I mean who's going to steal
child seats and baby wipes, right?
But those newer work vans with the low decks are very appealing but also
scream, "Lots of tools to steal inside!"


I started driving mini-vans in the mid 80's when the kids came along.
They've been out of the house for close to 8 years and I still drive
a mini-van. The rear bench has been folded into the floor for 99% of
those 8 years. I had a moving blanket hemmed to fit the back to protect
the carpets and a smaller section hemmed to fit the middle for when I
take out the 2nd row seats.

Even though I've moved the kids numerous times and haulled all sorts of
stuff, I've protected the interior such that my vans always look clean
and neat. I love being able to just "buy stuff" when I want to with no
worries about how to get it home. e.g. when I found the 2 piece hutch
that I'm turning into an island, I just loaded it (carefully) into the
van and brought it home.

Almost immediately after I bought my current Odyssey, I installed a hitch
and tranny cooler so I can tow my trailer for bigger stuff.

Mini-vans may not be the sexiest of vehicles, but then neither am I. ;-)